GILBERT, AZ — A Gilbert restaurant just completed its first week of business after a grand reopening, and it has the community to thank in part.
Many of the first customers who arrived for an early lunch at Dragon Wok on the corner of Cooper and Ray Road in Gilbert were greeted in the same way.
“Welcome back, welcome back! I’m so happy to see you all again!” Sam Szeto called out loudly to his customers.
Not every restaurant offers a warm welcome with its main dishes, but that’s exactly what motivates Szeto to keep going after owning and operating several Chinese restaurants in the Valley for decades.
He has owned Dragon Wok in Gilbert since 2005. That restaurant won a national award in 2008, just before the economy entered a recession.
They weathered these times long before they realized they would need to rely on their to-go operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and are still able to serve their East Valley customers despite rising inflationary prices.
“In fact, I had to hide my award, I don’t tell anyone. People here are looking for an offer, not for awards!” he says, laughing.
Then, a few months ago, in May 2024, a car drove into the restaurant and smashed a wall, destroying parts of the kitchen.
The accident caused a water and a gas line to burst. We were informed that the damage so far amounts to around $100,000.
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“‘This is more than just an accident,'” police told Szeto. “The investigator showed it to me on the computer and I freaked out.”
According to Gilbert police, the driver of the car died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The crash and incident caused Szeto to consider permanently quitting the only job he had had since his family came to Arizona from China in the late 1970s.
And while the restaurant was closed, Szeto said, he had this recurring dream.
“I had a dream about forgetting people’s iced tea and thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is my life – do I have a life?'” he said.
Even when his hospitality business had to pause due to renovations at his restaurant, he dreamed of the care he provided to his customers.
This care was reciprocated in part by a crowdfunding account that raised over $15,000 to pay for the damages.
The amount was far from enough to cover all the repair costs, but nearly 200 small donations from people who wanted to see the store reopened prompted him to do just that.
“Seeing all the love and support over the last month really changed my mindset – let’s keep doing it,” he said.
The area at the hostess stand was filled with flowers and treats with notes saying “Welcome back.”
Some customers wanted to make up for lost time.
“This is the second time we’ve been here,” Szeto called to a customer.
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