There have been some ideas flying around that Arizona Takeout Weeks is replacing the 13th annual, 10-day Arizona Restaurant Week. It’s not. It’s yet to be determined if the spring ARW, set to run from Friday, May 15, to Sunday, May 24, will proceed, but Arizona Takeout Weeks is happening now. Right now.

Because of the coronavirus, the Arizona Restaurant Association debuted Arizona Takeout Week on Friday, March 19. The ARA initiative is designed to help diners and eateries find restaurants offering food, drinks, and maybe a special or two for takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery.

But it wasn’t just a week. The program still in effect and will run through the entirety of the coronavirus-related dining room closures at Valley restaurants.

A list of participating restaurants and menus is posted at the Arizona Takeout Weeks website. Included are Autumn Court Chinese Restaurant, CRUjiente Tacos, Ghost Ranch, Ladera Taverna y Cocina, all locations of Zipps Sports Grill, and many, many more.

And why the scramble to push a new initiative? It's the objective of the Arizona Restaurant Association to support the state’s culinary scene. According to the ARA, there are more than 10,000 dining establishments in Arizona — reporting $13.4 billion in annual restaurant sales and employing more than 229,000 staff members.

“We appreciate and thank Governor Ducey for his efforts in working with the restaurant industry to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus,” Arizona Restaurant Association President and CEO Steve Chucri says in a press release. “The Arizona restaurant family appreciates his work and that of all elected leaders in our state during this unparalleled time in our history.”

Phoenix-area (and Arizona) restaurants may still submit its take-out menus, delivery options, and curbside hours to takeout@azrestaurant.org.

For more information, visit the Arizona Takeout Weeks 2020 website.

• Restaurant News
• Coronavirus