After four years serving burgers, Thunder Bacon Burger Co. has permanently closed. Owners Lindon “Lindy” Reilly and Shelly Reilly said several challenges led to the difficult decision.
“There are a myriad of reasons,” Shelly said. “Food and labor costs are rising but if we raised our prices again, we’d have complaints about $18 burgers.”
She added that downtown parking and nearby activity deterred customers. “Being downtown, the parking issues and Ronstadt bus station across the street are big reasons we’ve heard that people don’t come to our restaurant.”
The couple officially closed Thunder Bacon on October 2. The restaurant originally opened at 621 N. Fourth Ave. before moving to the Donut Bar space at 33 N. Sixth Ave.
A Tough Business Year
Lindy said the decision had been on their minds for months.
“It was first discussed in August when we didn’t know if we would make it out of the month knowing that September, the hardest month, was still to come,” he said.
Shelly described additional struggles with vandalism and safety issues near the restaurant.
“We had multiple vandalisms, drug use in our restrooms, chasing unwanted people away from our customers and storefront,” she said. “We’ve had tables leave because they were uncomfortable but there is no way for us to stop them.”
Despite help from downtown security, she said assistance often came too late. “The DTP security and police aren’t able to get to us fast enough.”
A Grateful Goodbye
Still, the Reillys expressed gratitude for the community’s support.
“We wouldn’t have been as successful as we have been in just four years without the support of this community,” Lindy said. “We’ve seen old friends come to love a new concept, and made new friends that would visit us multiple times a month.”
He added that customer feedback meant more than awards. “We’ve won a few awards in our time at Thunder Bacon, but hearing customers say ‘this is the best burger I’ve ever had’ is really damn hard to beat.”
Focus Shifts to Lindy’s on 4th
The couple now plans to focus on their other restaurant, Lindy’s on 4th.
“At this time, there are no plans to reopen Thunder Bacon nor would we be crazy enough to open anything new anytime soon,” Shelly said. “We are going to put our focus on Lindy’s on 4th in the hopes that we can get it back to what it once was.”
They hope Thunder Bacon fans will follow.
“If we can bring our TBBC faithful over there and encourage those who stopped going to Lindy’s to come back, we can be successful in doing that,” she said.
Remembering the Thunder Bacon Legacy
When asked about the restaurant’s place in Tucson’s food scene, Lindy said, “Our main goal was always to feed people amazing smash burgers.”
Shelly added, “We wanted everyone to feel like they were at home and welcome in our restaurant.”
As for their final message to fans, Shelly kept it heartfelt.
“Thunder Bacon wasn’t just a name,” she said. “We made it a family. From our staff, to our customers, to our regulars. The Thunder Bacons aren’t gone, we just won’t have Thunder Bacon Burger Co anymore. More importantly, please go support your favorite local spots. We know dining out is harder to do these days, but they need you.”
To learn more about Lindy’s on 4th, read our December 2024 article Lindy’s on 4th Has Been Acquired — New Changes Coming in 2025.
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Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is 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.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
