SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle Restaurant Week kicked off Sunday as many establishments across Washington struggle to stay open.
In fact, the Washington Hospitality Association reported that, in the first half of 2025, more restaurants closed statewide than during the first year of the pandemic.
Restaurants are facing the same financial pressures households are, which is part of the problem. Consumers are holding back. Restaurants are trying to get them back out to eat and Seattle Restaurant Week aims to do just that.
One of the restaurants participating in the event, organized by the non-profit Good Business Network of Washington, is Maximilien, located inside Pike Place Market.
Maximilien general manager Aaron Goldstein says it’s offering a special price-fixed dinner.
“You get to try three courses. In our case, it can be French onion soup, your choice of steak au poivre or sea bass, and then you get a creme brulee, which is our famous dessert, and all for $65,” Goldstein said.
Until October 31, more than 250 restaurants will offer price-fixed menus, with options as low as $20. It’s an effort to get people to eat out or try something different.
Gabriel Carbajal and his dining companion, Jessica Sherman, say they’re familiar with Seattle Restaurant Week.
“We always try to come out, because of the deals and stuff, and there’s usually restaurants we haven’t been to,” Carbajal said. “But we stopped going out for a while because it did get more expensive, but that’s why this week’s great.”
Seattle restaurants are often walking a tight line between keeping prices low enough for customers, while covering their own rising costs due to inflation, increasing taxes, and a minimum wage that’s set to increase to $22.14 an hour in January. That leaves most area restaurants a profit margin of about 1.5% compared to the 4% restaurants see on average nationally, according to the Washington Hospitality Association.
To curb costs, Goldstein says Maximilien limits menu substitutions and extras. It focuses, instead on high-quality dishes served up by a small, expert staff.
“We’ve trimmed and we’ve kept it very lean and we’re able to function,” Goldstein said. “Plus, we have a lot of long-term regulars here since we’ve been here so long.”
Maximilien opened at Pike Place in 1977. Regulars like Carbajal and Sherman confirm they are being more careful with the money they spend when dining out.
“I think it’s a little more intentional where you’re going out for dinner - making sure you know it’s going to be good quality, good ambiance - so making it worth our while if we are going to actually go out,” Sherman said.
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