Friday & Saturday February 12th & 13th 5pm to 9pm
Choose from Regular Bernard’s Menu or A Sweetheart Couple’s 3 Course Menu — $69 per couple
Sunday February 14th 6:30 am—3:00 pm
Valentine’s Day Brunch including Red Velvet Pancakes Seafood Crepes Mimosas KHANI COLE BAND 11AM TO 2PM
BY JULIA DE SIMONE
Just like the fictional and iconic Cheers Bar, Floridino’s Pizza and Pasta is that place “where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.”
This year the popular and very real Chandler establishment will mark its 20th anniversary of making pizza, pasta and memories.
“Even though we’ve grown, it (still) feels like a mom and pop shop,” said State Rep. Jeff Weninger, co-owner.
“We know our regulars’ names. Lack of better terms, it’s somewhat of a family here. It’s that neighborhood joint where everyone goes. It’s a huge network of people getting up and talking to one another and where ‘this table knows this table.’”
Weninger, who got his start in the restaurant business at age 14 busing tables in in Kansas, said the secret to the success of Floridino’s is a tripod of quality food, service and value.
“You can be successful with only two [of those elements] but if you have all three, it’s a blessing,” he said.
Menu items also include the “pizza muffins,” oven-baked sandwiches, salads, calzones and famous desserts such as the Sicilian sundae. Incentives such as lunch specials during the week, senior nights, family specials and other promotions at reasonable prices continue to lure customers.
“You get a lot of food for an incredible price,” Weninger said.
Besides Weninger and co-owner Shaun Kelley, 50 part- and full-time staff have been serving Chandler residents since Floridino’s opened its doors in 1996.
“We have incredible staff. Our wait staff are very personable,” Weninger said. “We kind of got ingrained with people in Chandler, their kids and their families,”
But it’s not all about the food for Floridino’s; it’s also about the philanthropy.
When Floridino’s opened, its owners did so with the intention of establishing a neighborhood restaurant supportive of the community who frequents it. In addition to donating food, funds, gift certificates and utilization of their restaurant to house fundraisers, Weninger and Kelley are big supporters of Local First AZ (LFA).
LFA is a statewide nonprofit organization strengthening communities and their economies by growing, supporting and celebrating locally-owned Arizona businesses.
“I think it’s smart to just better your community. Anything we can do that’s community driven and make it easier [for others], we try and do as much as we can,” Weninger said.
In addition to a banquet room that accommodates 60 people, future dreams include expanding the kitchen, building a patio, adding to the beer and wine menu options and possibly franchising the business.
“We don’t ever take it for granted. Every day we ask ourselves, ‘How can we better serve our customers?’ We’re doing well because of the great Chandler community coming. We’re blessed, and we know we’re blessed,” Weninger said.
Floridino’s is located at 590 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler. For more information, call (480) 812-8433 or visit www.floridinos.net
Apple Dumpling Café
3076 E. Chandler Heights Rd., Suite 101, Gilbert (480) 279-3879, www.appledumplingcafe.
com. Mondays are family value night, when kids eat free with each adult meal purchase of $6.95 or more. Ice cream happy hour is 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, when kids buy one ice cream or dessert and get one free.
Chompie’s
3481 W. Frye Rd., Chandler (480) 398-3008
www.chompies.com
Children 10 and younger receive one free item from the kids’ meal menu with an adult meal purchase of $8 or more on Tuesdays. Dine-in only.
Copper Still Moonshine Grill
2531 S. Gilbert Rd., Suite 101, Gilbert (480) 656-1476
www.CopperStillMoonshineGrill.com
Kids ages 10 and younger eat for free on Tuesdays with the purchase of an adult meal.
Dilly’s Deli
2895 S. Alma School Rd., Suite 5, Chandler (480) 722-0645
www.dillysdeli.com
Get one free kids’ meal for each adult meal purchased at $6 or more on weekends.
El Palacio Restaurant & Cantina
2950 E. Germann Rd., Chandler (480) 802-5770
www.epfamilyrestaurants.com
Kids 12 and younger eat free when adult meals are purchased on Wednesdays.
Fat Willy’s
4850 S. Gilbert Rd., Chandler (480) 883-1356
www.fatwillysaz.com/chandler
From 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, dine in and get a free kids’ meal with every adult entrée purchased. Kids can select from the Little Leaguers menu only and must be 12 or younger.
Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta
590 N. Alma School Rd., Suite 35, Chandler (480) 812-8433, www.floridinos.net
Kids eat free from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. Receive one free kids’ meal per $8 adult purchase when customers dine in only.
The Hungry Monk Andersen Fiesta Shopping Center, 1760 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler (480) 963-8000
www.hungrymonkaz.com
Kids eat free on Mondays with every purchase of an adult entrée.
NYPD Pizza
2580 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler (480) 722-0898
www.aznypdpizza.com
Kids eat free on Wednesday and Sunday after 4 p.m. with the purchase of a small or medium pizza. Dine in only.
Pittsburgh Willy’s
48 S. San Marcos Pl., Chandler (480) 821-3197
Every day, except Sunday breakfast, one child aged 10 and younger eats free with each paying adult, while additional kids eat for 50 percent off, when they order from the Wee Willy menu only.
Planet Sub
1920 W. Germann Rd., Chandler (480) 245-6503
www.planetsub.com
Kids eat free with a paying adult on Mondays.
Social Box
1371 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler (480) 899-6735
www.socialboxeateries.com
Kids 12 and younger eat free from the kids’ menu with the purchase of an adult entrée on Mondays.
Sidelines Grill
2980 S. Alma School Rd., Chandler (480) 792-6965
www.sidelinesaz.com
Kids eat free from the kids’ menu after 4 p.m. Thursdays with the purchase of an adult entrée. Dine in only.
Whiskey Rose Bar and Grill
135 W. Ocotillo Rd., Chandler (480) 895-7673
Kids eat free on Tuesdays and Sundays with the purchase of an adult entrée.
The SanTan Sun News now has a regular “Where kids eat free” section.
Restaurant owners, please email us details such as days of the week kids can eat free at your establishment, and what conditions apply, such as purchase of an adult meal, certain hours, etc. Include your restaurant name, address, phone and website and a contact name for verification.
Readers, if you know of a location that has a kids-eatfree program, email us with the restaurant name, a phone and / or email for confirmation and details.
Email information to KidsEatFree@santansun.com
