#407Dates: Support local restaurants and connect through new online events, dinner deals and cooking kits

From the Orange County Government, Florida Newsroom

Orange County and Visit Orlando recently launched “407 Dates” – a new pride campaign named after the longtime Orange County area code, designed to generate local restaurant support and encourage “date nights” with virtual events and dining deals to make weekends in May special.

Through “407 Dates”, residents can enjoy virtual events each Friday and Saturday evening such as live-streamed music concerts, interactive Orlando-themed trivia shows and world-class theme park entertainment, as they order takeout/delivery found on the Orlando To Go website with over 500 local restaurants on VisitOrlando.com/togo. Restaurants could begin offering indoor seating at 25 percent capacity as of Monday, May 4, but takeout and delivery services continue to be important to serve residents and support local businesses.

“During this uncertain time, it is more important than ever to take a moment to relax with your spouse or significant other in your life,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “My wife and I try to order takeout for weekly date nights and I always look forward to spending a special evening with her, just the two of us. We are regulars at Bonefish Grill restaurants, and love their seafood.”

“If you are staying home together, or separated across various locations, you can still make the weekends special, and we’re helping to do that in a way that also supports our local businesses,” said George Aguel, president and CEO of Visit Orlando. “Whether it’s with your spouse, child, or friends, we encourage everyone to join in and carve out some quality time for a great meal and fun Orlando entertainment.”

Visit Orlando is creating themed online events for Friday and Saturdays in May, along with date night meals and packages from restaurants, all of which can be found on the VisitOrlando.com blog, and on @Visit Orlando’s Facebook channel. Participants are encouraged to share photos of their virtual date night ideas with the hashtags #407Dates and #OrlandoToGo with @VisitOrlando’s and @OrangeCoFL’s social media channels, including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

DATE NIGHT DINING

Around Central Florida, restaurants are featuring a variety of new options for date nights, including special meal and cocktail/wine combos; make-it-together meal kits of restaurant favorites from grilled steaks to rolled sushi; and specialty deliveries from cheese and charcuterie boards to ramen bowls.

DATE NIGHT EVENTS

To pair with Orlando’s takeout and delivery options, Visit Orlando has developed a calendar of virtual events on social media for the weekends.

• Weekend of May 8-9

  • Friday, May 8 – Orlando’s Timucua Arts Foundation, known for intimate performances in the founder’s home, presents a modern jazz performance from the Philippe Lemm Trio. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Saturday, May 9 – Attention all residents, think you know Orlando? See how your knowledge stacks up with an Orlando-themed Trivia Night with award-winning quiz master Curtis Earth. (8 p.m.)

• Weekend of May 15-16

  • Friday, May 15 – Enjoy lively traditional songs and Irish dancing with Raglan Road’s popular duo, Stephen & Abby, performing live from Ireland. (5 p.m.)
  • Saturday, May 16 – SAK Comedy Lab – details coming soon!

The full list of dining offers and date night virtual events can be found on VisitOrlando.com/blog with more events to be announced.

To support Orlando’s restaurant community through the challenges of COVID-19, and help residents easily find locations offering takeout/delivery, Visit Orlando contacted hundreds of local restaurants and continues to add any interested restaurants to the list at VisitOrlando.com/togo. The robust directory features over 500 open restaurants, sorted by geographic region.

Restaurants who wish to be added to the “Orlando To Go” list can email member.relations@visitorlando.com or tag @VisitOrlando on social media channels.