RIP Marie Callender's.............. (Tucson, Gilbert: restaurant, license, food)

[Foreverking]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

Well, the smoking bans are a big reason for the failing of restaurants, but nobody will ever admit it.

thats so crazy...sorry,not trying to start a fight, when I lived in Texas, they allowed smoking in restaurants, and that DROVE ME AWAY. I think a smoking ban would be very attractive to us non smokers, and there are far more of us.

[Kimballette]

The topic's Marie Callender closing, not smoking. Back on topic, please. Thanks.

[scratchNsniff]

This is not good for that area in general, there was already a lack of restaurant options, Village Inn closed, & didn't the Islands by Metrocenter close too? Oh well, adapt & survive or go extinct. This is a good time to start a good local restaurant in that area, hint hint.

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by scratchNsniff

This is not good for that area in general, there was already a lack of restaurant options, Village Inn closed, & didn't the Islands by Metrocenter close too? Oh well, adapt & survive or go extinct. This is a good time to start a good local restaurant in that area, hint hint.

and most of the JBs I know about. Meanwhile, the one we all love to hate, Denny's, is still going strong.

[Foreverking]

Originally Posted by locolobo13

and most of the JBs I know about. Meanwhile, the one we all love to hate, Denny's, is still going strong.

as long as there are financially challenge, as well as old folks, Dennys will live long and prosper.

[roosevelt]

Finally revenge after some 20 years: a friend from England flew to Phoenix on his way to Los Angeles. He wanted to try American apple pie. I called Marie Callender's just to make sure they had some. They said no problem so off we go. We couldn't get waited on, one waitress for the whole dining room. Finally we get some service, my friend made his choice for dinner, they didn't have it! He made another choice, they didn't have that either! finally we ordered and ate, our all alone waitress who probably had something going with the manager so she would get all the tips notifies us they didn't have any apple pie.........freaking disaster!

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by scratchNsniff

This is not good for that area in general, there was already a lack of restaurant options, Village Inn closed, & didn't the Islands by Metrocenter close too? Oh well, adapt & survive or go extinct. This is a good time to start a good local restaurant in that area, hint hint.

I think it's good. A lot of these mediocre chains need to go. People aren't eating there and they are just taking up space. This will just create demand for quality establishments. I'm seeing that in Chandler. A lot of the chains have folded and are being replaced by independents and local restaurants and are doing quite well. You can get away with reheating prepackaged food only so many times. I also can't stand the service at these places. I like going to mom and pops because even the servers seem to take a more personal approach and pride in their job. When you go to chains, service often seems rushed, impersonal and fake.

[Foreverking]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Finally revenge after some 20 years: a friend from England flew to Phoenix on his way to Los Angeles. He wanted to try American apple pie. I called Marie Callender's just to make sure they had some. They said no problem so off we go. We couldn't get waited on, one waitress for the whole dining room. Finally we get some service, my friend made his choice for dinner, they didn't have it! He made another choice, they didn't have that either! finally we ordered and ate, our all alone waitress who probably had something going with the manager so she would get all the tips notifies us they didn't have any apple pie.........freaking disaster!

My wife worked for them in Eugene Oregon and they were quite mean to her. I know they are not all vicious, but we havent stopped by for the pie in over 16 years. Good Riddance MC

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

I think it's good. A lot of these mediocre chains need to go. People aren't eating there and they are just taking up space. This will just create demand for quality establishments. I'm seeing that in Chandler. A lot of the chains have folded and are being replaced by independents and local restaurants and are doing quite well. You can get away with reheating prepackaged food only so many times. I also can't stand the service at these places. I like going to mom and pops because even the servers seem to take a more personal approach and pride in their job. When you go to chains, service often seems rushed, impersonal and fake.

Many "chains" are not company stores owned by some corporate office in a distant city; they are franchises. Their owners are your neighbors, they support your schools, kids sports teams, attend your church and so on. More often than not, you can find the owner in the back doing the cooking.

You can dismiss Callendar's as bad service or whatever, but taken together with the closings of so, so many chains and indies as well tells me that the main reason is that Phoenix is a lousy market these days with home values now a small fraction of what is owed, so many out of work, and tourism reduced because of racist perceptions. Callendar's is just another (dead) canary in the coal mine.

[randian]

Baker's Square, a similar restaurant (which had a delicious chocolate silk pie), also went bankrupt. Their parent also owns Village Inn. I've eaten at the VIs in Florida. They were very forgettable, I'd rather have gone to Denny's.

Phoenix seems bad for some chains. You will note there are no longer any Round Table stores in Arizona, for example. I'm not sure why, they're way better than Pizza Hut or Dominoes (I love the Italian Garlic Supreme), both of which still do plenty of business here.