That’s a wrap · May 18 – Aug 9, 2026

That’s a wrap on
Foodie Summer

Twelve weeks. 253 foodies. 214+ local restaurants. Thank you, Tucson.

Tucson spent the summer eating local — 880 receipts and more than $33,000 into locally owned spots. Scroll for the numbers, get on the list for next summer, or keep the streak going in the Foodie Club.

Notify me next summer Join the Foodie Club

See the summer’s numbers

63 prizes awarded. $33,000+ kept local. See you next summer.

Presenting sponsor

Presented by

The summer, in numbers

Tucson really ate.

880

receipts submitted

253

Tucson foodies

214+

locally-owned restaurants

$33,000+

into local restaurants

prizes, worth ~$5,700

weeks, 12 themes

Southern Arizona communities

336

dish photos shared

Read the full recap

Next summer

We’re already sketching next year’s campaign.

Drop your email and you’ll be the first to know when 12 Weeks of Foodie Summer comes back. One email, no spam — just a head start on eating local.

How it worked.

Ate local

Each week had a theme. Foodies visited any locally owned Tucson restaurant, café, bar, or food spot that fit. No required list — if it was local and it fit the week, it counted.

Uploaded receipts

Snapped a photo, picked the spot, entered. Restaurant name, date, and total had to be visible. 880 receipts made it in.

Won prizes

Multiple winners every week. Gift cards, experiences, and other good stuff from our partners, picked at random and announced on Tucson Foodie’s channels.

Up to 3 entries a day — breakfast, lunch, dinner. Some of you took that personally.

Prizes awarded

63 prizes went home with Tucson foodies.

Gift cards and experiences from our partner restaurants and sponsors — roughly $5,700 in prize packages over the twelve weeks, drawn at random from each week’s entries.

Drawings happened at the end of each week
Winners were announced on Tucson Foodie's social channels every Monday
Every winner was notified by email
One win per week per person — several foodies won in multiple weeks

All prizes have been delivered. Congratulations again, winners.

The 12 themes of Foodie Summer.

Every week had its own obsession — and its own prizes. Here’s the full run.

Wk1
Asian
Prizes: $100 visa gift card, $50 Kin Dee Thai gift card, $50 Tuk Tuk Thai gift card, $50 Saigon Blossoms gift card
May 18–24
★ Asian Night Market 5/23
May 18–24
Asian Night Market 5/23
Wk2
Wine
Prizes: 2 X $100 cash winners, $50 gift card to Polish Cottage, 2 tickets to Margarita Championship
May 25–31
★ AZ Wine Collective 5/25
May 25–31
AZ Wine Collective 5/25
Wk3
Vegan
Prizes: $25 gift cards to Noodleholics, $100 Visa gift cards, and tickets to America's Best Mexican Food Festival
Jun 1–7
★ Vegan Night Market 6/6
Jun 1–7
Vegan Night Market 6/6
Wk4
Coffee & Tea
Prizes: Tickets to America's Best Mexican Food Festival, $100 Visa gift cards, passes to El Jefe Cat Lounge, $25 gift card to Beyond Bread, $20 gift card to Ghini's.
Jun 8–14
Jun 8–14
Wk5
Happy Hour
Prizes: Tickets to America's Best Mexican Food Festival, (2) $100 Visa gift cards, $50 gift card to Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink, (4) $20 gift cards to Hop Shop, $50 gift card to North Italia, $20 gift card to Ghini's, pair (2) of passes to Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Jun 15–21
Jun 15–21
Wk6
Frozen Dessert
Prizes: Tickets to America's Best Mexican Food Festival, (2) $100 Visa gift cards, $20 gift card to Ghini's, $50 gift card to North Italia, pair (2) of passes to Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Jun 22–28
Jun 22–28
Wk7
Burgers & BBQ
Prizes: Tickets to America's Best Mexican Food Festival, (2) $100 Visa gift cards, $20 gift card to Ghini's, 4-pack of passes to Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, (3) $35 gift cards to Fork & Fire, (1) $150 prize basket to Barrio Brewing
Jun 29 – Jul 5
★ 4th of July
Jun 29 – Jul 5
4th of July
Wk8
New-to-Me
Prizes: Tickets to America's Best Mexican Food Festival, (2) $100 Visa gift cards, $20 gift card to Ghini's, 4-pack of passes to Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Jul 6–12
Jul 6–12
Wk9
Italian (Pizza & Pasta)
Prizes: Tickets to America's Best Mexican Food Festival, (2) $100 Visa gift cards, $20 gift card to Ghini's, 4-pack of passes to Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, (1) $50 gift card to Fentonellis Pizzeria & Bar, (1) $75 gift card to Carusos, (1) $50 gift card to North Italia, (1) $50 gift card to Locale
Jul 13–19
Jul 13–19
Wk10
Breakfast & Brunch
Prizes: Tickets to America's Best Mexican Food Festival, (2) $100 Visa gift cards, $20 gift card to Ghini's, 4-pack of passes to Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, (1) $25 gift card to Beyond Bread
Jul 20–26
Jul 20–26
Wk11
Steak & Carne Asada
Prizes: Tickets to Salsa, Taco, and Tequila Challenge , (2) $100 Visa gift cards, $20 gift card to Ghini's, 4-pack of passes to Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, (1) gift card to Redbird Scratch Kitchen + Bar, (1) $50 gift card to Charro Concepts
Jul 27 – Aug 2
Jul 27 – Aug 2
Wk12
Sonoran
Prizes: Tickets to Salsa, Taco, and Tequila Challenge , (2) $100 Visa gift cards, $20 gift card to Ghini's, 4-pack of passes to Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, (1) gift card to Redbird Scratch Kitchen + Bar, (1) $50 gift card to Charro Concepts, (1) $50 gift card to BATA, (1) $50 gift card to Sonoran Moonshine
Aug 3–9
Aug 3–9

