PHOENIX — The game is on. The beer is cold. And the grill is fired up. When it comes to sports and enjoying a beer and burger, Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers is one of the signature spots that sports fans in the Valley trek to.
Like sports, it's all about community, especially right now when businesses and restaurants are working on their next moves and all of us are trying to do some same.
Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers caters to everyone, says Barrett Rinzler, president and CEO of Square One Concepts, the hospitality company behind Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers, Famous 48, The Funky Monk, and Bourbon and Bones.
He said Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers was meant to focus on the basics.
"Concentrate on the literal burgers and beers, not all the other things we served," he said. And from one restaurants, the concept has since grown to a dozen locations around the Valley. But, Rinzler insists, they're still the neighborhood burger joint that is focused on the neighborhood.
"We're in a lot of different communities throughout the Phoenix area, whether it's Chandler or Gilbert or Ahwatukee or Scottsdale or Phoenix or wherever, and we're very cognizant of sort of meshing with the community," he said.
Because of the coronavirus outbreak and social distancing, Rinzler said he and his team has to regroup, almost on the fly, because the restaurant wasn't designed for takeout. It was designed for people to sit at tables, talk, and watch the game on TV.
And they did. They transitioned their operations to focus on takeout, something several restaurants have done, but they also made changes to the inside of their restaurants when customers do come back, something they plan to do on Monday, May 11 after Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his restriction on restaurant dining rooms.
Among the changes:
- More spacing between tables and bar seats
- Signage in the restaurant about social distancing
- Continuing to offer to-go orders
They have also started a program to give back to those on the front lines of the pandemic, the healthcare workers.
Every Tuesday in May, health care workers and frontline staff can get a free lunch from any Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers restaurant from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Just another way meals are bringing all of us together, one bite at a time.
"Food is life so come out and support your local food support your local restaurants," said Rinzler.
