No Deals for West Hartford Diners

Diners hoping for a special deal over the next two weeks during "Dine West Hartford" are out of luck. The event is not happening.

"I think it’s (that) people aren't eating out and it's also based on the fact that the restaurants in town are really pricey and expensive in the first place,” Dave Hubbard, of West Hartford, said.

Less than a week after announcing a "Dine West Hartford" restaurant event, which was to begin this week, officials from the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce say they are postponing the event because of a lack of interest from businesses.

Dine West Hartford was going to be modeled after similar restaurant weeks in the area, like the Taste of Hartford, which was such a huge success at the end of July that organizers extended it to two weeks.

The West Hartford Chamber had planned to sponsor two weeks in which participating restaurants in the Park Road, Elmwood and West Hartford Center business associations offered fixed-price dinners for $20.95 or less. When it came time for restaurants to sign up, there were only a handful of takers.

Kelly Tofil and her husband own the Copper Mill Bistro in Granby, and she said it's hard for restaurants right now to cut prices or give anything away.

While the West Hartford event is not happening, Connecticut Restaurant Week begins Sunday, and some West Hartford restaurants are on the list of participants, including Grant's, Max Burger and Max Oyster Bar.