"I live in Buckeye, 42 miles away, and the traffic made the journey just over an hour long. We had enjoyed a pizza from our local Gus's about two months ago, which was our first visit, so we decided to try this location based on the positive reputation of the Goodyear branch. Unfortunately, when I was called to pick up our food, I saw that everything was packed in to-go containers. Confused, I asked if we couldn’t eat there, and the man replied that they had closed at 10. I found it strange since I had walked in a few minutes after 10, and he never informed me about closing early. Had he mentioned that dining in was no longer an option, I would have taken my family elsewhere.
As someone on social security who struggles to make ends meet, going out to eat feels like a treat we rarely indulge in. I literally spent money meant for my phone bill to treat my kids on the 4th of July. Now, I won’t have a phone for the entire month because I chose to buy this meal. The worker dryly told me, “Well, it’s the 4th of July; we closed early,” even though we were actively placing orders past 10 PM. So now, an hour away from home and nearly 11 PM, we had to eat in the car with my one-year-old and my 11-year-old sister, who is autistic and doesn’t understand why we can’t eat at the restaurant. I’ve never felt so let down. It took all my strength not to cry when my autistic sister said, “Even though it’s hot outside and we can’t eat inside, you still gave us a good night, sister. You tried your best.”
To some, it might seem trivial—a large pizza, wings, and cheese sticks—but for us, it represents a choice between necessities. When things don’t go as planned, it’s disappointing. I just wanted to create some memories and maintain a sense of normalcy for my children after all the changes we’ve experienced this year. To me, it is a big deal.
As for wheelchair accessibility, the restaurant features a large doorway and spacious interior with ample room between the tables, making it easy for both manual and powered wheelchairs to navigate comfortably."
