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Meet Terry Muckenfuss of Muck & Fuss in New Braunfels

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Terry Muckenfuss.

Terry, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro with a degree in Restaurant and Institution Management in 1997. I worked for a few years at a sports bar in Greensboro called Hams, but my first big break was starting with Golden Corral in 1999.

Since, I have been with Golden Corral for 20 years now, 10 years as a manager/general manager and ten years as a franchisee. I currently own 3 Golden Corrals, 1 in New Braunfels, TX and 2 in San Antonio, TX. I have been very fortunate with Golden Corral with three restaurants that produce over $13,000,000 in sales annually.

Having 3 seasoned, competent General Managers working for me has enabled me to pursue my dream of owning my own independent (non-franchise) restaurant. In 2017, my wife Celina & I purchased the Historic Prince Solms Inn in downtown New Braunfels with the hopes of turning it into an exciting destination where visitors could “eat, drink and stay.”

We have now transformed the property into a three venture business that includes a restaurant called Muck & Fuss Craft Beer & Burgers, a craft cocktail bar named Sidecar, and a newly renovated Prince Solms Inn. The success of the business over the first year has exceeded our expectations.

I believe that my experience over the last 20 years positioned me well for this opportunity. Although it sounds cliché, I can tell you from internalizing the journey that hard work has been the key to our success. Looking back, three words come to mind that have helped me in my career: drive, initiative and persistence.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The restaurant business is very difficult, especially if your desire is to be above average. Many operators are satisfied being good, but good is definitely the enemy of great. It takes much more effort to work towards excellence. I believe all restaurant owners that have paid their dues and achieved success will tell you that it is very rewarding personally and financially.

I will tell you that obtaining financing for your first location is one of the most difficult things to do. Being a great manager is important, but making the jump to getting a bank to loan you a few million dollars is a humbling experience to say the least. Most often your down payment will be several hundred thousand dollars and most managers do not have this laying around. It is definitely a roller coaster journey finding the financial resources you need and going through the long bank loan process. It takes a lot out of you.

The other huge challenge, just like in sports, is building a winning team. Your goal should be to hire, train and keep “A” players that will help you be successful. This takes a great deal of effort, especially the training part. Too much turnover in your restaurant will put you in a very precarious position, the dreaded “downward spiral,” where you do not have sufficient staff to take care of your guests. This can lead to a downturn in business that is hard to recover from.

Tell us more about your business. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
The Prince Solms Inn is the oldest continuously operating Inn in the state of Texas, which we feel bring a certain pride to the property. We are honored to be a part of the building’s history. Sidecar, located in the basement of the inn, offers craft cocktails carefully selected by our Bar Manager/Mixologist, Andy Hack. We are proud to offer a unique bar program, where all of our cocktails are made from fresh ingredients daily.

Muck & Fuss specializes in unique chef-inspired burgers and craft beer. We knew from the beginning that the biggest key for this restaurant was going to be having a unique and edgy menu, so we decided to hire an accomplished chef from North Carolina, Kristina Fuller, to ensure we executed this. She really delivered on our vision of what we wanted to offer our guests. In addition to the edgy burgers, we offer many appetizers, as well as several varieties of loaded fries, salads, sandwiches, tacos, shakes and a full bar. We are also fortunate to have a very talented kitchen staff who develop our exciting weekly specials, which are unique in both flavor & presentation.

We also focus on offering a diverse craft beer selection. We put much thought into our 30 tap draft selection and rotate the taps constantly. Oh, and we have the largest spirit selection in the city, which is very unique for a burger bar.

The Muck & Fuss outdoor dining area, which is located in the courtyard between the inn and the restaurant is perfect for live music and other activities for our guests. Our architect, Patrick Winn from TADA (Total Art and Design Architecture) did an incredible job with the restaurant, which was built from the ground up. There are many unique elements to his design, inside and out, that has to be seen in person to truly appreciate. In summary: A unique property, building, hotel, food menu and beer menu sets us apart from others.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The role of luck.

What role has luck (good luck or bad luck) played in your life and business?

I’m not much of a believer in luck. I have had some breaks, but mostly obstacles. The key is getting around the obstacles and not giving up. 3 keywords: 1. Drive 2. Initiative 3. Persistence.

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Image Credit:
Kody Melton

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