It is my sad duty to inform fans of Pancho's Mexican Buffet that the remaining Austin area location on U.S. 290 has closed down. Even worse, the company has shuttered its venerable Waco and Killeen locations (the latter a likely casualty of Fort Hood troops mobilized to fight in Iraq). That leaves the San Antonio location as the only Pancho's within a 100-mile radius of Austin.
I am reminded of a similarly sad day 10 years ago when Pancho's first pulled out of Austin in June 1995. We were sans Pancho's for almost eight years until the now-shuttered Round Rock location opened in January 2003. I was there the day they opened and there was a line of faithful out the door. Obviously, those long lines didn't last long.
I can't say I'm as broken up or surprised by this recent closure as I was in 1995. The first cut, as they say, is the deepest. I'm coming to accept the reality that I may well outlive Pancho's Mexican Buffet altogether, perhaps by many years. I can live with never having children, but the prospect of not being able to take my hypothetical nonexistent children to Pancho's to raise the flag and eat sopaipillas really bothers me.
At some point, I guess you just try and steel yourself with a stoic resignation to the inevitable truth that all things must pass. Still, what a goddamn shame.
Monday, March 21, 2005
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7 comments:
Guess I know where you want to go eat next time you come to Houston. I'll even buy to help you back on your feet after such a crushing blow.
Fuck they still have the Houston one! Bad ass!!! Man this is really terrible news. I became a fat kid just from Panchos! My dad loved that place.
Greg, so sorry to hear it. Castle Siege was having an almost-weekly lunch there. We were about to have you as the guest, I mean, Host of honor. Road trip in August?
Lance
(not really anonymous)
Chepo, bring your fat ass to Houston with Greg and I'll feed you too.
You have my condolences in this time of sadness.
Terri R.
I guess we'll always remember where we were when we heard the news...A dark day for buffet-o-philes. A very dark day indeed.
pancho's. damn, i miss pancho's. in once ate 13 tacos in one sitting. yes, raise that flag, boys, raise that flag.
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