Restaurant Criteria to Participate
Is your restaurant interested in participating in Visit Orlando's Magical Dining®? Please review the criteria and program requirements below. If you qualify and are interested, please contact Visit Orlando’s membership team at MemberRelations@VisitOrlando.com.
Note that participation in the program is open to qualifying member restaurants of Visit Orlando. Visit Orlando reserves the right to exclude restaurants at its discretion. If it is determined that you qualify, a formal agreement, payment link and additional instructions will be sent to you.
Visit Orlando's Magical Dining Restaurant 2023 Criteria & Program Requirements*
Restaurant Criteria
Restaurants must meet the following minimum criteria to be considered for participation in the 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining program. Visit Orlando may modify or waive any or all criteria at its sole discretion.
- Restaurant must be a Visit Orlando member in good standing (with dues paid in full). Local Partner and Networking membership levels are not eligible to participate in Magical Dining.
- Restaurant must be generally recognized as a high-end restaurant in the Orlando area, and have generally positive reviews from independent sources (i.e., Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Magazine, MICHELIN Guide, recognized food critics) and high satisfaction levels from the general public on dining review sites.
- Restaurant’s primary purpose must be dining, and the majority of the restaurant’s revenue must be derived from dining (not entertainment or other amenities).
- Restaurant must offer full-service dining at least five nights per week.
- Restaurant must have an average entree price to be determined prior to the start of the next program (exceptions may be considered for high-end sushi and tapas-style restaurants).
Program Requirements
- Restaurant must offer a three-course (appetizer, entree, dessert), prix-fixe Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu for a pre-determined price (tax and gratuity not included) throughout the program. Dates are determined yearly, but the program typically begins in August.
- Restaurant's Magical Dining menu will provide customers with a minimum, to-be-determined value for the set price. The value of the food offered is based on the Restaurant’s current standard dinner menu.
- Restaurant’s Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu must include a minimum of 3 appetizers, 3 entrees and 3 desserts.
- All menu items on the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu will be from Restaurant’s current standard dinner menu, with the exception of a fourth offering in each category (appetizer, entree, dessert) which can be a “Chef’s Special,” a Test Menu item, etc.
- All Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining portions will be the same standard-sized portions (including side dishes, sauces, etc.) offered to customers on Restaurant’s standard dinner menu.
- Restaurant will provide a copy of its full standard dinner menu with pricing visible by a predetermined date for review.
- Restaurant understands that its Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu must be approved by Visit Orlando before, and as a condition to, Restaurant’s inclusion in the program.
- Restaurant will offer the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu during all dinner hours, with the exception of buyouts.
- Restaurant will not offer any other fixed price dinner during the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining period.
- Visit Orlando requests the Restaurant to provide Visit Orlando with 6 gift certificates, each valid for one complimentary 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining dinner, by a predetermined date. Gift certificates will be used by Visit Orlando to promote the 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining program. Restaurant will make its staff aware that the gift certificates provided to Visit Orlando can be used all at once and that there is no limit to the number of gift certificates that can be redeemed per table.
- Restaurant will submit payment in full for a predetermined marketing fee to Visit Orlando with this application and agreement. Pre-payment is required to be included in the 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining program. If the restaurant is not approved for participation, the predetermined marketing fee will be refunded.
- Restaurant grants Visit Orlando the right to use, display, and reproduce its name, trade names, logos, menus, photos or artwork (“Restaurant Materials”) provided by Restaurant to Visit Orlando in promotional materials related to 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining. Restaurant will provide the Restaurant materials requested by Visit Orlando no later than by a predetermined date.
- Restaurant will attend a Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining kick-off meeting to ensure it is set up for success in this year’s program — to be held mid-August.
- Restaurant will promote its participation in the 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining program where possible (i.e., linking to OrlandoMagicalDining.com on Restaurant’s website, posting on social media, sending e-newsletters to Restaurant’s database, displaying the 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining participation sign).
- Restaurant will proactively provide the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu to all dinner guests during the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining period either by printed Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu or QR code linking to Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu. The menu will have the 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining logo and charity information as provided by Visit Orlando. Visit Orlando grants Restaurant a non-exclusive, revocable, limited license to use the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining logo solely as specified in this agreement and in accordance with any usage guidelines that Visit Orlando may communicate to Restaurant from time to time. Restaurant shall not use or register any mark that is confusingly similar to the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining logo.
- Restaurant will ensure that its front of house staff (hosts, servers, etc.) are aware of the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining program, the items on Restaurant’s Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu, and the charity component of Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining.
- If Restaurant is an OpenTable member, automated reservations will be offered through Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining website.
- Restaurant understands and agrees that during the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining period, it may be secret shopped. If the results are unsatisfactory, Visit Orlando may require corrective action (for example, additional training) up to and including termination from the 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining program, or exclusion from future Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining programs.
- Restaurant will track the number of Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining dinners sold and will donate $1 of each 2023 Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining dinner sold to Visit Orlando’s charity partner(s). Restaurant understands that if Visit Orlando selects multiple charities for the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Program, Restaurant contribution of $1 per meal will be split between the charities.
- By a predetermined date, Restaurant will report the total number of Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining dinners sold to Visit Orlando. Based on this number, Visit Orlando shall issue a charity invoice to Restaurant. Restaurant shall pay this invoice by credit card or check payable to Visit Orlando within 30 days of the conclusion of the program. Visit Orlando will submit 100% of the payment received from the Restaurant to the Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining charitable partner(s).
* – Please note program criteria is subject to change.