What the hell is going on with the Heart Attack Grill?
Last Wednesday, The Associated Press reported that the fast food restaurant in Chandler, famous for scantily clad "nurses" serving up such sky-high caloric fare as Bypass Burgers and fries cooked in pure lard, had closed. The news came three months after the death of the restaurant's 29-year-old, 575-pound spokesman, Blair River.
The next day, Thursday, June 2, the Arizona Republic reported that Heart Attack Grill owner Jon Basso said he's not closing and that he had shut down the restaurant temporarily "to put a few posters on the wall." He also said he was in a dispute with the city of Chandler over the color of paint on his restaurant and that he'll open a new location in downtown Phoenix or Scottsdale if he can't resolve it.
Sheesh, such drama -- and it gets better. Wait 'til you hear what Basso says about the city of Chandler.
According to the Arizona Republic, Basso recently opened a second location in Dallas and said he's using the time when the Chandler restaurant is closed to build his business there.
Regarding the dispute with Chandler, Basso is quoted as saying:
"Chandler has threatened to seek criminal action against me because they don't like my shade of white. I bring more tourists to city of Chandler than any other business . . . I don't need Chandler. The Texas business environment is so darned friendly that it makes me question the wisdom of ever returning to Arizona."
The sign on Heart Attack Grill's door says it will reopen on Wednesday, June 15, but Basso told the Republic that if he can't make nice with the landlord and the city, "we will certainly reopen at end of summer at a new location in downtown Phoenix or Scottsdale."
What say you, burger jury? Should Heart Attack Grill stay in Chandler? Move to Scottsdale or Phoenix? Or can Dallas have the "taste worth dying for?"
