The bankruptcy filing by one of San Diego’s most iconic and famous restaurant chains is another symptom of the pandemic that has shattered the economy and has shuttered thousands of restaurants.
When Ralph Rubio started his Coastal Grills in 1983, he knew how hard the restaurant business can be, but he like so many others who have a dream, he knew that he could be successful with hard work and of course his authentic fish tacos.
And while Rubio’s was a home grown company, its brand helped spread San Diego’s brand as a city where you could get good Mexican food and lots of it.
People in many parts of the country knew about Rubio’s as the company grew to nearly 200 restaurants not only in California, but in Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Florida.
But when they closed more than two dozen stores, there were signs of Grande size financial trouble ahead.
The bankruptcy filing doesn’t mean you still won’t be able to enjoy those famous fish tacos, with expectations that Rubio’s will emerge with fewer stores but a better future.
Rubio’s story of course is not unlike many other stories about many other restaurants have been shattered by an economy made ill by the pandemic.
But the same spirit Ralph Rubio had nearly 40 years ago when he started, like so many others, will help the restaurant business emerge from the pandemic as smarter and maybe even more successful than ever before with changes in the way they do business with more serving customers, inside and outside and take-out and drive-thru and new ways as well. Good luck!
(Photo reporting partner 10News)