OILTON, Okla. — While Oilton has grappled with the departures of police chiefs and revenue shortfalls recently, its first local restaurant in 11 years offers hope and appetites.
Lalo's Grill On 99 is Oilton's first sit-down diner that's not a gas station or a two-table pizza chain. It's something that Oilton's mayor hasn't seen around town since she was in high school.
WATCH: A spicy start: Oilton loving first restaurant in more than a decade
"If you go by there on any lunch or dinner time, you can't hardly find a table," Mayor Julia Bagwell told 2 News Oklahoma about the grill, which had its soft opening on April 22.
City Hall was well aware of its restaurant desert and starving sales-tax revenue dating back for years, Mayor Bagwell said.
"We just made an agreement that they couldn't turn down and made sure that they got into the restaurant with as little startup costs as possible," Bagwell said.
Related>>> Oilton downsizing police force after resignations, revolving door of chiefs
Brian Montoya and Kayla Young of Mannford checked out the restaurant for the first time on April 28.
"I'm so happy for them. Their food truck is fantastic. Everything about that was great. I really love the carnitas," Montoya said.
"The food has always been great, so for them to just have their spot here, we had to make the drive and just support local, you know? We're all for that," Young said.
Co-owner Angie Macias said she's just fine opening in one of the smaller towns in the area.
"We just came to love it. I mean, I'm from Mannford. My heart's with Mannford. But we love it here too," Macias said, adding that the business's first Monday open was a little too successful.
"We thought we bought enough and we stocked this kitchen enough for at least a week, and we ran out of food," she said. "So we've had a very good response, and I really appreciate it."
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