Lock up your Lady Gaga poker face – at least when this deck of cards is concerned. Because with the 2014 Dinner Dealer deck, you won’t need it. Just a flip of a card can save you money while dining at 52 local, independently-owned North Shore restaurants – truly a win/win for Massachusetts foodies.
The Dinner Dealer creator, Jessica Brand, has been lauded as a local champion of independent dining on the North Shore. With her deck of restaurant discounts, Brand has successfully brought new customers to local restaurants – while also stimulating the local economy and giving back.
And for those who live or work on the North Shore, these dinner cards could dish out some serious savings this year. The deck of cards offers local consumers discounts to independently owned restaurants with over $400 in total savings.
Participating restaurants include: Duckworth’s Bistrot in Gloucester, the SALT Kitchen in Ipswich, the Hungry Fox in Hamilton, Shubie’s in Marblehead, the Boston Hot Dog Co. in Salem, and Goodies Ice Cream in Danvers, among many others.
Here, the founder, Jessica Brand, tells BostInno how she got started, and why she encourages everyone to stay local with her deck of cards.
How did you come up with the “Dinner Dealer” concept?
There’s actually dozens of discount deck of cards that have been established throughout the U.S. The moment I caught wind of the idea, I immediately started brainstorming how I could create my own version for the North Shore. The goal was to create an original brand – Dinner Dealer – that would be fresh and unique.
How did you get started?
It was January of 2012, and the timing was perfect to start planning and building the 2013 deck of cards. I knew whole-hardheartedly that this product had the potential to make a profound impact on the North Shore community of restaurants, retailers, fundraisers, and consumers.
We approached the restaurants in a variety of ways; printed invitations, emails, cold-calls, asking friends for referrals, and walking into the restaurants with the hope of stealing two minutes of their time (assuming they’d even be there that day!) In time, we succeeded to complete our inaugural deck of cards. Easier said than done, but worth every moment.
What do you love most about your job?
That’s a no-brainer – the relationships. What gets me out of bed every day is the feeling of genuine friendship and camaraderie that I receive from all of the connections and relationships that Dinner Dealer has helped facilitate. Whether it’s local businesses and nonprofit organizations, customers, restaurateurs, schools, and fellow foodies and local yocals, I’ve been blessed with many new and inspiring friendships.
Why do you encourage our readers to “stay local” when it comes to dining and retail?
From a consumer perspective, there’s great value in preserving these local businesses. Think of tremendous depth and variety that our neighboring businesses have to offer. I’ve come to discover and appreciate how local retailers and restaurants work to diversify their inventory or evolve their menu with the changing seasons. It is my hope that our North Shore community can forever preserve such diversity in flavor and tradition.
