We used this Dickey's location to cater a small event we hosted this weekend for friends. We love…read moreDickey's in Tucson and have used them for catering dozens of times, but this was our first time ordering/having food from the Pinetop-Lakeside Dickey's.
I was, quite frankly, a little hesitant when I read some of the reviews online, but decided to give it a go since we have yet to find a really great place on the mountain for pulled pork or brisket. There are certainly plenty of choices for barbecue (that and Mexican food) up here in the area, but we haven't been super impressed with the flavor or moistness of the meat from any one of them.
So, I called the restaurant and spoke on the phone with a young man named Aaron. I told him that I had some reservations about using them because of some of the online reviews, but that I was willing to give them a go and was counting on them to deliver a delicious meal that would impress my guests with the flavor, quality and quantity of food. I mean, really, what's more embarrassing than hosting a party and having the food be bad or even just mediocre? Or worse than running out of food?)
Aaron assured me that the food would be delicious; that our guests would like it, and that there would be plenty of it. He was very polite and took quite a bit of time with me on the phone, so I decided to put my trust in them to deliver great food.
Oh, my gosh, are we glad that we gave this Dickey's location a shot!?!? The food is EXCELLENT!!! The meats were ALL so flavorful and so moist, tender and delicious. every one of our guests LOVED the food!
The chicken had the perfect hint of smokiness that good barbecue should have and was tender enough to cut with a plastic fork. The brisket was juicy and flavorful. The pulled pork was delicious and was not at all dry; as pulled pork can sometimes be. The macaroni and cheese was creamy and had just the right amount of richness to the cheese sauce. The "wings" we're not really wings, and were rather more like a big chicken nugget, but it was all moist, tender white meat and they were much easier to eat than your typical chicken wings. The guests really seemed to love them. No one had any complaints or negative comments about the food at all. Everyone asked where we had gotten the food, They all said that they had not tried this Dickey's location. or even any Dickey's, and would definitely now be going there on their own.
The employees we spoke to on the phone were all very polite and very helpful. A woman called the day of the party to confirm my order and clarify a couple of things. She made a couple of suggestions, which I followed, and which actually turned out to be the right choices to enhance my order.
I thought that it was excellent customer service and showed attention to my order to call on the morning of my party, just to go over everything on my order. After working 15+ years in customer service in public relations, I can recognize and appreciate when I am receiving good service. I found out later than she and her husband own the restaurant.
The person who delivered the order, Robert, turned out to be her husband. He was great and helped me to get things set up in my chafing pans. I enjoyed talking with him while we worked. It turns out that he is a veteran with 22 years of service in the infantry, which is really impressive and, I believe, shows the content and strength of his character. We have nothing but the utmost of gratitude and respect for anyone who serves, or has served, in our military or as first responders, so I was very glad to know that we were supporting a veteran-owned business.
Everything about our interactions with this Dickey's location was perfect. The customer service, the attention to detail and the quantity, quality and flavor of the food were all fabulous and far exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be using them again for catering and will, I am sure, become frequent visitors to their restaurant.
Thank you to Dickey's Pinetop/Lakeside for helping to make my party a huge success! You made me look good. Thank you!
