Fighting to Stay Afloat

Roadrunner Restaurant and Saloon is running the show By Peyton Clark

Roadrunner is an authentic Western establishment with karaoke nights, live bands and mechanical bull rides. (Photos by Pablo Robles)

The lively Roadrunner Restaurant and in advance, which were Saloon brings out the fun with karaoke highly recommended nights, live bands and mechanical bull due to high demand, and rides. then their grocery box

But the COVID-19 pandemic has put a was available for pickup damper on everything, except for the New at the end of the week for River establishment’s great food. This au$85. thentic Western establishment, like many Roadrunner created Roadrunner Restaurant and Saloon's menu is all-around comfort food. other businesses and restaurants, had to a huge list of many grocery items, like a Roadrunner provided a sugar cookie box, shut down, reconfigure and adjust to stay gallon of milk, a package of hoagie rolls, 1 which came with all the necessities to decoafloat. pound of ground beef, pork chops, white rate 24 sugar cookies. With frosting and

It began providing customers with grorice, angel hair pasta, cucumbers, tomasprinkles, it was $25. cery boxes. Guests placed their orders toes, onions, avocados, potatoes. On August 7, the rowdy restaurant hostIt did similar coned a takeout rally to support its establishcepts with items ment and provide guests with a different from its menus. On way of receiving their food. a recent Sunday, the Guests showed up in vehicles, bikes and staff accepted breakvans, ready to indulge in old-school burgfast takeout orders, ers, fries and shakes, showing their support giving the option of with handmade signs. eggs (any style) with “We’ve been getting very creative during hand-breaded chickthis crazy time, and although it has been en fried steak topped crazy, it’s also allowed for us to expand our with sausage gravy, minds and ideas,” says Becky Mullins, the a choice of hash event coordinator of The Roadrunner Resbrowns or ranch taurant and Saloon. potatoes and choice “Recently, we did this ‘old-school drive of toast. To satisfy its thru’ where people came in on scooters, guests’ sweet tooth, bikes, cars, buses, vans and ordered burgBecky Mullins is the event coordinator 30 85086 | SEPTEMBER 2020 of the Roadrunner saloon in New River.

ers, shakes and fries. It was a huge hit.”

Roadrunner has been staying busy with its loyal customers, offering its normal breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items, as well as its boxed grocery dinners and to-go orders.

Its menu is all-around comfort food—Texasstyle chili, fried pickles, Southern-style okra, fries, Roadrunner staff recently opened “Dirty Bird” nachos, onion a gift shop with personalized merchandise. (Photo by Pablo Robles) rings, cheese “logs,” chicken wings and “cowboy rolls” are among the ner, Western barbecue and “bacon bacon.” appetizers, which run from $7.50 to $13.50. The staff is anxiously awaiting the ability

Specialty items include Caesar salad, “big to reopen. New River needs a 3% positivhouse salad,” chicken quesadilla, chicken ity rate in the county to offer 50% dine-in strip basket and pork green chili burrito capacity. Mullins reported that the prior ($9.50 to $11.50). week, it had reached a 6% case positivity

Sandwiches and burgers, $10.50 to $16.50, rate. are aplenty—pulled pork roll, Big AZ Rueben, COVID, however, has brought out the Buffalo chicken wings, crispy chicken, classic staff’s creative ideas. They recently opened burger, patty melt, jalapeno ranch, Arizona a coffee bar with wine slushies and a gift cheesesteak, New River club, the Roadrunshop with personalized merchandise. Mikku Ad 85086 2020b_Layout 1 8/25/20 8:10 PM Page 1

“Coming this October, we’re opening a new building just outside the restaurant where we’ll now hold the weddings, corporate events and parties,” Mullins says. “We offer such a great offer and deal on events and weddings—so much so that brides hunt us down because we provide such great entertainment for their guests.” As she says, “Fun is our goal and ensuring you are able to make longlasting memories.”

Roadrunner Restaurant and Saloon

47801 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River 623-465-9903, roadrunnerrestaurantandsaloon.com Closed Monday and Tuesday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday to Sunday

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