Don Lucho's Business Insights and Journey

Starting and Growing a Food Truck Business

• Maintaining a Primary Job:
  • Held onto a construction job for about two years while starting the food truck business.
  • Recommended to maintain a steady income source while sorting out initial business challenges.

Opening Day Experiences

• Food Cart Opening Day:
  • Managed to serve about 30 orders using a small Weber toaster.
  • Highlighted the importance of expecting the unexpected and adapting equipment for efficiency.
• Restaurant Opening Day:
  • Described as very chaotic due to high demand.
  • Labeled as a soft opening to set customer expectations.

Choosing a Restaurant Location

• The location was serendipitously selected, as the opportunity was presented by the previous owner who was familiar with the food truck.
• Location benefits: Busy corner with high foot and car traffic, aiding passive marketing.

Marketing and Brand Exposure

• Mobile Advertising:
  • Food trucks serve as moving advertisements, increasing brand visibility.
• Leveraging Free Advertisement:
  • Engaged food bloggers for exposure.
  • Emphasized seeking opportunities for free advertising, such as community events and social media.
• Strategic Exposure:
  • Reached out to renowned chef Gaston Acurio for a mention, which led to significant exposure.

Best Sellers and Menu Development

• Top sellers include:
  • Lomo Saltado: A popular steak dish.
  • Arroz con Mariscos: Seafood rice.
  • Ceviche: Well-loved Peruvian dish.
• Worked with a chef to standardize the menu to ensure consistency, irrespective of the chef's presence.

Operations and Customer Service

• Food Truck Capacity:
  • Serves around 80-100 people per day with a two-person team.
• Restaurant Seating:
  • Can accommodate up to 70 people, with expanded outdoor seating.
• Efficiency in Operations:
  • Efficient workflow and assembly line in place to handle high order volumes.

Key Factors for Business Growth

• Team Building:
  • Essential to have a reliable team with shared work ethic.
• Marketing:
  • Invest in marketing and advertising (including free avenues) wisely.

Advice for Aspiring Food Truck Owners

• Reliability and Relationships:
  • Importance of being reliable and punctual to build strong relationships with venue owners.
• Execution and Faithfulness:
  • Emphasized on executing plans and maintaining consistency in operations.

Final Thoughts

• Encouragement to engage with content for more business insights and connect via comments for questions.
• Highlighted the importance of taking risks and using free advertisement opportunities for growth.