Friday, March 1, 2024

Schlotzsky's ~ national chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado


Latest visit: Mar 2024 (Voyager)

First visit: 1982 (Dallas, TX) A loooong time ago whenever it was. The location was up in Prestonwood area of far north Dallas and is long gone. Heck, might of even tried it in Austin sometime during the 70s when the RJG was still a young teen, traveling there with my dad.

HQ: Atlanta (Founded 1971 in Austin, Texas)

Locations: 338 (-1) in 26 states. Colorado has 5 total with 3 in the Springs (same). Texas has, by far, the most at 209 (same) with Southlake hanging in there.

First visit of the year, and could also be my last. Not that the sandwich wasn't great (it was - Medium Deluxe as noted below), it's just I don't go here very much anymore since they moved their opening hours to 10:30. I just happened to be on my way home during lunch and grabbed it to-go. At $11 including tax, it's a pricey option (what isn't these days?). There was a time when I would go about 40 times a year. Long ago it seems. Now once or twice. 

---7/16/23 update

Since my last update, this location of Schlotzsky's made the unfortunate decision to close during breakfast hours. Not that I ever got breakfast here, but they served their full menu, and oftentimes I'm ready for my "daily meal" around 9 in the morning. Because of this decision, I never go here anymore. The only reason I went this time is that my schedule was topsy-turvy, and I ended coming here for a late lunch. And driving the sandwich back home. But that was an unusual circumstance. There was a time I went here weekly, especially during the pandemic. And now they've managed to lose my business. Oh well. As for the sandwich, because it was late, I didn't get the medium deluxe, but rather the small deluxe. Still great as ever.

I didn't mention this before, but Schlotzsky's was also my weekly go-to lunch on Monday's in 1995 and 1996 while working nearby (same company I met Mrs. RJG, Rude Dante, Old Boss, etc...). That location is in Greenwood Village and is also still going!

---1/7/22 notes

Schlotzsky's is the one fast food chain that hasn't been letting me down lately, or at least this location. I've been inside a couple of times and they have a nice pleasant dining area. But most of the time I use the drive-thru, as I prefer to put their sandwiches in our Gourmia to ensure it's crispness. That's the one problem with Schlotzsky's is that the bread can get soggy if not consumed quickly or reheated properly. This location is ~10 minutes from our home. On this visit, I went with my usual medium Original Deluxe, which is a double hamburger sized sandwich loaded with deli meats. They too have raised their prices some, but at least I don't feel ripped off.

Also to note that during the pandemic in 2020 - when we had the hard lockdowns in March and April - Schlotzsky's was the first place I went (drive-thru), and it became the most regular stop thereafter. I will not forget our local franchiser who provided a safe and tasty alternative!

As of this writing, there are 338 locations, 6 in Colorado, with half of those here in the Springs. Texas by comparison has 210. Our old Southlake location is still going strong it appears.

---original 3/4/10 review (Southlake-TX)

Schlotzsky's is one of those chains folks tend to miss if you don't live near one. We've been fortunate that in both Texas and Colorado, they are well represented. But it's not something we take for granted, and they would be sorely missed if suddenly they were shut down due to something like bankruptcy. If you haven't been for a while (or ever), support your local franchiser and give it a shot!

With Schlotzsky's, it's all about the bread. Long before Quizno's showed up, Schlotzsky's pioneered the conveyor-belt-toaster concept, and their bread reacts well to it, providing the right crispiness and flavors when heated properly. Sometimes it's best to take them to-go and toast them again at home... They have various veggie and meat combinations that are all very good, but if it weren't for the bread itself (including for pizzas), Schlotzsky's would be long gone from the culinary landscape. My favorite is a medium Original Deluxe, which is double the meat. It's a big sandwich, and certainly something I only eat after having run over 3 miles. Mrs. RJG likes a small Original on Jalapeno Cheese bread.

Schlotzsky's humble beginnings goes back to 1971 in Austin. Being relatively close in proximity to Austin, Dallas was an early expansion city for the then small chain, and so I first enjoyed them at their northwest Dallas location in the early 1980s while still in high school. And they followed me to my college years in Lubbock throughout the middle 80s. 

1982; 4//95; 1//96; 1//97; 3/15/05; 3/4/10 (new entry); 10/18/11; 5/22/12; 7/8/15; 5/4/18; 3/10/20; 1/30/21; 1/7/22; 7/16/23; 3/1/24

Dallas, Texas (2); Lubbock, Texas; Greenwood Village, Colorado; Aurora, Colorado; Southlake, Texas;vColorado Springs, Colorado

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