Lubbock To Lose Unique & Delicious Eatery As Owners Call It Quits

I recently made the drive (as a passenger) from 82nd and Indiana to 50th and Milwaukee. In that 10 minutes, I decided to play a game "Count the Mexican Food Restaurants." THIRTEEN. Many of which were literally across the street from each other.

Don't get it twisted at all, I love Mexican food as much as anyone. But doesn't that feel a little excessive? Especially when our options for other cuisines are oddly limited? However, supply and demand are real- if the people demand 13 Mexican restaurants in about 5 miles, who is anyone to tell them no? If Lubbock is very sadly sleeping on Indian food, that's their right, too.

The owners of New Royal Indian Cuisine recently took to Facebook to announce that they are permanently closing the restaurant. No explanation was provided (not that they had to tell us).

New Royal Indian offered a lunch buffet and an extensive menu during dinner time. And if you ordered your food spicy, you got spicy. That was my brain-melting experience for sure.

2023 has felt like a bad year for restaurants in Lubbock, with what seems to be an average closure on 1 eatery every week or two. Many have cited supply costs, labor shortages, and the seemingly never-ending pandemic hangover. Others have simply closed to pursue other opportunities.

Lubbock has plenty of restaurants. For Mexican food, fried chicken hamburgers and pizza mostly.  It's just a shame that we would lose such a unique and different option. We hope the best for the owners of New Royal Indian on their next opportunities.