For free promotion, Oakland restaurants to offer cheap lunch

This summer, Fuel and Fuddle owner Brandon Smith looks forward to one week more than any other — Restaurant Week.

From June 22-27, the Oakland Business Improvement District (OBID), an economic development agency representing local businesses and other Oakland organizations, will host Restaurant Week for the second time this year. The first Restaurant Week this year was in January. For the six days, 18 participating Oakland restaurants, including Fuel and Fuddle and Sorrento’s Pizza Roma, will offer a limited $6 menu in the hopes of reaching new customers. In exchange for offering discounted meals, OBID gives the restaurants free promotion for the week.

Throughout this week, Smith said, his restaurant sees a rise in business and gets a chance to promote a different menu.

“I think our offerings are creative and decent,” he said. “We try to have an eclectic menu just to give people a cool thing to try.”

Fuel and Fuddle, located at 212 Oakland Ave., has participated in Restaurant Week for the past three years. The restaurant is participating again this year to gain further exposure and more regular customers. For Smith, 34, Restaurant Week has historically been a chance to reel in a higher volume of sales.

Sorrento’s Pizza Roma has also participated in Restaurant Week before, and has seen similar success. This year, Aaron Tripe, owner of Sorrento’s, has big goals for the week.

“We hope to get four to 10 [new customers] per day,” Tripe said. “If we get 30, 40, 50 [people] coming into our restaurant and five new ones that come more often, that would be beneficial.”

Tripe, 35, said he has been trying for years to reel in more customers that are native to Oakland. The restaurant, located at 23 Atwood St., caters mostly to students.

Tripe acknowledged that although students contribute a great deal of sales to his business, they are transient. After the fall and spring terms, a majority of students go home or graduate. Tripe hopes to attract more Oakland natives, who will provide him with year-round business.

OBID solely covers the costs for promotion, marketing and event coordination. Tripe said he is grateful that the organization is dedicated to helping local businesses.

“[Restaurant Week] does a good job for small guys like us in Oakland,” Tripe said.

Jonathan Winkler, OBID spokesperson, said that in past years, Restaurant Week has been a success for both the consumer and the producer.

“Oakland Restaurant Week only scratches the surface of what Oakland has to offer,” Winkler said.