Staff report
It’s time to shake off the cabin fever, put the doldrums away, and experience your choice of great tastes at one of Northern Kentucky’s local bars and restaurants — as part of the “Dine NKY” campaign.
A new initiative aimed at supporting locally owned bars and restaurants in Northern Kentucky, “Dine NKY,” kicks off on Tuesday, January 21 — and there are prizes involved.
The program encourages dining out and supporting locally owned bars and restaurants on Tuesdays, which are typically slower for many establishments in the industry, especially during the winter months.
Amerasia, one of many NKY restaurants at your service. (Photo by Patrick McNamara)
“Dine NKY” makes it easy and fun for the community to rally around their favorite local spots. From January 21 through February 14, participants can take part in the program by simply enjoying a meal or drink at a locally owned bar or restaurant.
To join in, snap a photo or record a short video of your visit, tag the establishment, and share it on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #DineNKY.
By participating, individuals will be entered into a weekly random drawing for a chance to win a $50 gift card to a Northern Kentucky bar or restaurant. But that’s not all — at the conclusion of the campaign, all participants will also be entered into a grand prize drawing for $300 worth of gift cards to a variety of local bars and restaurants in Northern Kentucky.
“Winter is always a tough time for restaurants, and Tuesdays can be especially challenging,” said Emily Badger, General Manager of Lisse Steakhuis. “People tend to spend more during the holidays, which leads to them cutting back in January and February. The cold weather doesn’t help either. This year, we’re feeling the impact in Northern Kentucky more with people’s routes from the north impacted due to the bridge closure.”
Several Northern Kentucky establishments announced closures at the end of 2024 and beginning of 2025, citing the cost of food, inflation, and a steep decrease in traffic since the closure of the southbound lanes of the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge (aka Big Mac Bridge) as part of the problem.
“It’s never a good start to the year when restaurants close,” said Mayor of Newport, Tom Guidugli. “Whatever the cause, we are committed to working together to create an environment of success. We’re grateful that meetNKY, the Northern Kentucky Chamber, the various business councils, including the Newport Business Council, and community partners from across the region are partnering to support our local bars and restaurants including those located throughout our community and our tourism centers such as Newport on the Levee. This impact goes beyond the business owners — it affects the servers and bartenders who rely on tips to support their families.”
“Covington’s eclectic array of unique restaurants is one of the things that makes The Cov such a great place to live, work, and visit … and let’s not forget the jobs they provide,” said Mayor of Covington, Ron Washington. “But running a restaurant like any small business is a challenge, and they need our support. I invite everyone to participate in the DINE NKY initiative by eating out on Tuesdays and helping not only our restaurants but the people who work there.”
“The Big Mac Bridge closure has added insult to injury during these winter months when many local businesses are already struggling,” said Mayor of Bellevue, Charlie Cleves. “I see firsthand how hard these business owners and their staffs work to keep the lights on. They rely heavily on the support of our communities both here and on the other side of the river and I hope as people are making purchases in January and February, they consider dining local.”
Recognizing the challenges faced by the restaurant industry, community and city leaders with organizations including the NKY Chamber, meetNKY, BE NKY, Horizon Community Funds, and the Covington, Florence, Ft. Thomas, and Newport Business Councils, wanted to take action.
The organizations heard from many local business owners about the difficulties they were experiencing, particularly during the slower winter months. In response, they worked with partners to develop the “Dine NKY” campaign as a way to rally community support, drive traffic to local establishments, and provide a much-needed boost to the industry.
“Small businesses are the heart and soul of our community, and they add so much flavor to what makes Northern Kentucky special,” said Brent Cooper, President & CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber. The ‘Dine NKY’ initiative is a recipe for success, and we’re excited to see our community rally behind this effort and show that, together, we can serve up meaningful support where it’s needed most.”
For more information on Dine NKY and a list of ideas for bars and restaurants to check out from now through February 14 follow the hashtag #DineNKY on Instagram and Facebook and head to meetnky.com/restaurants.