Craig Arstingstall and John Wilcoxon spent most of their careers working for corporate restaurants, but after accumulating more than 40 years of restaurant management experience, they both decided they wanted to run a place of their own.
“We wanted a place with great food, drinks and prices,” said Craig. “Something upbeat and fun.”
Theses principles became the foundation for What’s Crackin’ Café. Craig and John wanted to bring their experiences into a local establishment, as well as the business process and infrastructure they had learned from working for corporate restaurants.
“We had been chomping at the bit for so long to give our customers what they wanted,” Craig stated. “We just couldn’t because so many decisions were left up to others.”
Now that Craig and John are their own bosses, they were able to control every aspect of their business. The first thing they wanted to hash out was the concept.
“We wanted our concept to be a breakfast, brunch, lunch and bar type of place,” Craig said.
Craig and John took trips to San Francisco, Santa Fe and Denver, and even traveled down to Tucson, to find the most interesting and inventive drinks and food. Upon these discoveries, they worked hard with local distributors to come up with nothing but the best sourced products, with health and freshness in mind. They worked with the best mixologists, wine specialists and craft beer producers to ensure a unique menu at modest prices.
“We want our guests to experience the best products at a competitive price,” John said. “We run a bottom line business, but we are in the business of hospitality. We take that very seriously.”
Much of the design and architecture of the restaurant was inspired through their travels.
“The view from our patio is one of the best assets for us,” said Craig.
What’s Crackin’ Café promises to give its customers the best service around town.
“We look forward to being your best friend and seeing everyone as often as possible,” Craig stated.
About the Owners
Craig Arstingstall, chief executive officer, and John Wilcoxon, chief financial officer, are proud owners of CNJ Ventures LLC.
“As Mesa residents, we are happy to bring to you What’s Crackin’ Café and Red Mountain Event Center,” Craig stated proudly.
What’s Crackin’ Café is located at 6663 E. McDowell Road, Suite 101, in the Red Mountain Promenade. For more information, call (480) 264-6832, or visit whatscrackincafe.com.