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The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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Restaurants close, open during winter break around UT Campus

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Barbra Daly

Students are finding that many of their favorite restaurants have shut their doors after a series of business closures over the break.

Earlier this month, the owners of Thai, How Are You? announced they would be closing their Thai and sushi restaurant on Guadalupe Street after 12 years of business. Don Japanese Kitchen on Guadalupe also closed, according to Yelp. In December, P. Terry’s Burger Stand announced it would be replacing the Taco Ranch on MLK Boulevard.  

Grace Frazor, Middle Eastern studies graduate student, said she did not notice the recent business closures but thinks businesses frequently come and go on Guadalupe. 


“Rent prices are so expensive that it’s hard for businesses to stay open,” Frazor said. “They are catering to prices that students are willing to pay, and that probably puts businesses at a disadvantage.”     

Frazor said one of her favorite coffee carts on campus had to move because rent was so high, and she did not like seeing the constant fluctuation in businesses.    

Taco Ranch, set to be replaced with the first UT location of P. Terry’s Burger Stand, closed in December.

“As much as we love Taco Ranch, as a company with all eyes on expanding P. Terry’s, it just made sense to have a presence at the University of Texas,” said Patrick Terry, P. Terry’s and Taco Ranch co-founder, in a press release.

Current Taco Ranch employees will be able to work at another P. Terry’s location or the original Taco Ranch location, according to the release.    

Nursing senior Joyce Kim said she was surprised to find out Don Japanese Kitchen had closed its physical location indefinitely and felt the business only had their brick-and-mortar building open for a short time. 

“I remember when Don was still a food truck,” Kim said. “They have not been open long. I think rent may (have something to do with it).”

Don Japanese Kitchen closed down its food truck and opened a brick and mortar in 2017. On the restaurant’s Facebook page, they posted a screenshot of the definition of indefinite as opposed to permanent. The restaurant has another location that is still open in San Marcos, Texas. 

 



Thai, How Are You? announced its closure earlier this month on Facebook. The restaurant was recognizable from the iconic “Hi, How Are You?” mural on its side.    

“Thank you for honoring us with your patronage and for allowing us to serve you,” the statement said. “We will miss most of you a lot, some of you a little and a couple of you not so much at all.” 

In a comment below the post, the account said they do not have plans to reopen in 2020. In a December post, the account said the restaurant would be closed for the holidays and would reopen in January.

Public relations junior Tabitha Joseph said she had not noticed as many businesses closing, but she has noticed more businesses opening in West Campus, which she is excited about. 

“It (gives students) different options,” Joseph said.

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Restaurants close, open during winter break around UT Campus