Some P.E.I. restaurants to offer half-price dining deal to entice customers during pandemic

A new P.E.I. restaurant promotion has been announced for later this month that will give dine-in customers up to $15 off their meals.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all included. Customers will receive a 50 per cent discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages, up to a maximum of $15 per person. It does not apply to takeout, curbside, drive-thru or home delivery.

The promotion is scheduled to run Sunday through Wednesday from March 21 to March 31 at participating Island restaurants.

It is a partnership between the P.E.I. Restaurant Association, Canada's Food Island, and Tourism P.E.I., which is the major funding sponsor.

Tough time during pandemic

Carl Nicholson, president of the P.E.I. Restaurant Association, said full-service restaurants have had a hard time through the pandemic, with closures and reduced capacity due to public health restrictions.

He said the promotion will help keep doors open and staff employed. 

"It's just one of those steps that we need to kind of help support the industry to get to the other side because if you look at what's happening right across the country right now there's over 10,000 restaurants that have closed that will not reopen," he said.

"We know there are better days down the road but it's to get to there."

 All capacity limits will continue to be respected and enforced, the association said.

About 50 restaurants across Prince Edward Island are expected to participate. According to the promotion's website, the list of participating restaurants will be available March 18.

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