“The Salvation,” a fan-favorite at Alvin Ord’s, layers ham, salami, cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard on fresh-baked bread.
Nicholas Hernandez/MySA
For the first time in months, customers are once again ordering Salvation sandwiches at Alvin Ord’s.
The iconic San Marcos sandwich shop has quietly entered a soft opening era after closing earlier this year amid a highly publicized staff exodus and workplace controversy that left the future of one of the Texas State area’s most recognizable restaurants uncertain.
Article continues below this ad
“We’re trying hard to give our community what they’ve always had here and what they’ve loved,” Iris Martin, a member of the restaurant’s ownership family, told MySA.
For now, Alvin Ord’s is operating on a limited schedule from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday while employees complete training and the restaurant works through early operational challenges.
Texas State student Griffin Fisher reads a notice posted outside Alvin Ords in San Marcos on April 14, 2026, stating the restaurant is temporarily closed for an “unknown period of time” due to unforeseen circumstances.
Nicholas Hernandez/MySA
A notice posted outside Alvin Ord’s in San Marcos on April 14, 2026, announces the restaurant’s temporary closure for an “unknown period of time” due to unforeseen circumstances.
Nicholas Hernandez/MySA
“It’s taken us some months, but here we are,” Martin said. “We have brand new employees. We have a brand new point-of-sale system. We tried to upgrade. We kept the things customers said they wanted. We haven’t even changed our prices.”
Article continues below this ad
Customers returning to the restaurant will find familiar touches that have made Alvin Ord’s a San Marcos institution for decades, including the original booths, classic sandwich board and longtime menu favorites.
“We didn’t change anything,” Martin said. “Same old prices, same old menu board.”
Behind the scenes, however, the restaurant has undergone significant improvements, including fresh paint, new wallpaper, deep cleaning and upgrades to the kitchen.
“We’ve cleaned out, we’ve done some beautiful wallpapering. Of course painted and cleaned, and it looks so much better,” Martin said. “We’ve got a whole new line back there.”
Article continues below this ad
The exterior of Alvin Ord’s sandwich shop in San Marcos, Texas, as seen on April 14, 2026, after the longtime sandwich shop announced a temporary shutdown.
Nicholas Hernandez/MySA
Customers enjoy a weekday lunch at Alvin Ord’s in San Marcos.
Nicholas Hernandez/MySA
The restaurant has not announced a grand opening date, and Martin said the business is intentionally taking a cautious approach before expanding hours.
An unexpected oven failure during the first days of the soft opening created longer-than-expected wait times, and ownership wants to avoid disappointing customers before the operation is fully staffed.
Article continues below this ad
“I don’t want people to have to wait that long,” Martin said. “We’re almost fully staffed. We’re still training.”
The reopening marks a new chapter for the 40-year-old San Marcos staple.
Steve Martin, a minority owner who was at the center of the workplace allegations earlier this year, remains part of the business but no longer has any role in its day-to-day operations, Iris Martin said. She said leadership is being handed to her daughter and son-in-law, who recently relocated from Canada to take over the family restaurant while the transition is completed.
She described the transition as similar to other longtime family businesses in Central Texas passing from one generation to the next.
Article continues below this ad
“It’s still a family business. It’s always going to be in the family,” Iris said. “A new generation is in.”
Although Alvin Ord’s has yet to announce when normal operations will resume, Iris said the goal remains unchanged and looks forward to restoring a restaurant that generations of Texas State students and San Marcos residents have made part of their traditions.
“I know San Marcos loves Alvin Ord’s,” she said. “We’re going to be back, and it’s going to be fine.”