ToyCen, some friends of mine opened a small Mexican food eatery in Fort Collins, Colorado back in the mid-'80's. The city didn't have a "real" (as in Tex-Mex) Mexican restaurant at the time, and the guys brought the goods. Today, they own a chain and are worth millions. They are also the exception to the rule, the rule being most new restaurants, as JV pointed out, don't make it. If you end up doing this, give them (your customers) the real thing, with fresh ingredients, and be prepared to fail. Perhaps you'll get lucky, but don't bet the farm on it. Oh, and good luck!
oh and did I mention free alcohol for clutchfans members who come in wearing tin foil hats!?!?!?!? :grin:
The one complaint of my buddy who lived in Charleston & now lives in Virginia was that there was no good Tex Mex places up there-they are as you described. I can think of one customer you might have on a regular basis. I think you might be on to something from what he's told me. BTW, demographics don't mean a thing if the food is good.
You have no idea what that odd white cheddar like thing is? It's probably cotija cheese which is a common mexican cheese. As someone who works in the industry, it sounds like you have no idea how to cook or what goes into cooking. I would suggest "staging" in a mexican kitchen before you even think about opening one. That means you should ask a place you like to eat at to work for free. Free labor is always welcomed and you will see what it takes to run a kitchen. Unless you have a well experienced chef lined up to run the kitchen, you WILL be producing average food. As others have said, you are already behind. Do you have experience with tex-mex food? Did you know most restaurants are using what you buy at the grocery store? Unless you plan to pay premium prices for "farm to table" locally grown stuff, you will be buying from the same people h.e.b. buys from which is not to say it's bad. Remember, there are chefs with years and years of experience who fail at opening restaurants who have been doing it all their life. Also, as someone mentioned earlier since you're asking on cf's you probably have no idea what you're doing. Don't even try.
Anyone telling you a Mexican restaurant won't appeal to white people is a moron. Everyone likes GOOD Mexican food... If you see an underserved market and think you can penetrate it I say go for it. I second the truck idea though.... Significantly less overhead, more focus on the food, ability to move locations and cater parties. If all goes well then set up a brick and mortar operation. Franklins BBQ in Austin recently did this to great success and bernies burger bus here in Houston is about to do the same. It allows you to build a large clientele base while minimizing the upfront risk. Good luck.
There are a few of these in North Dakota and Minnesota. You should expand the franchise: http://www.spacealiens.com/
Look, Toss statistics out the window, never listen to the naysayers, if you believe in it, you go for it. The naysayers generally will shy away from risk, it is the risk takers that make it rain. Never be afraid to fail, out of failure comes knowledge and experience for the next time. DD
It's the successful and/or lucky risk takers that make it rain. The rest end up on the porch of a double-wide spinning yarns and counting food stamps.
