Not all locations of Filiberto's are created equal and fans frequently have their favorites. This can be attributed to the fact the dozens of Filiberto's restaurants throughout the Valley have many different owners. The chain was started by the Tenorio family and over the years, friends and family members opened their own locations under a licensing deal.
John Schwimmer, and his company Compadres Group, owned the eight shuttered spots. Cesar Tenorio, a member of the original family, said Schwimmer closed his restaurants after experiencing personal "unforeseen medical issues." According to the company, Filiberto's hopes to reopen the stores in the future following an "operator transition."
When we shared the news of the closure, hundreds of readers took to social media to share their thoughts. Many had their own theories about the reasoning behind the closure. A few expressed sadness over the shuttered restaurants. Many bemoaned the price. Here's what our readers had to say.
On Facebook, Joe wasn't too worried about finding another location:
"Wow 8 closed? So there's only 7326 left in operation?"Janet shared her experience with the prices:
"Two can eat at a decent sit down restaurant with free chips and salsa for what Filiberto's charges these days. My humble take out order for 2 of us was over $35 last time I went. Nope!"Brian echoed her and teased:
"Where am I going to get my 13 dollar carne asada burritos from?"The availability of chips and salsa seemed to be a sticking point. Greg said:
"The prices are high compared to other fast food places. If I am going to spend 20 bucks on a chicken quesadilla I might as well go to a sit down place and get chips and salsa."Jay got nostalgic about previous prices:
"Maybe if they didn't charge twice as much as their food is worth. I remember the summer of 2008, when I could get a breakfast burrito for less than a gallon of gas. Now yes, inflation is real, but it ain't been THAT much."Nando agreed, noting the change in quality as well:
Filiberto's was bomb back in the '90s and 2000s but now it's just a shell of its former self and the food quality decreased while the prices increase."While everyone seemed to agree the price is not right, some fans stood up for their beloved burrito spot.
Aly said:
"No! A Phx late night staple food!"Erika said:
"I love me some Filiberto's. This is sad!"On Instagram, Robert left a challenge:
"I LOVE Filiberto's & there's a line every time I go, so let the haters keep hatin.'"Larry narrowly avoided the consequences:
"My wife almost divorced me because I recommended filly bees for dinner."Geoff summed it all up in one word:
"Filimuertos."What do you think? Will you miss the closed Filiberto's locations? Is the menu too expensive? Or will you drive a little further to find the next glowing yellow sign in the night? Let us know in the comments or at [email protected].
