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Forum nameBiz Ideas
Topic subjectIdeas Needed--Menu items!
Topic URLhttps://www.businessownersideacafe.com/forums/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=1504
1504, Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by apple, Fri Aug-03-07 12:36 PM
So, there is this fully equipped fast food restaurant for lease cheap. We've been bouncing around ideas of what we could do with it. It used to be a hot-dog restaurant that failed miserably, so it is equipped with fryers. The area is mostly new-immigrant hispanic and we already have a successful grocery store in the area. My question is this-- If we were to open this fast-food restaurant, would sort of items would be good for the menu? Possibly hispanic, simple to prepare, tasty, and a few unusual items for the younger crowd and to get people talking.
Thanks,
Teri
1505, RE: Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by BBQGuy, Fri Aug-03-07 01:19 PM
Where in the country are you? An authentic taqueria would be a great idea. Making it a bit more Anglo friendly would boost your sales - but if the Hispanic population is great enough, you should hire bi-lingual employees. I'm in the Denver area and these things take off like wildfire.
1632, RE: Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by itaxback, Mon Sep-10-07 01:23 AM
>Where in the country are you? An authentic taqueria would be
>a great idea. Making it a bit more Anglo friendly would boost
>your sales - but if the Hispanic population is great enough,
>you should hire bi-lingual employees. I'm in the Denver area
>and these things take off like wildfire.

Lots of good comments on this thread already. Have you thought of doing a spin-off of Chipotle (http://www.chipotle.com). I live in the DC area and they always seem to be busy...

R/
KC
1599, RE: Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by sjd314, Wed Aug-29-07 01:29 PM
How big is your space?

A spin off version of Chunk-E-Cheese is going good here
1605, RE: Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by MissAlexandra, Thu Aug-30-07 08:33 AM
Do you know where the migrants are coming from? Taquerias are usually more popular with certain groups. If you want to keep it diverse try to find out where these migrants are coming from so you can tailor your menu better. For example people from the caribbean don't tend to be big taco or burrito eaters. Just a thought!

Alexandra
www.cafepress.com/sarobey
www.zazzle.com/sarobey
1606, RE: Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by DBeavers, Thu Aug-30-07 01:55 PM
The Taqueria sounds like the way to go with the ready market you have there. It would help if you could hire at least a couple of those migrant workers to prepare food and take orders.

Go authentic - Flautas, Taquitos, Quesadillas, Fajitas, etc.

The fryers will work for the flautas and taquitos, but you'll also need a grill for the meats and warming the tortillas. If the nearby market doesn't make fresh flour tortillas on site, you might consider hiring one of the migrant workers to mix up the Masa Harina and make the flour tortillas from scratch, while the customers watch if possible.

A simple dessert would be Soppapillas grilled in the fryer, but not in grease that has any meat flavor in it. Serve these up fresh with small squeeze bottles of honey, with a shaker of cinnamon/sugar mix for the customers to sprinkle on for themselves.

See about stocking fresh tamales made by the migrant population (their kitchen has to pass the usual health inspection) and offer them both as side items and for carry-out by the dozen.

Dennis Bevers
Gringo and native-born Texan


Keep the menu inexpensive, and you'll never run out of migrant clients.

1610, RE: Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by deech, Sun Sep-02-07 02:33 PM
If your target market is largely Central American, empenadas may be your answer. These are square pouches filled with various ingredients, then deep fried...similar to a hot pocket. When I lived in Washington, D.C. some 15 years ago, there was an empenada restaurant near Adams Morgan (on Columbia?). Fast food, easy to take and go sounds good for your immigrant worker target pop.

As somewhat of an aside, I've always thought that in a college town, a simple stand selling tamales and soppapillas from about 5pm to bar closing + :30 would be a big hit.
1622, RE: Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by Pepperfire, Wed Sep-05-07 09:11 AM
Why not sit yourself down with a clipboard and start asking the workers that would frequent the restaurant what THEY would like on the menu...

Perhaps hispanic foods isn't what they want for lunch?

T

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!
1715, RE: Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by AmAruX, Fri Sep-28-07 08:17 AM
http://www.epifurious.com/2006/12/pio_pio_better_.html
http://www.greatrestaurantsmag.com/NYC/restaurant_view/144/

Peruvian rotisserie chicken and related dishes (e.g. Ceviche, Salchipapa, Avocado salad, etc.) is a hit in a very latino section of Queens, NY. Menu is simple and overhead seems pretty low. This particular brand has 3-4 locations in NY with one large restaurant, and smaller satellite and take-out options.
1785, Ideas Needed--Menu items!
Posted by tiffhannah, Sat Oct-27-07 04:45 AM
If you decide to create a menu similar to the other menus close by then you will be on your way to failure.

You MUST serve food that isn't offered for at least 5 miles in either direction from you location.

Do your research first...is there a SteakHouse around or some type of Seafood Restaurant. Burgers and Mexican Food is everywhere we turn in the USA but what about a healthy established restaurant that offers vitamin waters and fruit.

Go around and check those things out first. It's a known fact that 9 out of every 10 new restaurants fail.

contactme@tiffanyhannah.com
www.TiffanyHannah.com