Restaurants in greater Boston are preparing romantic menus, decorative table settings and all the accoutrements of love this Valentine’s Day.
Steve Clark, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, says his members are expecting Valentine’s Day to bring in some much-needed business.
“Valentine’s Day is always kind of that opportunity to shake off the winter doldrums in the restaurant industry,” Clark said. “In terms of busy days in the industry. This absolutely is one.”
Among the factors that have driven down business at the start of the year is “Dry January,” when many swear off alcohol for the month. Clark said in 2025, January saw fewer people going out to eat, and that continued right into the start of February.
This year, the snow and bitter cold has also kept business quiet, despite the Patriots extended playoff season, which often helps bring foot-traffic into sports bars.
Clark said Valentine’s Day can bring a much-needed boost. However, he wishes it fell on a different day of the week when restaurants aren’t busy already.
“I do think we’re probably going to have record spending at restaurants this year with Valentine’s Day on a Saturday,” he said. But that’s a double-edged sword, he said, since Saturday is generally a good day for restaurants anyway.
“It’s still cutting into Saturday business, so you’re not getting the new jump in new business that you would get if it fell on a different day,” he said.
Clark says food and labor costs for restaurants are each up by about 35% since the pandemic. However, he says the industry is in a better place than it was last year.
At Estella, a Caribbean-American fusion restaurant with locations in Boston and Foxborough, manager Dre Vincent said his staff is preparing for the holiday with a special three-course meal, specialty cocktails, candles and heart-shaped table decorations.
“Just some small decor to make it pop out a little different than what it usually looks like,” Vincent said.
But good luck getting a table: Vincent said more than 800 reservations are booked for dinner. That’s a change from the usual trend of larger parties at the restaurant.
The Capitol Grille in Dedham is anticipating a “rush hour” of love this weekend.
Wine director Ramon Worthington said the restaurant is fully booked for the weekend, with between 400 and 500 reservations Friday and Saturday, and more than 350 for Sunday.
Special entrees include a porterhouse steak with a south-African lobster tail and unique cupid ideas.
“As a food special, we’re doing chocolate covered strawberries and we are passing out roses to all the ladies here at the restaurant,” Worthington said.
Worthington said the restaurant’s Dedham location has been busy throughout the winter, and ever since it opened almost three years ago. The lounge area is first-come, first-served, and patrons can always call to see if a reservation may have opened up.
According to Clark, while the rising cost of living in the Boston area has put a damper on people going out to eat, there are small signs of improvement. State meals tax collections are up 3% compared to last year, for one.
He hopes Valentine’s Day will build on that, delivering good times for sweethearts and revenue for the industry.
“I’ve seen some projections that we’re expecting probably almost a 27 percent increase over last year,” Clark said, “ and that’s a combination of a Saturday, Valentine’s Day, higher food costs, and higher prices that are out there.”
