Dining Out Less, Experiencing More: Why Restaurant Event Nights Are Having a Moment

There was a time when going out to dinner a few times a month didn't require much thought. You were tired, didn't feel like cooking, or wanted to meet friends, so you picked a restaurant and went.

These days, that decision can feel a little different.

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With the cost of just about everything taking a bigger bite out of household budgets, people are becoming more selective about how and where they spend their discretionary dollars. Dining out certainly hasn't disappeared…but for some, several casual dinners out each month are being replaced by one or two evenings that feel a little more intentional.

And restaurants are taking notice.

One trend I've particularly enjoyed is the rise of restaurant experience nights. Wine dinners, chef-curated menus, tastings, themed dinners and other special events that turn dinner into an actual night out.

Instead of simply making a reservation, ordering dinner and heading home, you're getting something you probably wouldn't recreate on an ordinary Saturday night.

A Night Out Becomes an Experience

One local restaurant that has embraced this idea is 87 Sussex in Jersey City.

I've attended several different events at 87 Sussex, so this isn't a recommendation based simply on seeing an event announcement pop up on my feed. I've actually experienced these evening - and I've enjoyed myself immensely each time.

That's part of what made their upcoming Theo's Iberian Wine Dinner catch my attention.

The October 1 event is a five-course, chef-inspired dinner featuring wines from Spain and Portugal, with each course designed around the pairing.

And this isn't your everyday restaurant menu.

The evening starts with Bolinhos de Bacalhau—salt cod croquettes with parsley and piri-piri aioli—followed by roasted Atlantic hake with littleneck clams, caldo verde and coriander broth.

Then comes quail with Jamón de Teruel, migas, Mission fig and rosemary jus, followed by vine-grilled lamb loin with patatas a la Riojana, chorizo, piquillo pepper and mint.

Dessert is an almond and olive oil cake with caramelized orange, Pedro Ximénez raisins and crème fraîche.

At $125++ per person, it's obviously not an inexpensive casual dinner.

But that's also the point.

Maybe We're Changing What "Going Out" Means

If you're cutting back on dining out, spending that money on an evening built around food, wine and an experience can feel very different from spending it on several ordinary meals.

There is anticipation involved. You might invite another couple or make plans with friends. You're trying dishes you wouldn't normally order. You're learning about wines you may never have encountered. And because everyone in the room is essentially participating in the same experience, these dinners often have a surprisingly social atmosphere.

For restaurants, there is another side to this trend that's worth talking about.

Independent restaurants are dealing with many of the same pressures their customers are—higher food costs, labor expenses and increasingly cautious consumers. Simply waiting for people to decide to dine out isn't always enough.

Creating an occasion gives customers a reason to come through the door.

And I think we'll continue seeing more restaurants experiment with exactly that: chef's dinners, wine pairings, tasting menus, collaborations, live music nights and other experiences that offer something beyond the regular dinner reservation.

Fewer Nights Out Doesn't Have to Mean Giving Up Going Out

Supporting local businesses doesn't mean anyone should spend money they don't have. In fact, part of supporting local is recognizing that consumers are making different choices right now -and encouraging small businesses to adapt to those choices.

Maybe instead of four dinners out this month, it's one.

But maybe that one dinner becomes something you really look forward to.

I've had that kind of evening at 87 Sussex before, which is why this particular event stood out to me. Their Iberian Wine Dinner is just one example of a larger restaurant trend I think is worth watching.

Because as we're becoming more thoughtful about how often we go out, restaurants are becoming more creative about giving us a reason to decide where that night out should be.

And frankly, if I'm going to splurge on dinner these days, I like the idea of getting a memory along with the meal.

If you're interested in the Iberian Wine Dinner, make your reservation here

I'd love to see you there!