Discover Affordable Night Out D8NIGHT on K Road with Amy Cotter
Amy Cotter from the Karangahape Road Business Association talks about how D8NIGHT offers $8 food, drinks, and events every Thursday, giving students a fun and affordable night out.
What can you really buy for $8 in this economy? Two loaves of bread? A box of eggs (maybe)? Or, if you really want to go crazy, a glass of prosecco, a Bangkok rolled ice cream, or even ceviche tostadas? All of these, and more, are happening every Thursday night on Karangahape Road. From DnD connection, queer events, to live jazz and speed dating, D8NIGHT is an initiative by the Karangahape Road Business Association, bringing students and young people an accessible and affordable night out in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Craccum had the chance to chat with Amy Cotter, the brain behind D8NIGHT and Digital & Community Lead at the Karangahape Road Business Association, to unpack the story behind the initiative, and, of course, what’s on offer.
Author's Note: From here, you can already tell that Amy and I have shared a lot in common —not just in the job title, but the passion for the community and ideas… (or not)
LL: So, Amy, could you tell me a bit more about yourself and the D8NIGHT initiative?
AC: My name is Amy. I work for the Karangahape Road Business Association. My role is digital and community, I suppose. A lot of what I do is finding out what the community wants and then facilitating and supporting that. That includes events like D8NIGHT, which is every Thursday. The idea behind D8NIGHT is to bring accessible and affordable evenings out to everyone. There’s something for everyone, and we’ve got so many businesses involved. We have high-end, amazing restaurants like Bar Magda, and bars like Atelier and Sly Bar—all of them offer a range of $8 deals. For example, at Atelier, $8 will get you a glass of prosecco. There’s also a new and amazing Mexican restaurant, Sagrado Cantina, in St Kevin’s Arcade. They do $8 carajillos and $8 ceviche tostadas, really fresh, incredible food at an affordable price. And it’s not just food and drink. We’ve got thrift and vintage shops like Cinder Vintage and Plain Janes, iconic, well-loved stores on the road. They’re doing weekly vintage drops with new stock, so you can always find a bargain.
Oh! We’ve just had a new deal come on board — Bangkok Rolled Ice Cream, which is honestly so delicious. You can grab one of those for $8, or a Banana Nutella Waffle for $8, which is pretty brilliant. That’s the fun of the $8 deal — there’s always something new to discover.
So that’s kind of the $8 deal part of D8NIGHT. But we’ve also launched these connection events, with the same kaupapa — providing spaces for people to meet others and enjoy a Thursday evening affordably. These are collaborations with local businesses and collectives doing cool things we want to uplift, support, and shine a light on. So far, we’ve had a Dungeons & Dragons connection evening, a live jazz night, and we’ve got more coming — like board games, queer events, speed dating, and even yoga. There’s a “Mingle on the Mat” yoga night coming up, plus a Run Club event. The idea is to make sure there’s something for everyone. That’s really important to us to foster and facilitate community connection, while making Thursdays on K’ Road accessible and welcoming.
LL: Wow, such an amazing line-up. So, how would you summarise the kaupapa in one sentence?
AC: The kaupapa is really about creating spaces for community to thrive — places where people can connect in unique and meaningful ways, while enjoying accessible and affordable evenings out in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau.
LL: How did the idea for D8NIGHT come about?
AC: It came out of an observation in the community — people wanting spaces to connect, and wanting evenings out that were affordable. For both our businesses and the community, it’s a really beautiful match. Businesses want to thrive, to feed and host people, and the community wants places to go and connect. So it’s kind of a beautiful marriage of community and kaupapa, where we can provide those spaces and hopefully create something for everyone.
LL: When I first saw the name D8NIGHT, I wasn’t sure what it meant — was it a "drink night"? Then I quickly realised it was “date night” with an eight/"ate". Can you tell me more about the meaning behind the stylised name D8NIGHT?
AC: Hopefully, the branding is simple — it plays off the idea of “date night.” We know what D, A, T, E, means, and you know, like, “I haven’t seen my best friend in a while, let’s have a date night and go to Coco’s Cantina for a glass of wine.” But in this case, D8NIGHT is about a different sort of date night — one where you can still have that glass of prosecco, but for only $8. It’s meant to be cheap, cheerful, and accessible. The “8” also speaks directly to the $8 deals. We’ve even made stickers in the black D8NIGHT logo that businesses display in their shop windows, so you know exactly who’s involved.
When talking about a night out in Auckland, Amy and I both felt it was “unexpected” and “unpredictably familiar.”
“It feels like home,” she said. “There’s always something amazing, weird, or wonderful happening. Last night, I bumped into friends I hadn’t seen in ages, we sat down together, and I even made some new friends.”
LL: So, what gap in the city’s nightlife or social scene is D8NIGHT trying to fill?
AC: That’s a great question. I suppose it’s about filling the gap of, “Where should we go tonight? What do we want to do?” Often, people feel unsure, and it can be overwhelming. Some places close early, or there just aren’t many options... D8NIGHT makes that choice much easier. It brings together a variety of vibes in one place, so whether you’re after live jazz, a DnD connection event, or speed dating, there’s something for everyone. You can simply check the website or Instagram and pick the $8 deal or event that takes your fancy. It’s about giving people choice, accessibility, and a clear, affordable way to enjoy a night out.
LL: Can you tell me more about the D8NIGHT x SSIK speed-dating events? What’s involved?
AC: SSIK is a collective collaborating with D8NIGHT to run speed-dating events. They’ve hosted several editions so far, including a Lesbian Edition on 4th September and a “Mate Date,” which focuses on forming friendships rather than romantic connections. While some events are more "intentional", designed for singles looking to date, some are based on shared interests. For example, last night, at a recent Dungeons & Dragons night, attendees came either to meet new players or to enjoy the game with fellow enthusiasts. The goal is inclusivity — fostering connections through shared interests and building a sense of community, not just romantic relationships.
LL: Uni can be pretty isolating — do you see this as a way for students to actually connect off campus?
AC: Absolutely, that’s a really good way of putting it. We’d love D8NIGHT to be a place where students can connect outside of their usual circles. We want to create a home for students off-site for sure, where people know the vibe and can join in on regular events. If you’re bored with the same old faces or just want to get out of the Shadows, come down to K Road on a Thursday. Whether it’s Dog Box, one of the small bars, or Bamboo Tiger, it’s a place where you can feel almost at home, you know, your home away from home.
LL: If students want to get involved beyond just turning up, how can they? Any dream collabs with student clubs or communities?
AC: They can email me (amy@kroad.com) or send us DMs on our Instagram @kroadnz. We’re open to any collaborations because it’s really about what the community wants and what you’d like to attend. I think it would be really cool to host you all and do a collaboration — maybe with spot prizes, local vouchers, that kind of thing. The goal is to create a collaboration that reflects the student community and what you enjoy.
Craccum would like to thank Amy for taking the time to chat with us and share the backstory and kaupapa behind D8NIGHT.
D8NIGHT offers affordable, accessible, and delicious alternatives to your usual “date night” — with $8 deals on food, drinks, clothes, and experiences across K Road, every Thursday. Follow @kroadnz or visit the site below for more details.
