Save Thompson Center Food Court-Chicago Magazine

According to people who follow the dietary trends of this country, Sbarro is dying.

Sbarro’s business model, the big picture, has always been “a cheap Italian place in the mall with fluid spaghetti and dough pizza in the food court next to Orange Julius”. Sbarro entered the mall at Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Brooklyn in 1970 and was unveiled in 1985, just three years later. Fast Times at Ridgemont High celebrated the mall as a teenage social drama theater, went bankrupt in 2014 and closed 300 locations. Almost all of it is in the mall.

“For those who go to many malls, what was important in a restaurant like Sbarro was its limited location. There may be McDonald’s and Burger King in the food court, but Sbarro is a special mall. It was a treat only and essentially tied the brand. With that particular shopping experience. ” Website written by Eater, In an article about how the fate of Sbarro went up and down with the fate of shopping malls. “But the era of” going to the mall “is over. “

Still, at the center of the loop is Sbarro, who is still alive. Located in the underground food court of James R. Thompson Center, it shares space with Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Panda Express and the subway.

Illinois recently sold the Thompson Center to Prime Group for $ 70 million. Prime Group is a commercial and residential real estate developer planning a complete refurbishment. The sale was celebrated by conservationists who see the Thompson Center designed by Helmut Jahn as a classic example of postmodern architecture. Preservation Chicago calls this “one of the most iconic 1980s buildings in our city.”

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We hope that the Prime Group’s $ 280 million image change will also protect the food court. This is one of the most iconic 1980s dining experiences in our city.

I’m a big fan of the food court. My idea of ​​a quality restaurant is to serve the best food for the least amount of money. I really miss Ronnie’s steakhouse. The Atrium Food Court, as it is now known (named after the much more colorful Great State Fair), finishes a $ 8.25 meal without having to go to the Golf Mill Shopping Center or Chicago Ridge Mall. can not. ..

That’s the amount I paid on Tuesday at Sbarro for the Bakto Ziti plate. Franchise fast food is all about a consistent dining experience. Sbarro’s ziti is very consistent. Pasta, cheese and breadstick all tasted exactly the same, as if a single dough had been squeezed into different shapes.

The Secretary of State’s driver service facility, which shares the basement with the food court, was closed until next Tuesday due to a variant of Omicron, so many restaurants were also closed. Great was pulled over the dark counters of M Burger, Bubba’s Kitchen, Burger King and Arby’s to provide a food court with a 21st century dead mall feel. I was one of only a dozen diners on that cold day, as the food court is probably the most cozy indoor public space in the loop, but it looked like a waste of room. Aldo. Carlos Ramirez Rosa, who advocates the preservation of the Thompson Center, remembers doing his homework at the food court between trains on his way to school.

That’s a good reason to save the food court. Second, the Plebeian food court has been replaced by a luxury facility known as the “food hall.” As a restaurant consultant told Eater, Sbarro’s “the biggest drawback is that more and more people are selling food that they have been sitting for a while and wanting to cook after receiving an order.”

Close to Thompson Center Urban space food hall, 15 W. When I asked a greeter in an urban space polo shirt on Washington Street about the difference between a food court and a food hall, he said: It’s like a hall. So I investigated myself. Urban spaces are full of local restaurants rather than chain stores at Morton Grove’s strip malls. Happy lobster, sushi dokken, pitaero Greek Mediterranean grill. It’s also more expensive. A taco dinner at Bianca’s barbecue is $ 14.50. Taco Bell’s 3 soft taco combo costs $ 6.29. Edzo’s Burgers charges $ 10 for a meal of the same name. Pinky gyro and beef: $ 4.99.

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and JacobinChicago’s Thompson Center is a palace for peopleMarianela Núña eloquently writes about the differences in building architecture. “It’s a peak postmodern architecture, full of heartwarming references to the bygone architectural era. Floor-inspired tile patterns, even its super-reflective glass, architectural history (images of surrounding buildings). Can be read on its surface. “

Then she added that it was “one of the only places in the loop where you could get a really affordable lunch.”

I can thank it more. When I enter the Thompson Center, I never look up at the atrium. Looking down towards the food court.

Save Thompson Center Food Court-Chicago Magazine

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