FOOD DELIVERY TO BE OFFERED AT WINDSOR SUMMER CONCERTS

Windsor restaurateurs who were feeling left out of popular summer night concerts on the Town Green have found a creative solution to capture business from the thousands of people who attend.

A "food valet" service will be instituted when the series resumes in June, enabling concertgoers to sample the fare of nearby restaurants without giving up their lawn seats.

The idea grew out of complaints that competition from food booths at the Thursday evening concerts and accompanying farmers market was cutting into the restaurants' bottom lines.

"It's a great opportunity, a creative solution where everybody should win," said David Culley, owner of KC's Downtown Grill. "We can be active and participate. It's like a valet service at a ball game."

The pilot program involves customers ordering and paying for their food at a pavilion where scaled-down menus will be posted from restaurants offering food to go.

Customers will return to their concert seat with a color-coded flag and restaurant logo that will allow "runners" to locate them and deliver their order.

That way concert attendees won't miss much of the show or lose their spot.

Town Council members were pleased with the idea last week when they heard about a subcommittee's proposal for increasing restaurant patronage.

"I think it will be well received by concertgoers," said Councilman Sam Salmon.

Councilman Steve Allen was enthusiastic about the idea and joked that other stores should get into the valet act as well. "Why stop with food? You should be able to order bicycles and books," he said.

Restaurants last year complained that their business dropped during the concerts because the simultaneous farmers market brought in out-of-town food vendors.

Windsor, which has completed 11 seasons of summer events on the Town Green, describes it as the town's "signature attraction."

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com.