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Cup It Up American Grill Permanently Closes After Social Media Backlash

Cup It Up American Grill Permanently Closes After Social Media Backlash

Oct 9, 20171 min read

Cup It Up American Grill is packing it up following a controversial political Facebook post they shared on Friday.

The Facebook post showed the company’s stance on controversial topics such as repealing Obamacare, drug screening for welfare recipients, Antifa, global warming, and NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. The post was deleted a few hours afterward due to an extreme influx of negative feedback. The restaurant’s Facebook page was also removed.

In the article Cup It Up closes amid harassment over Facebook post, the Arizona Daily Star reported “the restaurant was the target of endless harassing and threatening phone calls” since their Facebook post. Several employees quit as a result of the calls.

Cup It Up’s first location opened in January of 2016 at 1101 N. Wilmot Rd., followed by the Main Gate Square restaurant at 760 N. Tyndall Ave. Both locations are now closed. The restaurant is owned by Chris Smith along with partners Jay Warren and Julian Alarcon, who was not involved with the post and resigned on Saturday.

Phone calls to Cup It Up and Smith were not returned.

Diners looking to get their customized salad fix locally can check out Choice Greens and Core.

For more information, visit cupitup.com and read the article from the Arizona Daily Star, Cup It Up closes amid harassment over Facebook post.

Article written by:

Jackie Tran

Jackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer and photographer. Best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.

Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting other people's pets.

If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.

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@Sisterstucson occupies a historic space on Country Club Road, once home to the Benedictine Monastery and its iconic “Pink Rose of the Desert” chapel. 

Built in 1939 by architect Roy Place, the property spent nearly 80 years as a monastery before being transformed into a neighborhood gathering place. Today, the former chapel is home to @Larosatucson, while Sisters Restaurant & Bar sits next door where the citrus orchard once stood.

Chef Christian “Chris” Bidegain’s (@chrisbidegain) menu brings together carefully crafted pizzas, fresh focaccia, meatballs, mezze, cocktails, and boozy soft-serve. The pizza dough is cold-fermented for 24 hours before being balled and fermented a second time, resulting in a thin, crispy, chewy crust.

The Sonoran Rajas Pie features roasted poblano cream, corn, rajas, chile crema, and queso fresco, while the rotating Slice of the Week offers something new to try.

With colorful interiors, live music next door, and a focus on bringing different generations of Tucson together, Sisters is continuing the property’s long history as a place for community.

📍 800 N. Country Club Rd.

Read @sea_lyon’s article on Tucsonfoodie.com
Photos by @sea_lyon@Sisterstucson occupies a historic space on Country Club Road, once home to the Benedictine Monastery and its iconic “Pink Rose of the Desert” chapel. Built in 1939 by architect Roy Place, the property spent nearly 80 years as a monastery before being transformed into a neighborhood gathering place. Today, the former chapel is home to @Larosatucson, while Sisters Restaurant & Bar sits next door where the citrus orchard once stood. Chef Christian “Chris” Bidegain’s (@chrisbidegain) menu brings together carefully crafted pizzas, fresh focaccia, meatballs, mezze, cocktails, and boozy soft-serve. The pizza dough is cold-fermented for 24 hours before being balled and fermented a second time, resulting in a thin, crispy, chewy crust. The Sonoran Rajas Pie features roasted poblano cream, corn, rajas, chile crema, and queso fresco, while the rotating Slice of the Week offers something new to try. With colorful interiors, live music next door, and a focus on bringing different generations of Tucson together, Sisters is continuing the property’s long history as a place for community. 📍 800 N. Country Club Rd. Read @sea_lyon’s article on Tucsonfoodie.com Photos by @sea_lyon
@Sisterstucson occupies a historic space on Country Club Road, once home to the Benedictine Monastery and its iconic “Pink Rose of the Desert” chapel. 

Built in 1939 by architect Roy Place, the property spent nearly 80 years as a monastery before being transformed into a neighborhood gathering place. Today, the former chapel is home to @Larosatucson, while Sisters Restaurant & Bar sits next door where the citrus orchard once stood.

Chef Christian “Chris” Bidegain’s (@Chrisbidegain) menu brings together carefully crafted pizzas, fresh focaccia, meatballs, mezze, cocktails, and boozy soft-serve. The pizza dough is cold-fermented for 24 hours before being balled and fermented a second time, resulting in a thin, crispy, chewy crust.

The Sonoran Rajas Pie features roasted poblano cream, corn, rajas, chile crema, and queso fresco, while the rotating Slice of the Week offers something new to try.

With colorful interiors, live music next door, and a focus on bringing different generations of Tucson together, Sisters is continuing the property’s long history as a place for community.

📍 800 N. Country Club Rd.

Read @sea_lyon’s article on Tucsonfoodie.com
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Dinner brings Arizona-raised ingredients to dishes like the 12 oz @veraearlpremiumbeef Ribeye, Mesquite Half Chicken, Orchard Salad with Honeycrisp apple and Point Reyes blue cheese, and a rotating Chef’s Seasonal Feature highlighting local farms and ranches.

🍂Have you checked out Sawmill Run’s fall menu yet?

Read @addiewankenobi’s article on Tucsonfoodie.com 
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Both courtyards allow dogs on leash and operate as open-air spaces with shared seating throughout. A leisurely visit easily spans multiple stops.

Mercado San Agustín 
100 S. Avenida del Convento

@agustinkitchen 
@seiskitchen 
@prestacoffee 
@laestrella_tucson 
@dolcepastellocakes 
@zumitosjuicebar 
@santacruzriverfm 

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@decibelcoffeeworks 
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@wholeslvcepizza 
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Share your favorites in the comments! 

See the guide on Tucsonfoodie.comWhere to eat & drink at the Mercado District in 2026✨ @Mercadodistricttucson sits at the westernmost stop of the Sun Link streetcar, about a mile from downtown. The district now spans four properties: the Spanish colonial-style Mercado San Agustín, the shipping container-based MSA Annex, The Monier, and The Bautista, a mixed-use development under construction at 165 S. Linda Ave. The Bautista will add a public plaza, underground parking, and additional commercial space along the Santa Cruz River. Both courtyards allow dogs on leash and operate as open-air spaces with shared seating throughout. A leisurely visit easily spans multiple stops. Mercado San Agustín 100 S. Avenida del Convento @agustinkitchen @seiskitchen @prestacoffee @laestrella_tucson @dolcepastellocakes @zumitosjuicebar @santacruzriverfm MSA Annex 267 S. Avenida del Convento @decibelcoffeeworks @kukai___ @bosburger__ @rolliestucson The Monier 160 South Avenida del Convento @wholeslvcepizza @81barbersofficial Share your favorites in the comments! See the guide on Tucsonfoodie.com