Fat Ricky's Scheduled to Open this Week

After one family owned eatery closed its doors, another is preparing to take its place.

Fat Ricky’s is scheduled to open this week at 13717 Route 30, filling the space this summer.

Owner Rick DiPego said the restaurant, which specializes in pizza and pasta, should be up and running by mid-week.  Final inspections of the newly remodeled restaurant are scheduled for Monday.

“It’ll be a warm, comfortable, family, neighborhood establishment,” said DiPego, who was the restaurant business in his blood.

“We’ve had a family pizzeria in Arlington Heights since 1963,” he said, adding his business motto is “Serving satisfied families since 1963.”

DiPego is also a cousin of the owners of , which still has a location on Taylor Street in Chicago.

The Plainfield location is the fifth restaurant in the Fat Ricky’s family, joining locations in Romeoville, Shorewood, Tinley Park and Elmwood Park.

“We’re trying to grow by attaching to areas we’re already serving,” DiPego explained, adding the location will deliver to areas that fall outside the service area of the Shorewood Fat Ricky’s.

The menu will be similar to the Romeoville location, the chain’s flagship.

“This location will have everything Romeoville has,” DiPego said. “We’ll also enhance our specials out of this location.”

DiPego said he plans to expand the menu, adding more health-conscious items like gourmet salads and lighter pastas, along with gluten-free dishes.

“We try to give people options,” he said.

DiPego said the chain currently employs 100 people, including new hires for the Plainfield location.

Plainfield staffers have been training at other Fat Ricky’s locations in preparation for opening day, he said.

“We look at our employees as part of our family,” DiPego said, adding each new location serves as a chance for staffers to be promoted. “Our philosophy is to grow from within.”

After RoSal’s closed, DiPego said he initially planned to open earlier this summer.

But with family members participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day event, DiPego said he decided to push back the grand opening.

“We know people are anxious [for us to open],” he said. “We had to be ready. We had to do it right.

“We owe our success to our customers, and in order to have that success, you have to make sure you’re covering all the bases. It should be personal. When you walk through our doors, we want you to feel like you’re walking into our house.”

DiPego said diners can expect grand opening specials when the eatery opens later this week.

The Plainfield location will offer dine-in service, with seating for about 50 people, plus carryout and delivery.

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