The Great American Takeout: Calling all residents to place orders with local restaurants

Published 5:01 pm Monday, March 23, 2020

Wondering what to have for lunch or dinner Tuesday?

Look no further than a host of Vicksburg restaurants that have quickly adapted to new restrictions amidst the COVID-19 situation. In a press conference Sunday, Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. announced restaurants and bars that serve food would be closed to dine-in service for the next 14 days in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

A coalition of restaurants, including Chicken Salad Chick, Panera Bread, Noodles & Company, The Cheesecake Factory and more, has deemed Tuesday the #GreatAmericanTakeout.

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“America’s restaurants are in crisis,” the group said in a release about the initiative. “The coronavirus poses a significant threat to the future of an industry that employs more than 15 million Americans. That’s why a coalition of restaurants is asking industry peers, partners, publishers, influencers, and—most critically—guests, for help.

On [Tuesday], we’re asking everyone in America to show their support for the restaurant industry and incredible employees by joining #TheGreatAmericanTakeout and eating at least one delivery or pick-up meal.”

The initiative encourages residents to “hype” the event by sharing your participation in the event on social media and using the hashtag #TheGreatAmericanTakeout, “rally the troops” by encouraging others to do likewise, “eat” by ordering take out or delivery from your favorite local restaurant and to “repeat.”

“The Great American Takeout is only the beginning. Keep supporting our nation’s restaurants by ordering takeout or delivery as often as you can,” the release stated.

Some restaurants are expanding or differentiating offerings during this time.

Local restaurant Taco Casa is offering a “Stock Your Freezer Sale” which includes $1 bean burritos or $1.85 for combo burritos. There is a 10 burrito minimum on orders.

“We’re open to serve our community,” Taco Casa cashier and cook Tiffany Scallions said. “That way we can make sure people have food to eat. We give good customer service and are very sanitized. We are taking all the precautions we need to.”

Orders can be placed by calling Taco Casa at 601-638-2375 for the Highway 27 location or 601-638-4026 for the Pemberton location.

Cottonwood Public House has also updated offerings during this time. The restaurant is open seven-days-a-week from 4 to 9 p.m. and offers take out and delivery service for food and beer by calling (601) 501-7712 or online at www.toasttab.com/cottonwoodpublichouse.

“We just put out a fresh batch of our much-loved Death on Two Legs,” Key City Brewing Company brewer Zack Erikson said. “If we keep rolling and people keep buying beer, we’ll have some fun stuff in the tanks that will come out in the next couple of weeks. “Come support us. We want to keep people fed and happy during this crazy period. We are all in this together.”

Beer can be purchased in crowlers ranging from $9 to $17.

Erikson said Cottonwood staff had been sent home on paid leave and that management was manning the restaurant.

Walnut Hills owner Joyce Clingan, whose restaurant is closed on Tuesdays, echoed Erikson’s sentiments that getting through this time is a community effort.

“We are closed on Tuesdays, but I hope and pray that it is good for my competitors because we are all in this together,” she said.

Walnut Hills will continue to offer take-out and is working on specials to offer customers during this time.

Jay Parmegiani, owner of 10 South, has temporarily closed the restaurant, but patrons still have an opportunity to support the business tomorrow through gift card purchases at 10southrooftop.com.

“I am still trying to work through the process and the numbers of whether it is best to just pause for a minute for us and our team or try to start a curbside service,” he said. “When we reopen, come out and see us.”

Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Laura Beth Strickland and Vicksburg Main Street Program Director Kim Hopkins encourages the community to participate.

“Supporting our local restaurants has never been so important,” Strickland said. “They are working hard to support their staff, continue to provide a service, and keep their doors open in the future. We hope the public will continue to order take out, purchase gift cards, and utilize new curbside services and delivery options. These businesses are the first to support our events, and it’s our turn to support them.”

“The Great American Take Out is a national campaign to help the restaurant industry that has been hit hard by the COVID-19,” Hopkins said. “It gives everyone in our community a chance to come together on one day to support all of the restaurants that they love during this critical time. We have 14 restaurants downtown but two have decided to close their doors during the COVID-19. The other restaurants are doing curbside, pickup and some are offering delivery service. Please support all of the restaurants in Vicksburg. They all need your help.”

