PAPASITOS, a Mexican restaurant in downtown LA, is a hidden gem with the best tacos this side of the border. They have specialties like Al Pastor pork and chicken Mole de Olla which you can’t find anywhere else. There are also tamales and quesadillas, as well as enchiladas and their signature dish, the Chilaquiles Con Crema .
PAPASITOS is a hidden gem because it’s often hard to find parking downtown, but don’t let its location fool you into thinking that there isn’t anything special about it. The minute you walk in, the atmosphere is inviting. The tables are arranged so that there’s never a long line for a seat. And PAPASITOS has become famous for its exceptional service and quality food. You’ll be served right away by their friendly wait staff with a smile on their faces.
In this article, I’m going to give you 15 tips that will help you succeed in any restaurant business and make sure you don’t fail like I did.
1. Finding the perfect location is essential for a restaurant
PAPASITOS is located in Downtown Los Angeles, a place where entrepreneurs and business owners live. The area has been developing at an impressive rate for the last ten years. The same thing happened to New York and San Francisco, which are now two of the biggest cities in the country. As far as location goes, it’s one of the best spots on first street. It’s close to Olvera Street and not far from Little Tokyo.
It’s also very close to Chinatown, Skid Row and only two blocks away from LA’s Arts District which means this place will continue to grow stronger as LA continues down its path of progress.
2. Cater to the locals and not just tourists
PAPASITOS started in 1983 and quickly became one of the most popular destinations for tourists. But owner Ruben Pimentel took notice that the locals in LA are what keep businesses alive, so he started marketing his restaurant to them. That was the move that sealed their success. The locals come back over and over again, while Turores only visit once a year. There’s a saying: “If you want to succeed, you need to market to your locals.”
3. Don’t be afraid to take risks with your menus
Another common trend with restaurants is that they all offer the same foods using different ingredients from around the world. That’s not the case at PAPASITOS. They encourage their chefs to experiment and create menus that are different from what others are serving.
This way, they can create a unique and authentic Mexican restaurant experience which will appeal to local residents. Because of this, PAPASITOS is very popular because there’s something for everyone in the menu.
4. Consider your staff as key to your success
Why is it that so many restaurants fail? Because they don’t consider their staff as important as the food itself. PAPASITOS takes the risk and gives their employees a good salary.
They expect them to work hard, but they don’t expect them to put up with ridiculous behavior just to keep their jobs. You can see that it works because they’re one of the most successful restaurants on Yelp and Trip Advisor. They give you a kind of “family” atmosphere at PAPASITOS and take care of you when you’re down or need some help.
5. Keep marketing your business all day every day
Because it’s just so important for restaurants to create a loyal customer base, this is another common mistake most new business owners make with their marketing efforts.
If you want to succeed in any business, you need to market it every single day. And that means making sure that your restaurant is consistent when it comes to quality and service.
6. Using social media works wonders for PAPASITOS marketing efforts
One of the best ways to market a restaurant is through social media. With over 1,000+ Facebook fans and over 300+ Yelp followers in a little over five years, PAPASITOS has become one of the most popular restaurants on both sites because they’re so consistent with their social media marketing efforts.
Their social media marketing has helped them market to their loyal customers and create a buzz around town. People are always excited when there’s something new on the menu or when the restaurant hosts a new event. It’s not enough to make a great product, you need to tell people about it and get them in your store.
7. PAPASITOS believes that quality products speak for themselves
Good food is essential for every restaurant. It’s what will bring customers back again and again after they’ve tried it once, so you need to focus on serving only the best quality food possible if you want to succeed.
When it comes to PAPASITOS, they only use the highest quality ingredients, which is why customers love to go there. They know they’ll be receiving the best possible food at all times. So when someone orders a Chorizo taco and it tastes amazing, they know that everything is fresh and made right in front of them.
8. Get involved with your surrounding neighborhood
Another important aspect of marketing a restaurant is knowing what’s going on in your community and getting involved with it. Since PAPASITOS is based in downtown LA, they set up more than 30 community booths throughout the city every year to help promote their business while also promoting their local businesses.
By doing this, they create a buzz around town and people feel like they are more than just a business owner, they are part of the community. This creates an authentic experience that goes beyond the plate.
9. Get creative with your prices and specials
Wedding season is around the corner, so PAPASITOS came up with a special deal for all their customers: during wedding season, if you buy one item from the menu you get another for free. It’s a great way to bring in new customers and make sure that people who come back enjoy their experience even more.
Another way to bring in new customers is to have special events that are only for your regulars. Announce them on social media and all the people who follow you will know about it.
10. It’s not enough to just focus on your food
You need to focus on your customer service, too. Because at the end of the day, it’s what everyone remembers most about your restaurant and can cause a much greater impact than just food or location. If you serve bad food, someone still may go there because they like the place itself or because they love its location.
Conclusion:
As you can see, there are a lot of similarities between PAPASITOS and Chipotle. Both focus on serving food made with fresh ingredients, both offer a family-friendly atmosphere, and they both provide excellent customer service.
So the question with this debate is: who provides better customer service? Ultimately it comes down to which restaurant you have visited more frequently. However, I believe that PAPASITOS has done an excellent job by giving their customers hot tortillas every time they visit.
