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Downtown restaurants combat recession with new options Date published: 3/29/2009
BY EMILY BATTLE
Restaurants in downtown Fredericksburg are using a number of new strategies to try to lure consumers out of a recession-driven aversion to dining out. Some are trying to drum up new business by turning to an old tradition. Family-style dining-- where a table shares platters of one meal instead of ordering separate dishes--came to downtown first at Caroline Street Cafe and Catering. The eatery chose the family-style format to launch regular, year-round dinner service three nights a week, as part of a larger overhaul owners Shane and Angela Sheaffer have given their restaurant and catering company. After seeing business slow down during the first two months of this year, the couple decided it was time for a change. They've moved the drink cooler and sandwich prep station out of their storefront space and brought in couches and other decorations to make the room more inviting. They've brought in wait service for lunch, to make it a sit-down experience, not another errand that involves waiting in line at a counter. The chalkboard that used to be covered with menu items and prices is now covered with a huge chalk "painting," which local artist Ilana Price spent 10 hours creating. The Sheaffers have also brought on three young chefs who are helping them to expand to serve lunch and breakfast. The restaurant began serving breakfast on Friday, and will be open at 8 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the meal. The family-style dinners are served on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights starting at 5:30 p.m. At $15 per person for four courses, the Sheaffers are hoping people will see the dinners as an affordable way to treat themselves. They're not the only ones who have seen this as a way to stand out during a rough economy. A few blocks away, Bistro Bethem has begun serving family-style dinners on Wednesday nights, to spice up an otherwise slow point in the week. The meals are $20 per person, for a full entree and salad. Owner Aby Bethem said the restaurant offers one entree a month family-style, and the focus is on comfort food. April's feature will be fish and chips. "It's another option, another way to entice people to come out," Bethem said. Right across the street, Castiglia's has been offering family-style meals every night for the past two months. Owner Luigi Castiglia said that at $24.99, each platter will serve a family of four. He said he hopes it helps families to treat themselves to a night out during tough times. Also offering a twist on the typical restaurant format is Claiborne's, which started offering prix-fixe menus of some of its dishes in January. The restaurant is offering three-course options at $25 and $35. General Manager Mike Hovanetz said the idea was to provide a more affordable way for people to enjoy some of the restaurant's traditional menu items. "When I go out to dinner, I know I'm always looking for a deal, and with the economy the way it is, I think that's what a lot of the consumers want," he said. Emily Battle: 540/374-5413
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