Lower Mainland Events, Restaurant News+

Dine Out Vancouver

Posted by cassandra on

Tourism Vancouver’s annual restaurant promotion runs April 26 to May 6

Tourism Vancouver’s Dine Out Vancouver 2010, presented by Visa, is your opportunity to sample three-course dinner menus at some 207 Vancouver-area restaurants at the delectable price points of $18, $28 or $38 (exclusive of taxes, alcohol and gratuity). The eighth annual promotion runs for 11 days from Monday, April 26 to Thursday, May 6 dishing up great value and the opportunity to “taste-drive” a smorgasbord of Vancouver restaurants.

Participating Dine Out Vancouver restaurants and their menus will be revealed by Tourism Vancouver on Monday, April 19, at which point consumers can start making reservations online through tourismvancouver.com. Diners are encouraged to book early as spots at many restaurants are snapped up quickly.

Tourism Vancouver first launched Dine Out Vancouver in January 2003 as a way to drive business to local restaurants during the industry’s low season. The promotion is normally held in January/February each year. However, consultation with restaurants prompted Tourism Vancouver to select spring dates for the 2010 event as many restaurants expected to be very busy in the lead up to, and during, the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Despite the later dates, Dine Out Vancouver 2010 has set a new record for restaurant participation with 207 restaurants registered, up from 194 in 2009 and just 57 in 2003.

Tourism Vancouver chair Rick Baxter says that Dine Out Vancouver’s success is far reaching. “The promotion is about offering value to consumers and generating business for local restaurants,” said Baxter. “But it’s become more than that. Dine Out Vancouver has become one of Vancouver’s most anticipated annual events and, in its eight years, has helped to reinforce Vancouver’s reputation as one of the world’s best places to eat.”

Dine Out Vancouver 2010 highlights

• BC wine pairings available with Dine Out Vancouver meals. In recognition of sponsorship from the BC Wine Institute, participating restaurants are once again complementing their three-course menus with BC VQA wine pairings, available at an additional cost. These wine pairings provide the perfect opportunity to sample and explore the province’s outstanding wines.

• Dine Out Vancouver hotel packages available through Tourism Vancouver. Turn dinner into a “staycation” by taking advantage of a Dine Out Vancouver hotel package. Packages start at $169 per night and include a one-night stay plus a three-course Dine Out Vancouver dinner for two at the hotel restaurant, or a partner restaurant. Click here to view the list of over a dozen participating hotels.

Great prizes to be won!

• Visa Dine Out for a Year contest. Pay for your Dine Out Vancouver meal with your Visa card, complete the ballot given to you by your server, slip it into the pink ballot box at the restaurant, and you’re entered to win dinner every week for a year in the form of 52 restaurant gift certificates (combined value $3,900). Five second-prize winners will also receive a $100 gift certificate for Tickets Tonight plus a $75 restaurant gift card. For more information on the Visa Dine Out for a Year contest, click here.

• Best Bite awards. Vote for your favourite Dine Out Vancouver experiences online at tourismvancouver.com and you could win great prizes including a nine-day luxury vacation for two aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train, valued at over $11,000. New for this year’s Best Bite awards is the “I ♥ My Server” award. The lucky winner and their server will each get a Rocky Mountaineer train package for two to Whistler valued at over $1,300. For more information on the Best Bite awards, click here.

Along with presenting sponsor Visa, other sponsors of this much anticipated event include the British Columbia Wine Institute, Rocky Mountaineer, Satsports, 96.9 Jack FM, KVOS TV, News 1130, Tourism Vancouver Television, WHERE Vancouver magazine, Vancouver Magazine and myCITYsmart.

Tourism Vancouver’s focus is on building exceptional customer relationships with meeting planners, travel influencers, travel media and independent tourists.  The organization’s brand essence is about “exceeding expectations”.