Tommy Tuesday returns to the Inland Empire

Original Tommy’s is still celebrating its 65th anniversary with occasional deals.

Next Tuesday, the chain is serving up 99 chiliburgers at only three of its 33 locations.

One of them happens to be in the Inland Empire.

From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday (August 2), you’ll be able to buy up to five chiliburgers at that price at the Original Tommy’s at 2280 Compton Ave. in Corona.

All you need to do to get the deal is utter the secret word: BBQ!

The other two participating locations are in San Diego and Las Vegas.

Click here for the Tommy Tuesday Facebook event page.

More trucks added to roster for the Riverside Food Truck Festival

A few more trucks have been added to the website for the Riverside Food Truck Festival, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, September 3, at Third and Market streets in downtown Riverside.

A glance at their “Featured Trucks” page brings the following new names:

Presale general admission tickets are $8 (plus $1.27 service fee) and V.I.P. tickets are $25 (plus $1.87 service fee) and are available online here via Brown Paper Tickets.

Tickets will be $10 at the door.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Riverside Arts Council, Asian Pacific Lunar Festival and Riverside County Prevent Child Abuse.

Happy National Chocolate Milk Day!

Every food has its day, or something like that.

Thursday (July 28) is National Chocolate Milk Day.

Good thing about this one is that Baker’s Drive-Thru, which has been very generous in the past with coupons for free food, is helping you celebrate by giving away their real, hand-dipped, chocolate shakes.

The coupon is already up on Baker’s Facebook event page, so go get it.

Just print out the coupon (or call it up on your phone), show it to the cashier and enjoy your treat.

The offer is good Thursday (July 28) only at all Baker’s Drive-Thru restaurants. One coupon per person or per car per visit. The offer is only good on regular size, and only good on chocolate.

Because, if it were good on other flavors, it would totally defeat the purpose. Totally.

Baker’s Drive-Thru restaurants can be found throughout the Inland Empire.

Stater Bros. continues to give back

In continuing support for low income families, Stater Bros. Charities has again donated $20,000 to the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County (CAPSBC) Food Bank.

The monetary donation was part of the “Harvesting Hope” campaign held over the 2010 holidays, during which customers were encouraged to purchase donation cards or donate their loose change in canisters. Stater Bros. employees also donated to the program.

In addition, food donations barrels were placed in all Stater Bros. stores, whereby more than 35 tons of food were collected to redistribute to the needy in Southern California.

Stater Bros. has supported the CAPSBC Food Bank since 1988 with cash and food donations. The company has been averaging donations of 119,000 pounds of food (bread, yogurt, milk, meats and other items) per month.

Here’s a staggering figure: Stater Bros. has donated over 20 million pounds of food to the CAPSBC Food Bank since 1988.

Last year, the company donated 1.4 million pounds.

The CAPSBC Food Bank serves over 35,000 San Bernardino County households with food donations each month. Their distribution network supports over 200 agencies, including Catholic Charities of San Bernardino & Riverside County, Salvation Army, Lighthouse for the Blind, the ROCK church, Set Free Christian Fellowship, Desert Manna Ministries, St. Paul A.M.E., Boy’s & Girl’s Club, local schools, community & senior centers, domestic violence shelters and countless other faith-based organizations just to name a few.

Again, Dine 909 thanks Stater Bros. and the CAPSBC Food Bank.

Hangar 24 Polycot release party is Saturday

Saturday (July 30) marks the return of Hangar 24 Craft Brewery’s summer brew, Polycot.

Polycot is an American-style wheat beer brewed with organic locally grown apricots.

The release party will begin at 11 a.m. at the brewery, 1710 Sessums Drive, Redlands.

This year, in addition to being available on draft, Polycot will be available in 22-ounce bottles, which the brewery has dubbed “Bombers.”

From 11 a.m. to almost 1 p.m., each pint purchaser will receive a raffle ticket good for the opportunity to purchase one of the first 12 Bombers of Polycot ever produced. The drawing will take place at 1 p.m.

Mill Creek Cattle Company will be on hand with pulled pork sandwiches for sale.

For details on the release party, click here. Click here for more information on Polycot.

Riverside Food Truck Festival gains a website, Facebook page

The upcoming Riverside Food Truck Festival has made two steps forward with a website and a Facebook page.

Tidbits picked up from the new sites include:

  • Trucks mentioned (and presumably scheduled to be at the event) include SlapFish, Kona Ice, Waffles de Liege, White Rabbit, Nom Nom and Panfiniti.
  • A full list of trucks is expected around the second week of August.
  • Tickets go on sale Monday (July 25).
  • The website includes a map of the event.
  • V.I.P. tickets ($25, limited to 300) will include: Access to an air-conditioned tent, goodie bags, private restrooms, early admission, free water and soda, and a private patio with a view of the stage.

The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, September 3, at Third and Market streets in downtown Riverside. General admission tickets are $8 presale and $10 at the door.

We’ll bring you more details as we get them.

Upland Kabob Grub Club canceled, next outing announced

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Due to circumstances beyond their control, the Let’s Dine Out Show had to cancel this Sunday’s dinner at Upland Kabob.

However, they’ve already announced the next outing at Richie’s Real American Diner, 40651 Murrieta Hot Springs Road, Murrieta.

The event will begin at 2 p.m. August 13 and will include samplings from Richie’s breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert offerings.

The cost is $20, which includes tax, tip and non-alcoholic beverages.

It will also be a live broadcast for the Let’s Dine Out radio show.

Seating is limited to 50 guests, and as of this writing, about a third of the spots are already reserved.

If you want to join Allan Borgen and Jeff Williams and the rest of the crew at Richie’s, call 909-713-GRUB (4782) to reserve your spot.

Thrifty Ice Cream gets small, expands offerings

Longtime Southern California favorite Thrifty Ice Cream is getting small.

As in pints.

The frozen dessert manufacturer has recently introduced pint-sized (literally!) portions of some flavors of its ice cream, in addition to the larger, 56-ounce sizes.

For those times when you just feel like a little chocolate malted krunch.

The pints, which also include vanilla, cappuccino crunch and pecan praline flavors, retail for $2.29.

In addition, a seasonal flavor, circus cookie, will be available hand-scooped in Rite Aid stores year-round beginning in August.

Also, the company is ramping up production of its nonfat frozen yogurt. It had been producing vanilla for hand-dip for a few months, but is preparing to launch new flavors.

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune’s Daniel Tedford reported on the new offerings here.

Thrifty Ice Cream is based in El Monte, but is available at Rite Aid stores, which can be found throughout the Inland Empire.

Arby’s to offer 64 classic roast beef sandwiches tomorrow

The first Arby’s opened on July 23, 1964.

That makes tomorrow the 47th anniversary of the roast beef restaurant.

To celebrate, the chain is doling out coupons for a 64 classic roast beef sandwich when you buy a 22-ounce soda.

Add an order of curly fries and you’ve got yourself a meal…enjoy!

As usual, there are restrictions: The coupon is valid tomorrow only, one coupon per customer, valid at participating locations only, not valid with other coupons or offers.

Click here to print the your personalized coupon, look at archive photos and see a company timeline.

Arby’s locations can be found throughout the Inland Empire.

Waba Grill now open in Highland

Reader Steve let me know that Waba Grill Teriyaki House has recently opened a location in Highland.

The restaurant, at 27923 Greenspot Road, Suite D, joins other Inland Empire Waba Grill locations in Yucaipa, Ontario, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino and Corona.

Spotted a new restaurant in your neighborhood? Has a local restaurant closed? Let us know by emailing dine909@inlandnewspapers.com.