NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2010 To Feature More Than 275 Restaurants, Making It The City's Largest

NYC RESTAURANT WEEK� SUMMER 2010 TO FEATURE MORE THAN 275 RESTAURANTS, MAKING IT THE CITY'S LARGEST DINING PROGRAM TO DATE

�NYC Restaurant Week Truck Returns to Dish Up
Gourmet Summer Soups From 15 Participating Restaurants�

�Nonprofit Organization Hot Bread Kitchen to Provide
Artisanal Bread with Purchased Soup�

�Pop Culture Icon Darcel Joins NYC Restaurant Week
to Offer Reviews and Picks on Where to Dine July 12�25�

New York, NY (June 28, 2010)� NYC & Company, New York City's marketing, tourism and partnership organization, today announced NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2010 will feature more than 275 participating restaurants, sustaining the dining program�s record of steady growth and making this season's event the City's largest dining program to date since it began in 1992. The two-week event will run from July 12 to July 25, 2010, and feature the return of the NYC Restaurant Week Truck, which is partnering with nonprofit organization Hot Bread Kitchen. In addition, this year�s program introduces a new brand ambassador, Darcel, an adventurous eyeball who blogs about his travel and dining excursions. Prices remain $24.07 for three-course prix-fixe lunches and $35 for three-course prix-fixe dinners. (Saturdays excluded; Sundays optional. Beverages, gratuities and taxes are not included.)

"We are proud to carry on NYC's summer tradition of dining in the City�and even prouder to announce that our program is bigger than ever," said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. "Both food enthusiasts and local eateries benefit from this promotion, which draws attention to the importance of the restaurant industry. We encourage residents and visitors to venture to new culinary establishments and support fine dining at a great price."

"Restaurants are undoubtedly a main ingredient to New York City's vibrancy," said NYC & Company Chief Marketing Officer Jane Reiss. "Our dining program strives to encapsulate the energy, variety and relevancy of NYC Restaurant Week�s participants while exciting both diners and dining institutions.�

New participating restaurants this season include Adour Alain Ducasse, Le Caprice, Yerba Buena and Wall & Water in the recently opened Andaz Wall Street; returning notables include Nobu, Blue Water Grill, The River Caf� and The Central Park Boathouse. Also returning to the program are exclusive benefits for American Express� Cardmembers. Cardmembers who dine out three or more times at any participating restaurants during NYC Restaurant Week, July 12�25, 2010, can get a $15 statement credit when they register and use any eligible American Express Card. To register an American Express Card, visit nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

The NYC Restaurant Week Truck will cater to patrons this summer in Midtown West (50th Street and Broadway) and the Flatiron District (18th Street and Fifth Avenue) between 11:30am and 1pm, July 12�16. Participating eateries include Megu, Rocking Horse Caf�, db Bistro Moderne and SD26. Hot Bread Kitchen�a local bakery with a social mission to create professional opportunities for immigrant women and preserve baking traditions�will provide fresh breads made from organic ingredients and baked with time-honored recipes from around the world. Summer soups will cost $6 each; $1 from every serving sold will go toward Hot Bread Kitchen�s efforts. Foodies will be able to view the truck�s daily schedule and menu beginning July 12 at nycgo.com/restaurantweek or twitter.com/nycgo.

Darcel, NYC Restaurant Week�s new viral brand companion, has also come on board this season as restaurant reviewer and food blogger. Over the course of two weeks Darcel will post weekday summaries about his flavorful NYC experiences.

NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2010 is produced by NYC & Company and supported by Founding Sponsor American Express and Participating Sponsor JetBlue Airways.

"NYC Restaurant Week is an exciting time of year for New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy our great city," said Lisa Skiptunis, vice president of client management at American Express Merchant Services. "American Express is proud to once again support this great program and provide our Cardmembers with added and unique benefits."

For the third time, in partnership with NYC & Company, New York�s hometown airline JetBlue Airways will offer a special NYC Restaurant Week promotion, JetBlue Loves NYC Sweepstakes. Consumers can enter for a chance to win an NYC weekend for two: two round-trip flights on JetBlue, two nights in a luxury hotel, a unique dining experience for two, two tickets to a Broadway show, a $500 American Express Gift Card, a "Departure Dinner" for two at one of the five award-winning restaurants in JetBlue�s Terminal 5 at JFK and 10,000 TrueBlue points�enough for a round-trip Award Flight.

View the complete set of rules and enter to win the JetBlue Loves NYC Sweepstakes at nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

To register an American Express Card, visit nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Follow Darcel�s NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2010 dining blog at nycgo.com/restaurantweek (he will be blogging July 12�16 and 19�23). Until then, view his weekly posts at darceldisappoints.com.

Visit nycgo.com/restaurantweek on June 29 to view the complete list of NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2010 participants and make reservations online.

Reservations are powered by OpenTable.

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 press inquiries please contact Francisca Ovalle at 212.484.1270. or fovalle@nycgo.com