Fayetteville Restaurant Week Returns for 2026 with Expanded 10-Day Format and New Programming
Experience Fayetteville today announced the return of Fayetteville Restaurant Week, taking place July 17–26, 2026. The event will feature an expanded 10-day format and new programming designed to showcase the depth and creativity of the city’s food and beverage scene.
The annual event invites locals and visitors to explore Fayetteville’s restaurants through specially priced menu items and prix fixe offerings for brunch, lunch, and dinner across participating locations.
“Fayetteville has always had a strong food culture, but what’s happening right now feels different,” said Ryan Hauck, Executive Director of Experience Fayetteville. “There’s a level of creativity and momentum across the restaurant community that’s really exciting, and Restaurant Week is a way to experience all of that in one window.”
New this year, select restaurants will offer prix fixe menus, giving chefs an opportunity to create more curated dining experiences while offering added value for diners.
The 2026 event will also introduce optional digital recipe cards featuring dishes and cocktails from participating restaurants. The initiative is designed to highlight the chefs and mixologists behind the menus, while allowing flexibility for those who prefer not to share recipes.
Restaurant Week will also align more intentionally with Fayetteville’s broader arts and culture calendar, including live music, gallery programming, and performances throughout July, creating additional reasons for visitors to plan a trip and extend their stay.
This year’s expansion reflects a broader strategy outlined in Experience Fayetteville’s Destination Master Plan, which focuses on driving visitation, elevating local assets, and ensuring growth remains rooted in the community.
By extending Restaurant Week to 10 days and connecting it to other cultural programming across the city, the initiative is designed to attract visitors during a key summer window while increasing length of stay and overall visitor spending. At the same time, the focus on local chefs, mixologists, and independently owned restaurants reinforces Fayetteville’s identity as a destination shaped by its people.
As part of this effort, Experience Fayetteville will also host a free, in-person F&B Marketing Essentials workshop on Tuesday, May 5 at the Fayetteville Town Center. Held in partnership with Fayetteville Town Center, VERB Interactive, AM Group, and the Fayetteville Flyer, the workshop is designed to provide practical, easy-to-implement marketing strategies for local restaurant operators.
Topics will include current marketing trends, simple social media strategies, and ways to make the most of Restaurant Week and other high-traffic moments throughout the year. Two sessions will be offered at 9:00–10:30 a.m. and 1:00–2:30 p.m.
“Part of our role is making sure our local businesses have the support they need to succeed,” Hauck said. “This is meant to be useful, straightforward, and something operators can walk away from with ideas they can actually implement.”
Participating restaurants will be announced in June. Fayetteville-based restaurants can sign up to participate for free throughout the month of May at www.experiencefayetteville.com/restaurant-week.
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About Experience Fayetteville
Experience Fayetteville is the official destination marketing organization for Fayetteville, Arkansas, a vibrant Ozark Mountain city known for its creative culture, outdoor recreation, and strong sense of place. The organization promotes Fayetteville as a travel, meeting, and sporting event destination while supporting the local economy through tourism partnerships and community-focused initiatives.
Experience Fayetteville serves as the primary resource for meeting planners, sports event organizers, and tour operators, and manages key community assets, including the Experience Fayetteville Visitors Center, Fayetteville Town Center, and the historic Walker Stone House. Governed by the Fayetteville Advertising & Promotion Commission, Experience Fayetteville works to ensure tourism enhances the city for residents and visitors alike. Learn more at experiencefayetteville.com.