Luke's Italian Beef — Restaurant in Tucson

Let me be very clear—I have been, and let me emphasize been as in no longer, a fan of Luke’s for over 40 years. My fiancée and I were loyal customers. We would literally show up for breakfast before the doors even opened, just to enjoy our favorite meals and support a local business. I’m also a local business owner myself, so I understand how important it is to support the community. For decades, Luke’s was our go-to spot.

But on July 8th, 2025, that all changed—permanently.

I went in like usual to pick up our regular order: a Chicago dog for my fiancée, an Italian sausage for myself. Simple, right? All I asked—very politely—was if Mrs. Luke could please separate the fries from the hot dog, since we were going to be driving farther than usual and didn’t want soggy fries. A basic, common-sense request that any decent restaurant would gladly accommodate.

Instead, she just stared at me like I had asked her to cook a five-course meal from scratch. No words, no explanation—just a cold, annoyed glare and a silent shake of the head. I was taken aback, thinking maybe she was joking. I even chuckled nervously and explained why I was asking. But again, not a single word—just another head shake and that same dead-eyed stare. No customer service. No professionalism. No courtesy.

It felt incredibly disrespectful—like my business wasn’t wanted, like I had personally offended her by making the tiniest, most reasonable request. I wasn’t rude. I wasn’t demanding. I just asked for the fries to be put in a separate container, and somehow that was too much.

There were no other customers in the restaurant. She wasn’t overwhelmed. She wasn’t busy. She was just being flat-out rude and dismissive for no reason. The look on her face and her body language made it clear: she didn’t care about me, my loyalty, or my business. And as I turned and walked out, I heard one of the employees whisper, “What happened?”—which shows even they knew something wasn’t right.

I’ve never been treated like that at Luke’s in all my years of going there. I can honestly say I’ve never been treated that disrespectfully at ANY restaurant I’ve ever stepped foot in.

So let me say this directly: Luke’s lost a loyal, longtime customer because of Mrs. Luke’s rude, cold, and frankly nasty behavior. There’s no excuse for that kind of attitude, especially from someone who is supposed to be the face of a family-run business.

It’s sad because the food was good, but the service has clearly gone downhill—and now it’s downright hostile. Mrs. Luke does NOT belong in the front of a restaurant with that attitude. If she’s going to treat customers like they’re a burden, she’s going to keep pushing people away. And I know I’m not the only one who feels this way.

We’ve already found a new place—Big Dawgs on Thornydale. It’s farther, but you know what? It’s worth every extra mile to be treated like a human being by staff who actually appreciate your business. The food is great, and more importantly, the people are kind, professional, and welcoming—everything Luke’s used to be, but no longer is.

So again, thank you Mrs. Luke—for showing me exactly what kind of business you’re running now. You didn’t just lose a sale—you lost a loyal customer for life. And I’m not staying quiet about it. People deserve to know how they might be treated when they walk...

Very Disappointed. I've eaten at Lukes for years and they have the best Italian beef around, unfortunately today they let me down. I was on a tight schedule so I went through the drive through. I ordered an Italian beef with hot peppers (giardiniera). According to the menu the sandwich was $7.45 and the peppers were .50. When I got to the window the old guy practically threw the sandwich at me and said it was $9.00. I asked if that was correct and he said yeah it was. I also asked specifically if the sandwich had the hot pepper mix on it and he said it did. As I said, I was in a hurry so I didn't press. Of course when I got back to the office and opened the sandwich there were no hot peppers on it. I didn't have time to take it back so I was stuck with a very boring sandwich for lunch. I guess the lesson here is never use the drive through at Lukes and don't trust them to make your sandwich the way you ordered it. I will eat here again because they make good sandwiches but I'll be sure to go inside and order so I can see them making...

Luke's is not a fancy or upscale restaurant. There is no table service. It is known for its delicious Italian roast beef and has been loved by Tucsonans for, oh, 30 years or so that I personally know of. When I was recently there, I knew what to expect and was not disappointed. I left Luke's satisfied and with a full stomach, toting with me almost half of a generous combo sandwich. The combo, which is Italian beef and sausage smothered in sauce (or gravy) is my usual choice at Luke's. On this day my companion ordered fries (crispy and yummy) for each of us. It was far too much food, but happy to take home notwithstanding gravy-soaked roll! My 30-year old companion (my grandson) seemed to know the mature gentleman behind the counter. They spoke of his wife; the proprietor introduced us to his grandson who was in the kitchen area. It's nice to see family-owned and -operated local businesses. Luke's is friendly, comfortable, easy-going. Although there is one or two other "Luke's" in town to my knowkedge, this one has...