Restaurant Week is happening around the country - here's where you can save big on gourmet meals right now

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Restaurant Week is cooking up great deals across the country.

• Restaurant Week is happening in a bunch of cities right now, including New York and Los Angeles.
• Restaurant Week offers a price fixed menu at participating restaurants, more than 1,000 across the country.
• The promotion allows people to try new foods at the best restaurants without paying high prices.

Every city has its local cuisine and right now, you can try gourmet dishes at first-class restaurants for a set price during Restaurant Week.

While different cities hold the popular annual event at various points throughout the year, all of the country's biggest cities - including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago - have Restaurant Week concurrently.

Some smaller locations throughout the country have followed suit. For example, Long Island and Hudson County, New Jersey, are holding the gourmand festivals at the same time as neighboring New York.

New York City hosted its first restaurant week in 1992, but the movement didn't catch widespread attention and followers for another decade.

Now, cities far and wide have picked up on the idea to attract local foodies. Many large cities have had such profound success with the program that they have made it semi-annual. New York now hosts Restaurant Week in the winter and the summer, providing urbanites with double the opportunity to dine at discounted prices.

The general concept is that participating restaurants offer price fixed menus so attendees can consume a three-course meal while knowing exactly how much they'll pay ahead of time. Prices and dates vary by city and some restaurants may have their own rules, so check the listings before making a reservation.

Keep reading to see nine cities currently holding Restaurant Week, and what the prix fixe meal will cost you.