Summerlicious returns from Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 23 as a 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 Summerlicious 2023 program should review the program overview, eligibility criteria, and application process before completing and submitting an online application.
Summerlicious 2023 returns as a modified and affordable version of the popular City of Toronto program, designed to limit barriers to restaurant participation and drive on-premises dining business.
To continue to support the local restaurant industry, this year the City is offering reduced fees for participating restaurants, bringing back a reduced fee of $550 plus HST, which is less than half of the pre-pandemic fee ($1,300 plus HST).
Summerlicious 2023 aims to:
The traditional Summerlicious 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 Summerlicious).
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 Summerlicious.
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 Summerlicious 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 Summerlicious 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.
Eligible restaurants may apply by completing the online application form below by March 22, 2023, 11:59 p.m. It is recommended that restaurants apply as early as possible before the deadline.
Complete the online application
For any questions about the application process, please contact wintersummerlicious@toronto.ca.
Online application opens: March 1
Deadline for applying online: on or before March 22
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: by late April
Payment of fee: Confirmed participating restaurants will be invoiced directly by City of Toronto prior to the start of the event.
The Winterlicious / Summerlicious Advisory Board will review applications for consideration to participate in Summerlicious 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.