January 14-20: DC Restaurant Week

DC Restaurant Week is coming up January 14-20. Participating restaurants offer 3-course meals for $20.08 and dinners for $30.08. Eric gave a rundown of some participating restaurants in Arlington during the last Restaurant Week.

Personally, I'm not a big fan:

1. The good restaurants book up fast
2. Many restaurants offer only limited menus for Restaurant Week customers (2-3 choices for each course)
3. Unless it's a pricier restaurant and you were definitely going to eat a whole appetizer, entree, and dessert, it's sometimes not a good deal (and who spends $20 plus tax and tip on lunch, anyway?)
4. Some restaurants are known to treat their Restaurant Week customers like they're sitting at the kiddie table

But many people tell me I'm nitpicking and that it's a good way to sample new restaurants. What do you think?