Today we’d like to introduce you to Tricia Scruggs.
Tricia, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Sure! This food tour journey started with a love of food and travel, literally! I was on a girl’s trip with a friend and we decided to try an evening, walking tour centered around food and history. Being budget-conscious, we figured we’d get dinner plus entertainment, so it was a win-win in our eyes. At the end of the evening, I was officially a fan of food tours and vowed to seek them out whenever I traveled. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t discovered these foodie experiences sooner. A few years later, I decided to build my own business by bringing food tours to McKinney’s Historic Downtown Cultural District, a place where I had begun my journalism career a decade earlier. It felt like a full-circle moment because I was able to combine my research and storytelling skills with introducing people to new restaurants and shops in my community.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I wouldn’t say it has always been smooth, but it has almost always been fun. Teachable moments are plentiful when building a business. One of the struggles I dealt with was trying not to do it all by myself. When I’m passionate about a thing, I can become very protective of it and so allowing someone else to help “make the sausage” so to speak can be a hard transition. However, last year two more guides joined the team and it made a huge difference. I was able to recapture time with my family and reduce stress overall. Plus, Linda and Sam are amazing women who bring so much to the company and we really care about one another personally. They love helping our guests have an unforgettable experience in Historic Downtown McKinney as much as I do. So, whenever I receive an email or text from a guest raving about how they enjoyed their time on a tour, it is truly a happy heart moment!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We Ate Well Food Tours is a tourism-based business at its core. We are local and we support local by taking small groups of foodies on a leisurely walk around the historic town square, stopping at several eateries and boutiques where they get to taste delicious food and drink. That 2-3 hour walk includes stories of McKinney’s history and highlighting local murals.
Our tours begin at Patina Green Home and Market, where we try what Food Network has deemed The Best Sandwich in Texas and we end at a favorite chill spot, Filtered, a craft coffee shop. In between, our guests nosh on everything from gourmet deviled eggs, pizza and beer to wine, chocolate and ice cream! It’s a really yummy way to spend time with family and friends. And we love when companies bring their teams to build bonds and celebrate reaching their goals. We also create customized private group tours for bachelorette parties, birthdays and anniversaries, which usually includes a cocktail or two!
Since launching tours in the Spring of 2018, we’ve earned a spot as the number one food tour in McKinney on TripAdvisor, so that was a rewarding accomplishment. However, what I’m most proud of as a company and what sets us apart is that we really do care about the people with whom we partner. I pray for them and their families, especially in these times, when doing what we all love has been a real challenge. Of course, with the current pandemic, we’ve had to pivot a bit. We offer smaller, private group tours and pushed touring out until later this summer, but can’t wait to get back to it!
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was sort of a chatty bookworm and loved spending time with my family – usually eating! As I grew older, my interests were varied. I participated in a lot of activities, from being a sports editor for my junior high school’s newspaper and a newscaster on a local kid’s cable show to playing basketball, volleyball and cheerleading.
Pricing:
- Private Group Tour for 4 – $280
- Private Group Tour for 5 – $350 (by request)
- Private Group Tour for 6 – $420 (by request)
Contact Info:
- Website: weatewellfoodtours.com
- Phone: 214-998-8828
- Email: info@weatewellfoodtours.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weatewellfoodtours/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weatewellfoodtours/
- Other: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g56260-d13803376-Reviews-We_Ate_Well_Food_Tours-McKinney_Texas.html
Image Credit:
Laura Potter Photography.
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