Drive-thru fiesta features food booths, music and parade floats

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – During these quarantine and social distancing times, you’ve seen drive-thru birthday parties, anniversary celebrations and church services. This week,  there’s a daily drive-thru fiesta at a Northwest Side restaurant.

Mi Familia Restaurant at the Rim has set up colorful food booths in the parking lot featuring everything from gorditas to chicken on a stick, corn in a cup, gorditas and margaritas.

“We really wanted to continue the spirit of Fiesta but in a safe way,” said Pete Cortez with La Familia Cortez Restaurants. “A lot of people have been confined to their homes for the past few weeks and were looking for an opportunity to to get out and have a little fun.”

It was supposed to be a one-day event last Saturday, but it was so popular, Mi Familia decided to extend the drive-thru fiesta through Sunday, April 26.

“You just drive from food booth to food booth and somebody will come to your car to take your order,” said marketing director Megann Pettit.

They’ll also have a social-distancing DJ playing the sounds of Fiesta. Pettit said many of the customers who drove-thru last Saturday were wearing their fiesta attire, and this weekend, many will be driving through the event in cars decorated to resemble parade floats in celebration of the Battle of  Flowers Parade on Friday, and what would have been the Fiesta Flambeau Saturday night.  Pettit says they’ll have contests for the best decorated cars.

“We’ll extend the hours Saturday night so that we can see the lights on the cars as we would for the Fiesta Flambeau,” said Pettit.

And yes, they’ll have medals.   La Familia Cortez medals will be sold at the drive-thru fiesta and the proceeds will be matched and donated to the San Antonio Food Bank.

“This also gives our team members an opportunity to get back to work.   I think they’re enjoying the fiesta experience just as much as our guests,” said Cortez.