FORT WORTH, Texas — It was the talk of Cowtown during the Friday night dinner rush.
A long line of people grew outside of the original Pulido’s Tex-Mex restaurant along Pulido St. in Fort Worth. Customers waited anxiously to have another meal at the local restaurant company before it closes all three of its locations on Saturday.
Customer Nathan Moore, a resident of Fort Worth, said his children, who are now in their thirties grew up frequenting the restaurant.
“It’s about tradition and family,” Moore said. “It means a lot. It’s been around a long time, I hate to see it go.”
After 57 years, the Pulido family announced the restaurant chain’s final day will be Saturday, Oct. 14.
Dionicia and Pedro Pulido first opened the restaurant back in 1966 as a way of providing meals to his coworkers at the nearby railyard. Railyard employees encouraged the couple to open a restaurant. The first restaurant, located at 2900 Pulido St. was renamed after the family. The restaurant chain has stayed in the Pulido family.
Robert Pulido Sr., whose father founded the restaurant, made the difficult decision to close.
“When you’re going out, it’s a sad part,” Pulido Sr. said. “That’s what it feels like now. My heart is still in it, but with my age, at 82, it’s a little bit harder.”
Pulido Sr. told WFAA ongoing challenges since the COVID-19 pandemic have made running the family business difficult. Finding enough staff to keep the locations running is his biggest challenge.
“It has gotten harder since Covid,” Pulido Sr. said. “You can’t find help. It’s getting very hard to find.”
Pulido Sr. became emotional as he greeted a long line of guests Friday evening.
“It’s bittersweet, but then they come in, and I see people that have been here since they were with kids. It makes you feel better. They’re coming back even though you’ve aged… and it’s been fun,” Pulido Sr. said.
52-year-old Jeff Tinkle, a customer who lives in Fort Worth, also shed a tear while eating in the restaurant for what may be the final time. It brought back memories of his parents.
“Really good memories. I love this place,” Tinkle said.
The family told WFAA they hope the restaurant chain will make a comeback in the future, but for now, it’s goodbye.