Echoing the sentiments of Tucson Weekly, which broke the story, the AZFoodDude is sad to learn that Zachary's Pizza is closing on August 1. There is not a lot of news officially as to why the Tucson staple is closing, but it is almost assuredly because business has been rough in an economy that continues to sputter. A Facebook post by the restaurant on June 24 gives us a clue, "We will be cash only for a bit longer. Please help support our business. Summer has not been kind."
Tucson Restaurant, Janos, Closing After 29 Years
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| Photo by: Jimmy John's - #5 Vito |
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| SkinnyLicious(TM) Shrimp Creole - Photo by: The Cheesecake Factory |
During the recession, an increasing number of municipalities, ranging from Omaha, to 146 of Massachusetts’ 351 cities and towns, enacted meals taxes in addition to regular sales taxes to help make up for revenue shortfalls.The #1 city on the list was Minneapolis with a 7.775% sales tax and then an additional 3% meals tax creating a 10.775% tax on the bill. Also of note is #3 Virginia Beach, VA which came in with a 5% sales tax but a whopping 5.5% meals tax for a total of 10.5% in taxes.
Made with real vanilla ice cream, bacon flavored syrup, whipped topping and a maraschino cherry.
The full FirstMeal menu, in order of price, includes: sausage or bacon and egg burrito, hash browns, Seattle’s Best Coffee ($1.49); Cinnabon Delights ($1.49), Tropicana orange juice ($1.49), Johnsonville sausage and egg wrap ($1.79), Seattle’s Best Coffee Premium Vanilla or Mocha Iced Coffee ($1.99), steak and egg burrito ($1.99), and Grande Skillet Burrito ($2.79). Three combos will be offered, all for $3.99. They all include a drink and hash brown.All 11 items will be available between the hours 8am or 9am until 11am.
The Austin, TX based company began in 2008 and the two Arizona locations are among their first ventures outside of their home state.How Do You Roll? offers a modern twist to the traditional Japanese cuisine. Upon entering the restaurant, consumers follow a line and build their own sushi rolls with many unique ingredient choices. Newcomers to sushi, and those who shy away from raw fish, will be surprised to find grilled chicken and beef, whereas sushi aficionados can enjoy more typical-to-sushi options like spicy tuna and unagi. How Do You Roll? also offers gluten-free and vegetarian ingredients.
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| Photo by Freddy's - Marana, AZ |
...the signature flavor, a sweet and tangy yogurt; pomegranate, a bold and tangy flavor made with 100 percent California-grown pure pomegranate juice; salted caramel, a blend of salty and sweet; a rich, indulgent chocolate; mango, a fruity and light flavor made with authentic Alphonso mango puree; and blood orange, a fresh and tangy featured flavor that rotates seasonally.Now, I haven't been to a Pinkberry in sometime and unless they have changed, the one major difference they have to other froyo shops is that they serve and top the yogurt for you since they do not charge by weight.
Both tacos feature lightly beer-battered Alaskan Pollock. Sustainably fished from the very cold waters of the Bering Sea, Alaskan Pollock is the freshest filet available. The light beer batter takes on an extra kick of flavor with heat from Cayenne pepper. Beer-battered Pollock filets are tucked into warm corn tortillas and topped with shredded cabbage and fresh cilantro. The Classic Baja Fish Taco is drizzled with a Baja style Lime Crema sauce and the Spicy Chipotle Fish Taco is topped with smoky hot Chipotle sauce. A slice of fresh lime adds a burst of citrus flavor to each taco.In terms of nutrition, the Classic Baja Fish Taco has 252 calories, 13.5 grams of fat and 7 grams of protein. Meanwhile, the Spicy Chipotle Fish Taco has 254 calories, 13.5 grams of fat and 7 grams of protein.
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| Photo by Freddy's - Gilbert, AZ |
This press release from Carl's Jr. went out at the beginning of the month, but it has just come to the AZFoodDude's attention that the folks of Tucson have been part of a test by Carl's Jr. Carl's Jr. is offering Hardee's Made From Scratch Biscuits starting at $1.69, including:...the Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit and the Ham, Egg & Cheese Biscuit. Guests can order any biscuit in a combo with Hash Brown Nuggets and Coffee, Orange Juice or a soft drink starting at $2.99. For diners who can’t make up their minds, there is the aptly named Monster Biscuit, featuring egg, sausage, bacon, ham and two pieces of cheese between a fluffy buttermilk biscuit. A Southern favorite, Biscuit ’N’ Gravy is also offered, as is a sweet Strawberry Biscuit. Prices may vary by location. Biscuits are only available during breakfast hours.Since Carl's Jr. is only in the testing phase of this roll out, no nutritional information is yet available on their website. However, three of the six items are listed on the Hardee's menu:
Customers having “breakfast for dinner” will be asked to bring a pair of new pajamas to the restaurant to be donated to AzCA’s foster care children. In return, customers will be entered to win gift certificates from participating restaurants. They will also be given a “Free Dozen Eggs” certificate, courtesy of Hickman’s Eggs, to be redeemed at any grocery store where Hickman’s eggs are sold...Participating restaurants will donate a portion of the proceeds from “PJ’s & Eggs” to AzCA foster care programs, which supports purchasing basic supplies to fulfill needs of the children in its statewide foster care program.There are 16 participating restaurants in the state, 10 in the Phoenix Metro area, four in Tucson, and one each in Prescott and Wickenburg. A full list can be found here if you scroll down on the page.
List of participating restaurants - As you might expect, the vast majority of participating restaurants are in the Phoenix area along with quite a few in the Tucson area. Sadly for those in the Flagstaff area, there are only four restaurants currently listed. For those interested, take special note of the restaurants that have gluten-free items, vegetarian options and those that include a drink in the price.Participating restaurants will offer three-course meals at a value price of $20, $30 or $40 per person, excluding drinks, tax and tip. Reservations are highly recommended as restaurants fill up quickly!
Joining Red Velvet Cake in the core line-up is Caramel Supreme soft serve for those who crave that distinct flavor invented by the Italians before the 18th century. Both fro-yo flavors are 98 percent fat free, and qualify for the brand’s Super Fro-Yo classificationIn terms of new flavors, TCBY will begin selling Pumpkin Pie yogurt starting tomorrow and going through the end of October. In addition, the two flavors of Eggnog and Gingerbread will be sold during the months of November and December. Each of the new flavors contain, "seven live active cultures, calcium, protein, fiber, and Vitamins A, C, and D," are made with real dairy yogurt and are said to be 98% fat free.
