SAN DIEGO, CA – In recognition of Rubio’s Restaurants, Inc. Co-Founder Ralph Rubio for his entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to the community and contributions to the food industry, a proclamation will be issued on Tuesday, April 5 declaring it “Ralph Rubio Day” in the City of San Diego.

A San Diego State University alumnus, Ralph brought his love of fish tacos to the United States after a college trip to Baja California, Mexico. 33 years after opening the first Rubio’s restaurant – a walk-up fish taco stand in Mission Bay – Rubio’s Coastal Grill has established a passionate fan base throughout the Southwestern United States and has largely been credited for starting the fish taco phenomenon in America. Cited by The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times as the country’s top fish taco expert, Rubio’s Coastal Grill has sold more than 200 million Original Fish Tacos®.

To celebrate the commemoration, and as a nod to the fist taco that started it all, Rubio’s Coastal Grill will offer its Original Fish Taco® for $1.75 all day on April 5 throughout San Diego county. Following the proclamation ceremony, a special reception will be held at the Point Loma Rubio’s location (3555 Rosecrans St.) where guests can enjoy giveaways, free fish taco coupons and a chance to meet Ralph. The reception will take place from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and is open to the public.

“San Diego has been my home for over 40 years, so it’s a great honor to receive this distinction from the city,” said Rubio. “It’s remarkable to think how far Rubio’s Coastal Grill has come from where we started as a small taco stand in Mission Bay. Our following of loyal fans in San Diego have been an important part of Rubio’s success, and I can’t thank our community enough for their support.”

Ralph’s passion for protecting the ocean and giving back to the San Diego community is demonstrated through Rubio’s Coastal Grill’s annual CoastFest event, one of the largest organized beach cleanups in San Diego. Partnerships with local organizations such as the California Coastal Commission, I Love A Clean San Diego and Surfrider Foundation also demonstrate Ralph’s commitment to supporting the San Diego community.

For more information about Ralph Rubio and Rubio’s Coastal Grill, visit Rubio’s website: www.rubios.com. Guests can also join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rubios and Twitter at www.twitter.com/rubiostweets.

About Rubio’s® Restaurants:

Rubio’s first opened in 1983, in the San Diego neighborhood of Mission Bay. Today, counting the ocean as a source of inspiration, Rubio’s uses sustainable seafood in nearly all of its seafood dishes, and continues to expand its menu with innovative recipes ranging from seafood tacos and burritos to California Bowls and crisp, fresh salads. In addition, Rubio’s offers grilled marinated chicken and steak, “no fried” pinto beans, handmade guacamole, a variety of proprietary salsas, and craft beer and sangria beverage options.

The award-winning restaurant regularly receives accolades for its famous Original Fish Taco®. It was also recently ranked as one of Fast Casual’s ‘Top 50 Movers and Shakers’ as well as one of its ‘Top Five Most Loved Fast Casual Chains’. Rubio’s participates in a variety of community partnership efforts throughout the year including its annual CoastFest celebration and beach cleanup. Rubio’s is headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., has over 4,000 employees and currently operates nearly 200 restaurants in California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. For more information, visit http://rubios.com.