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McCormick & Schmick’s offers deal for holiday parties

PORTLAND Ore. Small-business owners are still planning to host holiday parties for their employees this season, but the merrymaking will be modest, according to a survey by McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants Inc., which is looking to tempt companies with a new holiday party deal.

Last year, the many businesses canceled or downsized their celebrations given the weakened economy. To get a sense of holiday planning for this year, McCormick & Schmick’s conducted a telephone survey in late October of 500 small-business executives at companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Slightly more than half of those surveyed, or 52 percent, said they want to have a holiday party for staff this year. Those at companies with annual revenue exceeding $750,000 were more likely to be planning a party (68 percent) than those below that revenue threshold (47 percent).

This year, 31 percent of the respondents said they are likely to spend $30 or more per employee for their holiday party, and 24 percent said they are likely to spend $50 or more. On average, those planning a party said they would spend about $36 per employee.

For the season, McCormick & Schmick’s is offering a party package, available Sunday through Thursday for parties of eight or more, featuring a three-course meal with beverage for $26.95 a person.

The deal includes a soup or salad, followed by a choice of entrees, such as a seafood steamer plate, cedar-plank salmon, top sirloin, baked stuffed shrimp and other options. Dessert choices include creme brulee, fruit cobbler or a chocolate dessert. In addition, each party guest will receive a $20 dining certificate good for a visit after Jan. 1, McCormick & Schmick’s said.

“Our goal this year is to help businesses plan celebrations that fit within their budgets without sacrificing quality,” said Bill Freeman, McCormick & Schmick’s chief executive. “We know from what we are hearing from our guests and this research that businesses are looking for smaller more economical ways to celebrate the holidays.”

The party promotion comes on the heels of McCormick & Schmick’s third quarter results, which included an 18.8-percent decrease in same-store sales.

Based in Portland, Ore., McCormick’s & Schmick’s operates 87 locations in the United States, as well as six restaurants in Canada under The Boathouse brand.

 

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].

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