NYC RESTAURANT WEEK SUMMER 2012 RESERVATIONS OPEN TODAY WITH NEW BOOKING TOOL, NYC & COMPANYS, NYC MAP

7/9/12


NYC RESTAURANT WEEK® SUMMER 2012 RESERVATIONS OPEN TODAY WITH NEW BOOKING TOOL, NYC & COMPANY’S, NYC MAP



—Dining Program Continues Its 20th Anniversary Celebration
with 20 Days of Deals at More Than 300 Restaurants—

—Founding Sponsor American Express Returns with
Exclusive Cardmember Offers—




New York City (July 9, 2012)—NYC & Company, New York City’s marketing, tourism and partnership organization, announced that reservations for NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2012 open today; for the first time diners can book through NYC & Company’s co-branded app, NYC Map. The 20th anniversary of the dining promotion will be celebrated with 20 days of dining deals from July 16 to August 10, 2012, Mondays through Fridays, with Saturdays excluded and Sundays optional for the restaurants to participate. Since 2006, the pricing has remained an affordable $24.07 for three-course prix-fixe lunches and $35.00 for three-course prix-fixe dinners (excluding beverages, taxes and gratuities); Founding Sponsor American Express will return to offer promotions throughout the program. Diners can make reservations at more than 300 participating restaurants today at nycgo.com/restaurantweek or through NYC Map, a free iPhone app available for download at nycgo.com/citymaps.

“New York City’s dining industry is an integral component of the City’s vibrancy with nearly 25,000 restaurants throughout the five boroughs that employ more than 225,000 New Yorkers,” said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. “As the dining capital of the world, we are proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of NYC Restaurant Week. The semiannual event has become a tradition that highlights the culture of dining and gives New Yorkers and visitors the opportunity to experience new restaurants or to return to their favorites at an affordable price.”

In honor of the 20th anniversary of NYC Restaurant Week, American Express Cardmembers will receive a $20 statement credit when they register and use any eligible American Express Card to dine out four or more times at participating restaurants during the dining event. In addition, American Express and foursquare will offer cardmembers the opportunity to earn $5 back every time they check-in at a participating restaurant, unlock the special and pay with their synched American Express Card. A minimum purchase of $24 is required and additional terms and conditions apply (visit nycgo.com/restaurantweek for full offer details).

“American Express is proud to be a Founding Sponsor and is excited to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of NYC Restaurant Week with great offers for cardmembers,” said Joseph Quagliata, Senior Vice President of Field Client Management at American Express. “This program has grown into a can’t-miss opportunity for New Yorkers and visitors alike to discover new eateries and dine at old favorites and is a great way to drive business to restaurants in New York City.

The first-ever NYC Restaurant Week was created as a one-time culinary event to welcome the 1992 Democratic National Convention in New York City. The dining program continued as an annual event and then as a biannual event, paving the way for similar dining promotions in cities across the country and around the world, including Washington DC, Denver, San Diego, Seattle, London and Singapore.




"New York City's restaurant community comes together for NYC Restaurant Week to offer the quality, variety and hospitality that make our city the ultimate dining destination. There are many great culinary events all over the country, but no one else brings together over 300 restaurants of this magnitude," said Tracy Nieporent, NYC & Company Restaurant Committee Chairman.



Over the past 20 years, the number of participating restaurants has grown from 95 to more than 300. A number of eateries have participated in NYC Restaurant Week since 1992 including Barbetta, Brasserie, Capsouto Frères, Chin Chin, Delmonico’s, Gotham Bar and Grill, Mesa Grill, The Palm, Petrossian, Remi, The Russian Tea Room, Shun Lee Palace, Steak Frites, Tribeca Grill, Victor’s Cafe and Water’s Edge.



New NYC Restaurant Week participants this season include, Kin Shop, The Dutch, La Mar Cebicheria Peruana, Loi Restaurant, Mas (La Grillade), North End Grill, Vic & Anthony’s and Zio Ristorante.



NYC Map is a comprehensive digital tool launched last April to enable users to navigate New York City with easy-to-recognize names and visual POIs (logos) and customize their experience with filtered content from hotels, restaurants, bars, stores and attractions. New York City is currently the only destination in the US to have a co-branded mobile app with CityMaps. To download the free app, visit nycgo.com/citymaps.



NYC Restaurant Week is produced by NYC & Company and presented by Founding Sponsor American Express.



About NYC & Company:
NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership
organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For more information, visit nycgo.com.



About CityMaps:
CityMaps (CityMaps.com) is the world’s first social, interactive map. Launched in 2012, CityMaps is currently in NYC, San Francisco and Austin, Texas, and is available on the web and on iOS platforms. The company is based in New York City and was founded by Elliot Cohen and Aaron Rudenstine.

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Contact:    NYC & Company/ Emily Mayrath   212-484-1284