A list of restaurants offering new services and increasing cleaning protocol during their response to COVID- 19 are below:

The Anthony: Open / Carry out, curbside pickup and family meals to go

Atami: Open / Carry out

Beechwood: Open / Carry out only 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Billy’s Italian Restaurant: Open / Carry out, curbside and delivery 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

Bohemia Cafe and Bakery: Open / Carry out and delivery (making fresh bread daily)

Bop’s Frozen Custard: Open/  Drive Thru

Bumper’s: Open / Drive thru and drive-up “curb side”

Burger King: Open / Drive thru only

Caffe Paradiso: Open / Drive thru only

Captain D’s: Open / Drive thru only 1000 am – 9:00 pm

Chick-Fil-A: Open / Drive thru only

Cocktails 1o1: Open / Carry out and curbside service 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Coffee House Cafe’: Open / Drive Thru only

Cottonwood Public House: Open / Carry out 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Cracker Barrel: Open / Carry out 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

Culley’s BBQ: Open / Carry out only

Daiquiri Hub: Open / Walk up window only / Tuesday – Thursday 2:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Friday – Saturday 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Sunday 2:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Dairy Queen: Open / Drive thru only 10:30 am – 10:00 pm

Divine Donuts: Open / Drive thru

Domino’s: Open / Carry out only 10:00 am – 12 midnight

El Paso: Open / Carry out 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

El Sombrero: Open / Carry out

Fit Chef: Open for family meal purchases / reopening full operations March 28

Fox’s Pizza: Open / Carry out and curbside

Goldie’s Express: Open / Drive thru

Goldie’s Trail: Open / Carry out and curbside pickup available

Gumbo Pot: Open / Carry out and delivery (buffet closed) 11:00 am – 8:00 pm

Highway 61 Coffeehouse: Open / Carry out only

Historic Klondyke: Open / Carry out only

Honeybaked Ham (formerly Heavenly Ham): Open / Carry out, curbside pickup and delivery. Catering and take home meals are available.

Hot Dog Man: Open 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Jeff’s: Open / Carry out 11:00 am – 1:30 pm

John’s Grocery: Open / Carry out and curbside pickup

KFC: Open / Drive through, carry out and online ordering to be picked up inside

Los Parrilleros: Open / Carry out 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

LD’s Kitchen: Open / Carry out lunch plates 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Little Caesars, Hwy 27: Open / Carry out only 11:00 am – 9:00 pm Sunday – Thursday; 11:00 am – 10:00 pm Friday & Saturday

Little Caesars, Pemberton: Open / Carry out only

Main Street Market: Open / Carry out and curbside service 11:00 am – 2:00 pm; Monday – Friday

Martins at Midtown: Open / Carry out only 11:00 am – 1:00 pm & 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

McAlister’s: Open / Carry out and curbside 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

McDonald’s: Open / Curbside pickup and drive thru only

Newk’s: Open / Carry out and curbside service 11:00 am – 7:00 pm

Pizza Hut: Open / Carry out and delivery only (both locations)

Pizza Inn: Open / Carry out and delivery

Popeye’s: Open / Drive thru only 10:00 am – 10:00 pm Sunday – Thursday; 10:00 am – 11:00 pm Friday – Saturday

Rey Azteca Mexican Restaurant: Open / Carry out

River City Catfish: Open / Carry out only

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: Open / Carry out, curb side and delivery

Rusty’s: Open / Carry out and delivery

See’s Restaurant: Open / Carry out

Shoney’s: Open / Carry out 7:00 am – 7:00 pm

Solly’s Tamales: Open / Carry out

Sonic: Open / Drive thru

Southern Roots / Bayou Marketplace: Open / Carry out and curbside

Southern Sisters: Open / Curbside service and delivery

Squealin’ Pig: Open / Carry out and curbside service

Subway: Open / Carry out only 9:00 am – 10:00 pm

Taco BellOpen / Drive thru only 7:00 am – 10:00 pm

Taco Casa: Open / Drive thru only 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

The Tamale Place: Open / Carry out 10:00 am – 8:00 pm

The Tomato Place: Open / Carry out and curbside service 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

Toney’s: Open / Carry out

Waffle House: Open / Carry out 7:00 am – 9:00 pm (first responders dine-in)

Walnut Hills: Open / Carry out and curbside pickup (closed Tuesdays)

Wendy’s: Open / Drive thru only 6:30 am – 10:00 pm and delivery through DoorDash, Grubhub and Postmates

Whataburger: Drive thru only

The Wok: Open / Carry out only

About Catherine Hadaway

Catherine Hadaway, as The Vicksburg Post’s publisher, oversees the business operations of the newspaper. She is a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala. and is a graduate of Rhodes College in Memphis where she earned bachelor’s degrees in Business and Religion. She is a Director of Boone Newsmedia, Inc., the family company that owns The Post. Catherine comes from a long line of newspaper publishers, starting with her grandfather, Buford Boone, who served as publisher of The Tuscaloosa News and earned journalism's highest honor when he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957 for his editorial titled "What a Price for Peace." Catherine is a member of The Rotary Club of Vicksburg, Junior Auxiliary of Vicksburg, The Heritage Guild, The Sampler Antique Club and The Vicksburg Warren County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Executive Committee.

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