LUBBOCK, Texas – In an October study of the best foodie cities in America from WalletHub, Lubbock was ranked 116 out of 182 cities across the U.S.
For some foodies in Lubbock, this may be disappointing news. Lubbock was barely beaten out by Irving at 114 and Arlington at 115. Lubbock managed to beat Brownsville at 112, Garland at 137 and even Las Cruces, New Mexico at 168, according to the study.
A true Lubbock foodie, Tracy Cole, admin of the Facebook group LBK Foodies told EverythingLubbock.com on Wednesday why Lubbock may have been ranked so poorly.
“Lubbock has always been a test market, known to have more restaurants per capita,” Cole said. The issue may be longevity, Cole said, restaurants are struggling to stay in business.
Another issue Lubbock restaurants may have is a lack of variety.
“What may hold us back is the fact that we have the same type of cuisine restaurants,” Cole said. “Being a foodie means you have to be open to different types of cuisines.”
Home to Texas Tech, Lubbock has a university that embraces international culture. It is up to the Lubbock community to embrace different types of food.
“You have to be willing to try things that are different,” Cole said. Cole shared she has a “no thank you bite” rule where she will try one bite and if she doesn’t like it, at least she tried it.
A couple of top-ranked cities included on the list were San Francisco at number five, Austin at ninth place and Las Vegas at number eight. All of the cities listed at the top of the list were those that are a melting pot of different cultures.
“There are not enough options that showcase different types of cuisines,” Cole said. “As long as you are different you will stick around, you can only make hamburgers and barbeque so many different ways.”
Cole stressed that chain restaurants are the most consistent which is why we see more of those in Lubbock.
After a while, restaurants in Lubbock lose its “newness” after a couple of months of being open. Cole suggested keeping the menu simple, keeping it to about five items and do them well. Additionally, Cole suggested having an aspect of entertainment at restaurants which could be music or interactive events.
WalletHub’s study rated the cities on affordability, diversity, accessibility and quality. To see the full study, click here.
