Chicago Northwest
Restaurant Week Toolkit

Registration Closes: December 31, 2025

Menu Deadline: January 15, 2026
Ad Campaign starts: January 20, 2026
Restaurant Week: February 27 - March 8, 2026

Restaurant Week Menu Requirements

We’re excited to feature your restaurant! To make sure guests have a great experience — and your restaurant shines — please follow these requirements: 

• Offer a Multi-Course or Featured Menu
  • Curate a special multi-course experience OR highlight signature dishes for Chicago Northwest Restaurant Week.
• Showcase Great Value
  • Menus should reflect a 20% savings compared to regular pricing — a great way to attract new guests.  
  • Use a whole dollar price (for example: $15, $20, $30 — no cents)
• Food-Focused Menus
  • Offers must include food items; beverage/alcohol-only specials are not eligible.
  • Beverage pairings may be offered as an optional add-on.
• Highlight Quality and Experience
  • We’re looking to feature locally owned and unique dining experiences — national fast-food chains do not qualify.
  • Menus should reflect your restaurant's personality and the high-quality experience guests can expect year-round. 
• Keep It Simple and Special
  • Coupon-style discounts are not permitted for this promotion (e.g., buy one, get one free, $5 off,  20% off, free beverage/appetizer with purchase, etc.) These offers have historically performed poorly with our audience.
• Menu Approval
  • Menus approved by Meet Chicago Northwest prior to your restaurant appearing on our website. 

• Refer to our menu requirements
• Feature
  • crowd pleasers and unique dishes.
  • multiple food options including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options recommended.
  • Restaurant Week dates prominently. 
• Open for breakfast? Offer brunch? Great! We’ll accept menus for breakfast and brunch too.
• Don't forget to include:
  • Per item pricing on Featured Menus.
  • Per person pricing on Multi-Course Menus.
  • A whole dollar price — either way, round-up or round-down.
  • Chicago Northwest Restaurant Week logo and dates.
  • Detail your restrictions.
• No graphic designer? Use one of our Canva menu templates!

1. Create a free account at Canva.com.
2. Open our Chicago Northwest Restaurant Week templates. 
3. THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART: 
   • Go to file, CLICK MAKE A COPY. (A second tab will open, be sure to accept pop-ups in your browser.)
4. Look through the 5 different designs and selected from a multi-course menu or a featured menu.  
5. When your menu is complete, click share in the right corner.
6. Then click download.
7. Select the page you created your menu on. Then click download.
8. Submit your menu with the button below.

Contact us at (847) 490-1010 or info@chicagonorthwest.com.