Each week ran Sunday through Saturday. All prizes have been awarded.

You didn’t just eat. You shot it beautifully.

Foodies added 336 dish photos alongside their receipts this summer. The best of them are being featured in the Tucson Foodie app and on our channels — with credit to the photographers. Keep shooting; these tips stay true year-round.

A few tips

Natural light beats overhead restaurant lighting
Shoot from above or at a 45° angle
One item per photo
Skip the filters

Questions, answered.

Is the campaign still running?
No — 12 Weeks of Foodie Summer wrapped on August 9, 2026. Sign up above to be notified when we launch again next summer.
When's the next campaign?
We're already sketching next summer. Get on the notify list above to be the first to know.
How do I join the Foodie Club?
The Foodie Club lives in the Tucson Foodie app — perks, member dinners, and year-round reasons to eat local. Join the Foodie Club here.
Where can I read the full recap?
Right here— the whole summer story: the numbers, the most-loved restaurants, and the foodies who went way above and beyond.
Can I still see my submissions?
Yes — if you took part, sign in to see your personal summer summary: your receipts, restaurants, and any prizes you won. New submissions are closed.
How were winners picked?
Random drawing from each week's valid entries — 3–5 winners per week, 63 prizes across the summer. Winners were announced on Tucson Foodie's channels and notified by email. All prizes have been delivered.
What counted as a qualifying restaurant?
Any locally owned Tucson spot that fit the week's theme. Restaurants, cafés, bars, coffee shops, food trucks, breweries, wine bars — 214+ of them ended up on receipts this summer.
I'm a restaurant owner — how do I get involved next year?
Hit us at info@tucsonfoodie.com. We’d love to feature you when the campaign returns.
Where are the official rules?
The official rules for the 2026 campaign are archived here. They covered eligibility, entry limits, the no-purchase method, prizes, and winner selection.

The final leaderboard

The most-loved restaurants of the summer.

880 receipts later, these are the places Tucson kept coming back to.

Sonoran House
33 receipts
Transit Tea
18 receipts
Amelia's Mexican Kitchen
17 receipts
Redbird Scratch Kitchen + Bar
13 receipts
Prep & Pastry
11 receipts
Desert Drifter Coffee
11 receipts
Postino
11 receipts
Casa Asada Taquería
9 receipts
Le Buzz Caffe
8 receipts
Stacks Book Club
7 receipts

That’s a wrap onFoodie Summer