There’s cautious optimism at Frankie’s Pizza & Pasta that hearty, affordable food won’t ever go out of style, even in a recession.

But at least one downtown Redmond restaurant, Coho Cafe, 8976 161st Ave. NE in the Bella Bottega shopping center, has seen a change in its customers’ habits since layoffs started hitting one of its target audiences — people who work, or used to work, at Microsoft.

Coho Cafe is one of many vendors who offer PRIME card discounts to Microsoft employees. The Redmond restaurant’s general manager, Kara Summers-Szigeti said layoffs there will definitely impact their lunch crowd, which has typically been packed with Microsofties.

“Restaurants are one of the first luxuries to go,” she remarked. “People want to go out, to enjoy time with family and friends, but they have cut back to maybe once a week or just for a special occasion. And maybe instead of three courses, they’re ordering just appetizers and drinking water instead of ordering a beverage. We’re hopeful we’ll be able to weather the storm, but we haven’t seen anything like this before.”

If not going out for big meals, more people seem to be looking for deals such as Happy Hour.

Coho Cafe features two Happy Hours daily, from 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to closing, with food specials as well as discounted drinks.

For details, call (425) 885-2646 or visit www.cohocafe.com.