Utah Needs More Food Courts: Here Is Why

Food courts seem to be a thing of the past, especially in Utah malls but it's not because people don’t want them so what is the issue? 

I grew up in Arizona and our mall was the same one-story height and length as the Red Cliffs Mall in St. George. To my surprise, there was no food court. No pizza, sandwich or Chinese food smells wafting from one corner of the building.  

It seems odd and the more malls I go to, the more it seems that I imagined food courts in abundance as a kid. Like some sort of fever dream.  

What is truly weird about this is how much people love a variety of options when it comes to food. The local farmer’s market has Italian, Mexican, pastries, American and more and it is ALWAYS packed.  

So why not in the mall? 

Many food chains suffered during the height of the pandemic and are recovering from the hit even today, several years later. But some chains are doing as well as they ever were like Burger King, Chik-Fil-A and even some local Utah chains.  

Maybe food courts didn’t make as much money as a Pink store or a Dillard's but the fact is that going to a mall without a food court is disappointing.  

When malls were on the rise in the 70s and 80s it was a gathering spot, and I think that bringing that back would be fantastic. There are so many more food chains that could find success and the mall is pretty safe place for kids (just not their parent's money). 

Utah and the world seem glued to isolation in a way that is unhealthy for any community. So, this would be a good start to fixing that. Plus, a variety of delicious food to top off your family shopping spree.