1220 S. Main St. has been unoccupied since Mockingbird Bar and Tacos closed on New Year’s Eve of 2024. Per a Facebook post from SoMa Little Rock, that year-and-a-half-long vacancy will end May 30, when Roni’s Mac Bar, “the world’s largest mac and cheese chain,” opens its doors.
The restaurant specializes in build-your-own mac and cheese bowls, allowing customers to load up their macaroni noodles with ungodly amounts of cheeses, meats, sauces and veggies.
I’m gonna be real with you: I’m not very excited about this development. I like mac and cheese as much as the next person, but the best food spots in SoMa — The Root Cafe, Raduno Brick Oven & Bar, El Sur Street Food Co, etc. — are all local. Though Roni’s currently has less than 20 locations, the business is taking a pretty aggressive approach to growth. According to a Franchise Times article from late April, there are “70 [new stores] in the pipeline.” Plus, the restaurant’s social media pages are dominated by calls to “BRING RONI’S TO YOUR CITY” with links to information about franchising.
Perhaps worst of all, Roni’s is known for being “TikTok-famous,” making the whole venture feel like little more than a gimmick.
Maybe I’m just bitter because my dream was for a local Thai or Indian restaurant to set up shop in walking distance from my apartment in downtown Little Rock, but I can’t help but feel like no one asked for this.
Prove me wrong, Roni’s!
Daniel Grear is the print editor at the Arkansas Times. He also writes about culture. Send tips to danielgrear@arktimes.com
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