If you believe articles from an industry publication, the fast-casual Italian food franchise Fazoli’s is in good shape and plans to release “a completely clean food menu” this summer. (Because chemicals are bad, you see, and unpopular with the youths.) But with that is a restaurant revamp, and I’m wondering if some franchisees aren’t able to shoulder the cost.
I say that because the Fazoli’s on Edgewood Road in Cedar Rapids — the only one in a 70-mile radius — closed earlier this month. That means the nearest ones to the Corridor are singles in Dubuque, Moline, Ames, and Ankeny. A Fazoli’s in Fort Dodge closed earlier this year. One in Waterloo, open less than a decade, closed five years ago (as I said at the time, the location had great visibility but bad access).
Perhaps it’s my fault for not patronizing it, but on the other hand, eating them out of breadsticks has its own costs.