Houston Restaurant Weeks 2026 has wrapped, closing out a 38-day run that put nearly 400 restaurants across Greater Houston to work for a good cause. The campaign, now in its 23rd year, ran from Saturday, August 1 through Monday, September 7, Labor Day.
Restaurants offered set menus for the morning, the afternoon, and dinner. Every order sold sent money to the Houston Food Bank.
What Restaurants Charged
Restaurants offered set menus at a few fixed price points. The morning and afternoon menus ran $25. Dinner came in two levels, $39 or $55, depending on the restaurant.
| Menu | Price | Gift to Food Bank | Food Provided |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning/Afternoon | $25 | $1 | 3 portions |
| Dinner | $39 | $3 | 9 portions |
| Dinner | $55 | $5 | 15 portions |
The Money Behind the Effort
Since Houston Restaurant Weeks began in 2003, it has raised more than $23 million for the Houston Food Bank. Organizers say that gives Southeast Texas more than 70 million portions of food. Last year’s campaign alone raised $1,651,698 for the Houston Food Bank and its sister food banks, with B&B Butchers leading all restaurants taking part with a gift of $43,936.
Who Started It
Houston Restaurant Weeks was founded in 2003 by Cleverley Stone. She spent 26 years as a restaurant correspondent, hosted “The Cleverley Show” on CBS Sports Radio, and gave food reports for Fox 26, a station whose call letters are KRIV.
Katie Stone, president of the Cleverley Stone Foundation, said her mother started the event to help restaurants through their hardest month of the year.
Why It Still Matters
This year, organizers pointed to rising food and labor costs, thinner margins, and a summer that moved quieter than usual as real weight on restaurants across the region. Katie Stone said the mission behind Houston Restaurant Weeks “has never mattered more than it does right now,” given how many restaurants are fighting to stay open in a hard economy.
Stone also said Houstonians come together to support one another in a way she does not see in other cities. She said the event carries forward her late mother’s wish of bringing people together “around the table” to make a local difference.
New Faces at the Table
New restaurants joined the roster this year alongside longtime names. Brasil Cafe, a Montrose spot with more than 25 years in business, took part in Houston Restaurant Weeks for the first time, offering a dinner menu with three parts priced at $39.
A Look at Two Years
| This Year (2026) | Last Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Days | 38, Aug. 1–Sept. 7 | Not stated |
| Restaurants | Nearly 400 | Not stated |
| Top Giver | Not stated | B&B Butchers, $43,936 |
| Total Raised | Not yet reported | $1,651,698 |
Running Order
| Date | What Happened |
|---|---|
| Saturday, August 1 | Houston Restaurant Weeks 2026 begins |
| Monday, September 7 | Campaign ends on Labor Day |
| Week of September 8 | Reports on the campaign’s close appear |
Houston Restaurant Weeks 2026 has closed its books on another summer of set menus and shared tables. The final sum for this year’s Houston Food Bank gift has not yet come out.
What organizers do know is that nearly 400 restaurants across Greater Houston spent 38 days putting food on the table, both for the people who came to eat and, dollar by dollar, for neighbors who need it.