| No one does a slice like Big Rico! No one. |
| — Cecil |
Big Rico's Pizza, (now Big Rico's Pizza and Entertainment Zone) founded by the eponymous "Big Rico" Goldblum, is the best pizzeria in Night Vale. It is also the only pizzeria that was not burned to the ground by an unsolved arson case. Rico's is an occasional sponsor of Night Vale Community Radio, and host Cecil Palmer is a fan of the pizzeria, noting that the flavor and taste of their slices to be "scrumptious". Night Vale's City Council have given their endorsement to Big Rico's, in the form of a law mandating that Night Vale citizens eat at the pizzeria once a week. Not to do so is a misdemeanor. The Hooded Figures are rumored to eat at Big Rico's, which Cecil found easy to believe, as "the wait staff look like they avert their hollow gazes quite a bit".[1]
Effect of wheat ban[]
After Night Vale's City Council enacted a permanent ban on wheat and wheat by-products in November 2012, Big Rico's business was forced to change considerably. After being brought into compliance, Big Rico's menu consisted mostly of bowls of stewed tomatoes, melted cheese wads, and gluten-free pizza slices. In order to defend his dwindling business, Big Rico opened an illegal wheat and wheat by-product speakeasy in a hidden basement space, which was discovered and shut down by the Sheriff's Secret Police and the Night Vale Council for Commerce in early 2013. Fortunately for Big Rico, he is a very nice person, and his apology to the City Council - which did not include blackmail, secret campaign contributions, or special favors - was considered to be so heartfelt and genuine that he was released without undergoing the draconian punishments that would typically accompany such brazen defiance of the City Council.[2]
Rebranding[]
After being temporarily shut down in February 2023, Big Rico's rebranded to include more family friendly experiences, including a ball pit, a snake pit, a ball pit with snakes, Whack-a-Mole, and The Table Scraps.
The Table Scraps are an animatronic band made up of three members: Rodney Rat (vocals), Pasha Possum (guitar), and Chrissy Cockroach (percussion). The animatronics were originally used as night security for the Cheesecake Factory before being decommissioned and picked up by Big Rico's.
Trivia[]
- Night Vale citizens looking to have their pets spayed or neutered can take their dog or cat to Big Rico's Pizza. Rico studies taxidermy as a hobby and is happy to help out in whatever way he can.[3]
- Big Rico's Pizza is located next to Carlos's laboratory.[4]
- Cecil Palmer was 15 years old when Big Rico's opened, and voiced his positive review of the restaurant on a cassette recorder. In his review, Cecil noted that he preferred Sammy's Ultimate Sliceria next to the Ralphs, but that it had burned down just a week earlier. At the time, Cecil confidently stated, "I'm sure it'll be rebuilt soon."[5] As of yet, it has not been.
- Big Rico's cat Spunky is often found roaming the restaurant and the surrounding area. In "Toast", Spunky the cat invaded Carlos's laboratory, and ended the wheat ban thus allowing wheat toast to be eaten at Big Rico's in celebration.
References[]
- ↑ Episode 3 "Station Management"
- ↑ Episode 15 "Street Cleaning Day"
- ↑ Episode 10 "Feral Dogs"
- ↑ Episode 1 "Pilot"
- ↑ Episode 33 "Cassette"