A programming note about the MXSW newsletter

Starting next week, you’ll see some changes to the MXSW newsletter. One of the biggest: It may no longer be published every weekday.

I know that may be a little disappointing to some – many of you have told me how much you look forward to reading the newsletter in the morning – and honestly, I struggled with the decision. But I want to explain why I’m making this change, and why I believe it will ultimately make the newsletter better, more useful, and more worth your time.

First, the simple truth: some days, there just isn’t Valley food and drink news that feels big enough to lead – or even fill – a full newsletter. Phoenix is one of the country’s largest metro areas, but restaurant news doesn’t break on a tidy Monday-through-Friday schedule. On slow news days, I often found myself digging endlessly for something “newsletter-worthy,” rather than working on stories you’ve told me you care more about.

And as many of you know, MXSW is a one-person operation.

That means every edition requires hours of research, verification, writing, formatting, and follow-up – all while trying to keep up with thousands of restaurants spread across a huge metro area that stretches from Buckeye to Queen Creek to Cave Creek. I love doing it, but there are only so many hours in the day.

Because of that – and because news ebbs and flows – there will no longer be “set” publishing days for the newsletter. Some weeks may be busy, with five editions. Other weeks may be quiet, with just one if there simply isn’t much meaningful news to share.

The goal isn’t to publish less for the sake of publishing less, it’s to avoid sending filler and to focus on delivering editions that actually feel worth opening.

This decision was also shaped in a big way by this month’s subscriber survey, where more than 6,000 readers generously shared their opinions and preferences. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to weigh in.

Your feedback was clear about what you want MXSW to prioritize:

• More coverage of new and soon-to-open restaurants.
• More stories highlighting the top existing restaurants that define the Valley.
• More attention to affordable dining options and great everyday places.

Publishing only when there’s real news will make it easier to deliver exactly that.

So while the newsletter may not arrive on a fixed weekday schedule anymore, my hope is that when it does land in your inbox, it feels more substantial, more valuable, and more aligned with why you signed up in the first place.

Thank you – sincerely – for reading, for sharing tips and corrections, for cheering on this scrappy one-person project, and for helping shape where MXSW goes next.

I’m excited about what this change will make possible, and I hope you’ll continue along for the ride.