You’ve heard the news phrase, If it bleeds, it leads. That’s never much applied to Dallas Morning News food stories.
But if it’s bizarre, you’ll go far.
Restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth are taking some surprising tactics to entice customers into their dining rooms in 2025. A recent KPMG poll found consumers planned to spend 7% less in restaurants in summer 2025. Money spent at restaurants and bars slumped in May 2025, according to Bloomberg, and a news story suggested that uncertainty surrounding tariffs forced Americans to “rethink their spending.”
What’s a local restaurant owner to do?
Restaurant News
One tactic is to offer strange or amusing discounts.
Related:20 affordable restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth, as chosen by Texas diners
Here’s a look at the offbeat food deals from some Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants.
Dress like Julia Child at 4 D-FW restaurants
From 1990 on, Julia Child made occasional visits to Dallas.(Associated Press)
On Aug. 11, soufflé restaurant Rise is serving up a free three-course meal to anyone dressed like Julia Child or her husband Paul. A quick Google search will give you some ideas: a curly wig, string of pearls and bright-colored top for Julia. Maybe bring a rubber chicken for dramatic effect. For Paul, it’s a white button-down, suspenders and a tie. Bonus points for a bald head.
Rise’s Instagram post about “Julia Child’s Day” calls it “the best day of the year.” They recommend making reservations.
Rise restaurants in D-FW are at 5360 W. Lovers Lane, Dallas; 5135 Monahans Ave., Fort Worth; 2444 Preston Road, Plano; and 2001 W. Southlake Blvd., Southlake. Dress like Julia Child Day is 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 11.
Guess the wine, get it free
Snag a seat at Truluck’s in Dallas, Plano and Southlake and pick your lane: Order mystery wines and attempt to walk away with a free glass, or go in for a full seafood lunch or dinner.(Truluck’s)
How good are you at tasting wine? Seafood restaurant Truluck’s has launched a mystery wine challenge. Order a glass of white wine for $15, and if you can correctly call out the variety and country where it was made, your wine’s free.
The restaurant’s execs know the secret will get out on social media, so once a diner guesses correctly, the sommelier will rotate in a new wine — and the game goes on.
“It’s a delicious blend of global wine education, suspense, and a bit of bragging rights,” according to a restaurant press release. We agree.
Truluck’s is at 2401 McKinney Ave., Dallas; 7161 Bishop Road, Plano; and 1420 Plaza Place, Southlake.
Calling all competitive eaters
Joe Reyna is selling a nearly 6 pound La Reyna burger at Tacos El Reyno in Hurst. (Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
A restaurant owner in Hurst wants to see how much you can really eat. The challenge is to eat El Reyno Elotes y Taquería’s nearly 6-pound burger in less than 30 minutes. If you succeed, you’ll win $150 and a free stomach ache. Miss the mark? You owe $54.99, the price of the burger.
El Reyno Elotes y Taquería is at 705 Melbourne Road (inside Express Corner Store), Hurst.
When it rains, they pour in McKinney
If it rains, would you still hang out here? What if the drinks were cheaper?(J.Shertzer)
The Yard in McKinney is beloved for its outdoor area. Indeed, Yelp said it was one of the most kid-friendly restaurants in America, in part because its patio and yard games.
The Yard wants to keep customers coming no matter the weather, so they implemented “when it rains, we pour” happy hour deals. Find $1 off draft beers, $2 off frozen and tap cocktails; $6 glasses of wine, $7 queso and more.
The Yard is at 107 S. Church St., McKinney.