REstaurant
EVENT
INFORMATION
Join us in celebrating Waco’s culinary destinations! Waco Restaurant Week is a citywide showcase of local flavor, and we’re inviting all restaurants, food trucks, bars, coffee/tea shops to participate.
All participating restaurants pay a one-time registration fee that donates to a nonprofit, you keep 100% of sales during the event week!
Learn more about our 2025 impact here.
ALL REGISTRATIONS END AUGUST 31.
RESTAURANT INFORMATION & REGISTRATION
ANY restaurant, *food truck, bar, coffee/tea shop in the Greater Waco area is eligible to sign up. All restaurants sign up with a one-time registration fee, which donates to a local nonprofit, while you keep 100% of sales during the event week.
*We just ask if you’re a mobile business to have a solid set of operating days/hours on Google Business so patrons can find you easily.
We spend months promoting you, do fun surprises like swag drop offs leading up to the event, and market you through several local and statewide channels, bringing the eyes on our local food and beverage scene as a vibrant and delicious culinary destination in Texas.
REGISTRATION ENDS AUGUST 31, 2026.
Have Questions?
WHY PARTICIPATE?
IYKYK, this is Waco’s biggest and only week-long culinary destination event that has a proven track record since 2019 of being the most fun and impactful for all who are involved.
Need more convincing? See our 2025 impact report. Participating restaurants reported an increase of 25+% increase in sales from the previous year date range.
That’s enough to say, “yeah I’m in”.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO PARTICIPATE?
First timer? We got you. Not sure what to offer? We’ve got the data to guide you!
Restaurants (food trucks, coffee shop/tea shop, bars, etc) are able to sign up now until August 31, providing all the information we need to share. Take a look on the registration form to see what we are needing in detail, a little guide is below:
Signing up:Sign up for a one-time registration fee that donates to a local nonprofit. You keep 100% of sales during the event week.
Specials we see that work well based on several years of data:
BOGO (Buy-one-get-one) deals
Pre-fixed dinners at a special price (Example: Appetizer + Entree)
Entree + drink pairing at a special price
Special drink menu for that week only, special pricing
Take your top dish/drink and make it at a special price
Whatever you’re offering must be available during the entire event week, no changes (unless your supplier exploded mid-week, then maybe let us know). We line up ALL PROMOS waaaaay ahead of time. So whatever you submit is what we are promoting.
SLIGHT CHANGES are allowed on the passport prior to kick off, knowing what you’ve submitted is already being promoted. Email the contact via your private member hub to submit tweaks.
PRICING: We get it’s spicy times with supply costs. Price things at a price point that makes sense for your business, but also gets patrons in the door. It’s just for one week and chances are, you’ll have an increase of sales for other purchases beyond the special - we are working towards economic impact for all businesses through this event.
THE GOAL: Why would a customer want to come in and enjoy what you’re offering? What gets them in the door? We get not every business operates the same, so we keep the “options” as flexible as possible. However, we want folks to come in so make the special make sense for your costs but also draws the hungry patrons in! Let the tasty creativity win!
Green + Gold Day Special
Green + Gold Day: This is a pre-kick off to WRW and Baylor Homecoming, thanks to our partners at Baylor University! This is a one-day special only, that we are asking to be Green + Gold themed. This special is an extra day to WRW, on November 5, engaging existing patrons, visitors, and newbies:
Green + Gold Day Specials that work well:
Matcha Lemonade
Gold Rush cocktail at a special price (or something similar)
A menu item special that’s “Baylor” themed
Consider something that draws customers in to celebrate the bears!
HELP US HELP PROMOTE YOU
Think of us as your biggest cheerleader, your loudest advocate, your brand ambassador. What do we need to know to promote you, your specials, and your company?
What we are asking for on the form:
A logo! (high-resolution, please)
Photos we can use for promotion on our end, high-res is great (or with your phone)
Remember: Whatever special you submit (whether it’s fully thought out or not) is going on the passport. So if you put “I don’t know…something” that’s what your customers will see….so please develop your plan before submitting so we can make the most of the promotion window!
NO AI, PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GODDESS GREEN DRESSING
Essentially: Whatever you are giving us we are going to use to promote, we want to promote you well so please provide us specials in detail (what does it include? pricing?) photos, logos, all the fun things!
Whatever you submit in your submission form will be promoted, word-for-word.
BAYLOR ALumni-Owned PROMOS
Did you graduate from Baylor University? Please select “yes” on the form! Thanks to our partners at Baylor University, we have special promos to share about the Bears in town and their business.
Reels, photos, and special promotions on our social media
A splash page and article to promote Baylor Alumni-Owned businesses (article coming soon)
We will coordinate our photographer/social media queen with you to get content! This extra promo is for Baylor Alumni-Owned Businesses.
Food truck + mobile businesses:
This is for you, too! We just ask: Your consistent location and hours of operation are updated on your Google Business Listing (we have no powers on this, only you do!) as we pull this information from Google Business to direct hungry customers to you.
Other important factors:
Be open for more than one day during the event week (Nov 6-14)
Be within the Greater Waco area (McLennan County)
Able to provide whatever special you are offering during that entire week during your operating hours
If you are a popup event-only food truck you are able to find a spot to popup at and register as a special popup event. It is on you to find the spot and make the plan, to which you will share with us that plan for promotions in your submission.
ONCE I SIGN UP WHAt’S NEXT?
You received a confirmation email with your details you submitted PLUS a special, private link to the member hub. This link has:
Digital passport information, including staff training (so you don’t have to!)
Prepped Canva canva graphics you can use/edit for your promotions (NO AI PROMOS, PLZ)
Staff training, basically taking the heavy lifting for you, just share the flyer and they’ll be ready to rock and roll with the event
Who to contact, where to submit slight menu changes, etc.
This is a private link that was submitted to you via email from your form submission. If you cannot find the link reach out to info@keepwacobeautiful.org
HOW does the digital passport work?
Through your submission form, we populate the passport word-for-word based on your submission, which goes directly to public-facing promotions (so be sure you’re clear before you submit!). Any slight changes are allowed prior to launch, but overall you are committing to your submission as we pre-prep all promotions ahead of time. You can use your member hub to reach out for any slight tweaks.
Everything is set up via your Google Business listing on where to go, your operating hours, etc.
The menu details you submitted are found on the passport, this is where patrons find out what tasty specials you will have to offer that week!
Patrons sign up for free, use the digital passport (opens as a web browser on their phone) and can use their GPS to check-in at your location to redeem for prizes via our prize store.
More details including staff training/education are found in the member hub. No staff “approvals” required unless you delegate a “show us that you are part of the event via the passport for our special offering”.
YOU ARE AT THE HEART OF WHY WE DO THIS EVENT.
Not only are we foodies, but we have a deep passion for a thriving, vibrant Waco, Texas. That includes celebrating our culinary and beverage scene while knowing this event stands for Food for Good. We care about boosting the local economy while giving back to a local nonprofit.
The steps are simple, sign up, create a unique menu or popup experience all around your food/beverage offerings, let us promote you and get hungry patrons in your doors. We are pros at this.
supporting waco’s culinary scene
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS KEEP 100% OF THEIR SALES
