Winterlicious returns from Friday, January 27 to Thursday, February 9 as a free and modified City of Toronto program to continue to help support the local restaurant industry in economic recovery and revival and to celebrate Toronto’s diverse culinary scene.
Restaurants interested in participating in the modified Winterlicious 2023 program should review the program overview, eligibility criteria, and application process before completing and submitting an online application.
Winterlicious 2023 returns as a free and modified version of the popular City of Toronto program, designed to limit barriers to restaurant participation and drive on-premises dining business.
Winterlicious 2023 aims to:
The traditional Winterlicious program has been modified to limit barriers to participation for restaurants, including:
The price point category for the prix fixe menu will be determined by the average price of a 3-course meal from a restaurant’s regular dinner menu at the time of application. If a restaurant does not serve dinner, the lunch menu can be used.
Based on this mathematical average (note, do not use a cheque average), the restaurant will select a program price point category (dinner price) that is less than or approximately the same as but not higher than their average 3-course meal from their current regular dinner menu.
Restaurants are encouraged to offer their prix fixe menu(s) at a competitive price point that will still provide a value to consumers, but not the level pre-determined by past program requirements (as in the traditional Winterlicious).
When selecting the appropriate prix fixe menu price point category, restaurants are cautioned to not over-price their prix fixe menu(s) and to consider what would motivate consumers to select their restaurant and prix fixe menu during Winterlicious. If a restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, their lunch prix fixe menu will be priced at the corresponding lunch price of the selected dinner price point category. If a restaurant is not open for lunch, they only need to offer the dinner prix fixe menu.
Once an application submission is reviewed and a restaurant is determined to have met all criteria, including an appropriate price point category, their application and participation in Winterlicious 2023 will be confirmed.
Restaurants with multiple locations of the same name and menu (i.e. chain) are eligible to apply for consideration to participate with one location only.
For Winterlicious 2023, participation has been simplified. Only an application submission is required, which, if all program criteria are met, will result in confirmation of participation.
Once applications are reviewed to ensure all criteria are met, restaurant applicants will be notified of whether or not they are confirmed to participate and be provided with the next steps.
Applications are now closed.
For any questions about the application process, please contact wintersummerlicious@toronto.ca.
Online application opens: September 15
Deadline for applying online: on or before September 29
Confirmation of receipt of application: Automatically provided as part of the “thank you page” when the online application is fully completed and submitted. Print or save a copy of the application for your own records.
Confirmation of participation: late October
The Winterlicious / Summerlicious Advisory Board will review applications for consideration to participate in Winterlicious 2023, and if all criteria are met, confirm participation.
The advisory board will also provide advice and support to ensure the continuing success and sustainability of the City of Toronto’s bi-annual restaurant program, Winterlicious and Summerlicious.
The advisory board is made up of representatives from Toronto’s restaurant industry; culinary schools; and associations.