In 1999, restaurant advertising was still rooted in print — but a small detail in this Arizona Republic clipping signaled a shift. For one of the first times in the Valley, a restaurant included its website in a newspaper ad. This single line marked the beginning of Arizona’s move toward digital dining guides.
In March 1999, readers of the Arizona Republic may have noticed something unusual tucked inside a restaurant advertisement. Along with the restaurant’s name, address, and phone number appeared a new and unfamiliar detail: a website address — AZeats.com/Mill_Landing.htm.
Today, including a web address in an advertisement is routine. But in 1999, it was still a novelty. Most restaurants relied on newspaper ads, radio spots, and word of mouth. Few saw the World Wide Web as an essential part of their marketing strategy.
Mill Avenue Landing’s decision to include its AZeats web address signaled a shift in thinking. It reflected a growing belief that the Internet could help attract customers and provide information far beyond what a newspaper ad could contain.
Anyone who typed the address into their browser could explore the restaurant online, view menus, learn about the establishment, and experience something still new for many diners: a restaurant with a website.
Looking back, that small line of text in a 1999 newspaper ad represents more than a URL. It marks a moment when Arizona restaurants were beginning to introduce the public to the digital future — one advertisement at a time.
