Today we’d like to introduce you to Mani Bhushan.
Hi Mani, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I am the Founder of Taco Ocho, a four-location Latin-inspired restaurant in the Dallas area. Originally from India, I moved to Texas in the 1970s. I often get asked why an Indian man owns a Latin restaurant. The answer is that my wife is from Monterrey, Mexico, and I really love Mexican and Latin culture. When I came to the U.S., there weren’t many options for immigrants in professional careers, so I started my career in restaurant operations and eventually moved up to VP of Operations for Taco Bell, where I oversaw company stores in half the country. When I decided to leave corporate America, opening a Latin restaurant that serves made-from-scratch tacos just really made sense. Restaurants are my passion. I have worked in the restaurant industry for over 40 years, and I wanted to start a business where I could offer fresh and healthy delicious food options. In 2011, I opened the first Taco Ocho in Richardson, Texas. In 2015, I opened the Frisco and Flower Mound locations, and in 2021, I opened my fourth location in McKinney.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Opening a restaurant is not easy, and every day can bring a new set of challenges. Almost 60% of restaurants fail in the first year, and I didn’t want to become another statistic. The key to overcoming challenges is really to react quickly and not be afraid to try things or evolve your business. Also, candidly it helps to have a good buffer of money in the bank since most restaurants take a bit of time to really gain traction (unless you’re super lucky). The hardest part of any business is getting started. It took a few years to really figure out what I was going to do. I didn’t want to open a soul-less “franchise” restaurant. I wanted to own something of my own, that I could develop from the ground up, and be the ultimate decision maker for my business. This total decision-making responsibility also opens up its own set of challenges – from finding a location to designing the menu and purchasing the equipment. All of that can be super overwhelming, but you just have to start making decisions and keep things moving forward. Having some grit helps you stick it out. After opening the Richardson location, I realized that we had a great weekday lunch business from the offices, but struggled on weekends and nights. I didn’t want to “give up” and close early on weeknights and weekends, so we stuck it out and added breakfast and brunch, which has grown to a pretty large portion of my business. I eventually added alcohol as well to help increase sales at night.
During the pandemic, every restaurant had to overcome the hurdle of not being able to serve customers in person. At Taco Ocho, we quickly adopted online ordering and contactless pick-up procedures and added new delivery partners to ensure guests could still enjoy our Latin flavors at home. This was especially impactful at our Richardson location which had previously depended on lunch traffic and catering from some of the area businesses. Adapting is key to overcoming the curveballs. As dining rooms were able to reopen after Covid, we had a new challenge of finding team members, so I reworked my business model from being a fast-casual counter service model to more of a casual dining restaurant. I had already evolved the restaurant design since opening the first location by adding a bar area and more comfortable seating, so the move to a full-service model just fit. I was able to provide a better experience for my guests and pay my team members more, so it was a win all around. We even were able to open the McKinney location during this time, and we emerged from the pandemic stronger than ever.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Taco Ocho is a casual restaurant for foodies who aren’t afraid to go bold. Our fresh made-from-scratch food features bold, authentic flavors inspired by traditional Latin cooking. We use real premium ingredients, including fresh produce, all-natural cheeses, sustainably-sourced seafood, and preservative-free tortillas. Taco Ocho is open from breakfast to dinner and has a full bar featuring hand-crafted cocktails. Our menu has something for everyone, and we also offer a full menu of vegan and vegetarian options at an affordable price point.
Some of our stand-out menu items include:
Ranchero Taco (Vegan)
Sweet Potato Quesadilla (Vegan)
Beer Battered Fish Taco
Latin Love Taco
Jalapeno Pork
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Don’t get discouraged if your business doesn’t become an overnight success right out of the gate. There are very few instant successes in the restaurant business, and while they can happen, they are few and far between. Know that it takes time to build a customer base, and you sometimes have to grind it out a few years to find your place and customers. Loyal customers matter more than the press or social media following. These things can really help a new restaurant business, but don’t be discouraged if your business isn’t the headline story in the local news or you don’t have big influencers pounding on your door. Remember, your customers help keep your business moving, and if they are happy, you will be too. You could have millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok, but if you don’t have any customers, it really doesn’t matter. Some of my most loyal customers don’t even know we have an Instagram account, but that’s OK. They still come in every week. Know when to be flexible and when to stay true to your brand. Many businesses chase every trend that comes down the pipeline in an effort to stay relevant. When I opened Taco Ocho, we offered a simple menu of eight tacos, eight tortas, and eight tostadas. Over the years, our menu has changed to add more vegan and vegetarian options and to incorporate more Tex-Mex varieties like fajitas and quesadillas, but we’ll never waiver from selling freshly made-from-scratch quality food at an affordable price point. This is one of our core brand pillars and something that we will never change.
Not everyone is going to like your product. There will always be someone that walks into your restaurant and walks out because they don’t like the menu, and that’s fine because that person is probably not your target customer. Listen to the feedback of course, but know that you can’t please every diner, and the only restaurants that do so are big chains with hundreds of items on the menu. It’s just not possible to serve that many items and appeal to every type of diner and also serve real scratch-made food. I designed Taco Ocho for someone who appreciates authentic flavors and quality food. So, if someone writes a negative review because we don’t serve $1 ground beef tacos as you can get at the gas station or a drive-thru, I’m fine with that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tacoocho.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacoocho/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tacoocho
