GILBERT, AZ — A Gilbert restaurant just finished its first week back in business after a grand reopening and they have the community, in part, to thank for it.
For the first few customers who came in for an early lunch at Dragon Wok at Cooper and Ray roads in Gilbert, many were greeted the same way.
”Welcome back, welcome back! So happy to see everybody!” Sam Szeto would proclaim loudly to his customers.
Not every restaurant pairs their entrees with a warm welcome, but that’s part of what keeps Szeto going after owning and operating several Chinese restaurants in the Valley for decades.
He’s owned Dragon Wok in Gilbert since 2005. This restaurant won a national award in 2008, right before the economy went into a recession.
They survived those times long before they knew they’d be relying on their to-go operation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they’re still able to deliver to East Valley customers amid rising inflation prices.
“In fact, I had to hide my award, I don’t tell people. We got people looking for a deal, not awards!” he said, laughing.
Then a few months ago, in May 2024, a car drove into the restaurant and smashed a wall, destroying parts of the kitchen.
The crash burst a water and gas line, and so far, the damages have amounted to about $100,000, we’re told.
”'There’s more than just an accident,'" Szeto says police told him. "The investigator showed me on the computer, then I really got freaked out."
Gilbert police said the driver of the car died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The crash and incident led Szeto to consider leaving the one job he’s had since his family came to Arizona from China in the late 1970s for good.
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And while the restaurant was shuttered, Szeto said he would have this recurring dream.
”I would dream about it, that I forgot people’s iced tea, I would say, 'Oh my God, that’s my life - do I have a life?'” he said.
Even when his hospitality was on pause while his restaurant was being repaired, he dreamt about the care he had for his customers.
That care was reciprocated in part through a crowdfunding account that raised north of $15,000 to help pay for the damages.
The dollar amount was nowhere close to covering all the repair costs, but seeing nearly 200 small donations from people who wanted him to re-open led him to do just that.
”Seeing all the love and support really started changing my mentality in the last month — let’s keep it going,” he said.
Flowers and treats filled the space by the hostess stand with notes that read, 'welcome back.'
Some customers were looking to make up for lost time.
”This is the second time here already,” shouted Szeto about one customer.
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