 Some
Things Never Change
After talking with Chuck, the owner of our local Shakey's,
I knew this man had a passion for pizza. That's why he makes
his pizzas using the original Shakey's recipes and with
fresh ingredients. Chuck originally started making dough
for Shakey's at the age of 14 and progressed up the corporate
ladder to become this area's District Manager. Then 16 years
ago when the Redlands opportunity came up, he became a franchisee.
And although he has been a franchisee all these years, he
has hasn't conformed to the change to using pre-mixed, pre-formulated
recipes - he still mixes and cooks with the concepts and
style of the Shakey's that most of us grew up with.
The front of their take out menu states it well: Food,
Families, Fun. Chuck takes a great deal of pride in the
pizzas he prepares. He pays particular attention to the
dough - Chuck's roots in the business. He trains each dough
maker personally, passing on the recipe and folding techniques
to get the thin crust to his standards. As you walk through
the double door entrance, you can instantly tell this is
a family environment. Whether it's the kids' sport banners
or the AYSO picture plaques or just the dining arrangement,
this place is meant for the whole family and/or group of
friends. If your kids are seeking fun, there is the 1700
sq. ft. arcade room of solid neon, electronic entertainment
- bells and whistles at its best. What caught my attention
was the ticket redemption center. As with most arcades the
kids can win tickets at the games to be redeemed for various
prizes. There is a huge selection of toy options from the
little plastic novelty to the CD player - which has been
won before.
No doubt about it, this is a pizza parlor. Their standard
sizes are small, medium and family. The pizzas range in
prices, depending upon the quantity of toppings, from $5.59
- $19.99. They offer three crust options: original thin,
hand tossed thick and pan pizza. While they have the usual
topping selection, they also feature a pepperoni and cashew,
Shakey's Special, Vegetarian and BBQ Chicken pizzas. I had
the BBQ Chicken and I particularly liked the tangy sauce
and the fresh ingredients. And Chuck was right, his efforts
were appreciated in the thin crust. In addition to pizzas,
they offer Shakey's trademark Mojo potatoes, which is $3.99
for a platter. There is also the Spicy Chicken Wings, $3.89
- $9.89, and Fried Chicken $6.49 - $20.99. The Lunch Buffet
is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and has quite the selection:
full salad bar, a rotating selection of 4 different pizzas,
Mojo potatoes, a taco bar, enchiladas, fried chicken, spaghetti,
meat balls, mashed potatoes, BBQ ribs, and more. The Lunch
Buffet costs $5.99. And when you are finished with all that,
they also have cinnamon buns.
Like many other restaurants food isn't the only thing they
serve, its also community service. Shakey's has sponsored
Lunch with Principal at several RUSD schools for years,
participated in AYSO programs and is one of the original
contributors to the Inland Food Harvest organization. So
while this Shakey's is a franchisee, its not your typical
franchise operation from their food to their community involvement.
Address: 836 W. Colton Ave., Redlands
Phone Number: 793-5993, fax 793-8435
Operation Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Friday - Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Reservation: Not required
Price Range: $3.89 - $19.99
Take Out: Yes
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