DFW Restaurant Week is underway, but you don't have to drive into Dallas to participate.
This year, McKinney and Frisco have their own lineup ranging from lunch on the Historic Downtown McKinney Square to sushi, Italian, Thai and steakhouses in Frisco.
DFW Restaurant Week officially runs August 10 through September 7, 2026. Participating restaurants choose which weeks and dining options they offer, so check the current menu and dates before making a reservation.
Want to venture beyond McKinney and Frisco? Browse the official DFW Restaurant Week list of 150+ participating restaurants across North Texas to see current restaurants, participating weeks and dining options.
McKinney Restaurant Week Options
McKinney has a much shorter list than Frisco this year, but the two participating restaurants offer very different experiences.
Centro On The Square
If you want to make Restaurant Week part of a day or evening in Historic Downtown McKinney, Centro is the obvious local option.
Centro On The Square is participating with a $29 two-course lunch.
I like this one as much for the location as the meal. Lunch gives you an excuse to spend some time on the Square before or afterward — shop, walk around downtown or turn it into an afternoon out.
ARÔME Caribbean Fusion and Lounge
ARÔME gives McKinney a completely different Restaurant Week choice, with Caribbean-inspired dining rather than another traditional steakhouse experience.
It is also offering considerably more Restaurant Week options, including a $29 lunch, $49 or $59 dinner options, and a $99 Signature Experience.
For someone who uses Restaurant Week as an excuse to try somewhere different, this may be the more adventurous McKinney choice.
Frisco Has More Choices This Year
Frisco has the deeper Restaurant Week bench, and the variety is one of the reasons its dining scene has become a destination of its own.
Kinzo
For a special night, Kinzo is one of the Frisco choices I'd put near the top of the list.
Its Restaurant Week offering is a $99 Signature Experience, making this less about finding the least expensive prix-fixe menu and more about using Restaurant Week as an opportunity to experience a restaurant you may have been saving for an occasion.
Dee Lincoln Prime
Frisco has no shortage of steakhouses, and Dee Lincoln Prime gives Restaurant Week diners an upscale option in The Star area.
This is a good choice if you're looking for the more traditional steakhouse/date-night experience that many people associate with Restaurant Week.
Musume at The Star
Musume adds another completely different option at The Star, particularly if you'd rather have contemporary Asian cuisine and sushi than steak.
It's also easy to build an entire evening around the location rather than simply driving in for dinner and heading home.
Palato Italian Kitchen & Lounge
Italian gives the Frisco list some needed variety. Palato is a good one to consider for a date night or dinner with friends when you want something polished but aren't necessarily looking for the traditional steakhouse experience.
Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
Perry's is one of the more familiar names on the Frisco list and makes sense for diners who want the classic steakhouse Restaurant Week experience.
Too Thai Street Eats
This may be one of the most interesting choices simply because it breaks up a list that otherwise leans toward higher-end special-occasion dining.
If your idea of Restaurant Week is trying something different rather than dressing up for a steak dinner, put this one on your list.
McKinney or Frisco?
This year's Restaurant Week lineup actually reflects something interesting about the two cities.
McKinney: fewer participating restaurants, but you can pair the experience with Historic Downtown McKinney and make the location part of the outing.
Frisco: considerably more choices and a stronger concentration of destination dining, particularly around The Star and the city's newer entertainment districts.
Neither is necessarily better. They're simply two very different ways to spend a night out — which is also one of the differences I see between McKinney and Frisco more broadly.
If you're considering either city as a place to live, I recently took a deeper look at the actual differences between living in McKinney and Frisco — from McKinney's historic roots and established communities to Frisco's growth, retail and schools.
How DFW Restaurant Week Works
Participating restaurants offer special prix-fixe menus during their selected Restaurant Week dates.
Depending on the restaurant, 2026 options include:
- $29 two-course lunch
- $29 weekend brunch at select restaurants
- $49 or $59 three-course dinner
- $99 Signature Experiences at select restaurants
Approximately 20% of the cost of each meal is donated to the campaign's charity partners. For Dallas-area participating restaurants, including McKinney and Frisco, the beneficiary is the North Texas Food Bank.
Restaurants do not necessarily participate during every week or offer every Restaurant Week menu option, so check the official DFW Restaurant Week restaurant list before you go.
Want More North Texas Dining Ideas?
Restaurant Week is only one excuse to explore what's happening in the North Texas food scene.
If you're willing to venture a few minutes outside McKinney, take a look at Fairview's growing restaurant scene.
And for a much broader list, my Dallas-area dining guide covers everything from local favorites and casual stops to restaurants worth planning an evening around throughout DFW.
My Take
Restaurant Week is usually marketed as a reason to explore restaurants across DFW, but I think there's an equally good reason to use it to explore what's right here.
Frisco's restaurant scene has expanded dramatically along with the city, while McKinney still has that unusual advantage of being able to combine a good meal with an actual historic downtown.
If you're new to this part of North Texas — or considering living here — those differences are part of what makes exploring these cities interesting.
And if you've lived here for years, Restaurant Week is a pretty good excuse to try somewhere you've been meaning to visit.
Which McKinney or Frisco restaurant would you choose?
You can also browse all 150+ DFW Restaurant Week restaurants here if you're ready to venture beyond McKinney and Frisco.
FAQ
When is DFW Restaurant Week 2026?
The official event runs August 10 through September 7, 2026. Some restaurants also participated in Preview Weekend August 6–9.
Are there DFW Restaurant Week restaurants in McKinney?
Yes. The official 2026 list includes Centro On The Square and ARÔME Caribbean Fusion and Lounge.
Are there DFW Restaurant Week restaurants in Frisco?
Yes. Frisco has several participating restaurants in 2026, including Kinzo, Dee Lincoln Prime, Musume at The Star, Palato Italian Kitchen & Lounge, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille and Too Thai Street Eats.
Do all restaurants participate through September 7?
No. Individual restaurants select their participating weeks and menu offerings. Always confirm the current dates and menu before making plans.
Where can I see all of the DFW Restaurant Week restaurants?
The official DFW Restaurant Week restaurant list includes 150+ participating restaurants throughout North Texas, along with current participation information.
Does DFW Restaurant Week support charity?
Yes. Approximately 20% of each Restaurant Week meal benefits the campaign's charity partners. Dallas-area restaurants support the North Texas Food Bank.
