Blondie Tito's Cartoon
By Ed Avis
When COVID shut down the world last March, Tito’s Tacos in Los Angeles did as thousands of restaurants did: They greatly expanded their delivery business. But rather than use one of the many delivery apps – GrubHub, DoorDash, etc. – they created their own delivery program.
“Cost was one major reason we didn’t go with the other apps. It doesn’t seem reasonable for us to lose money for every delivery order,” says Lynne Davidson, co-owner of the restaurant with her husband, Wirt Morton. “And I think we felt we would have a lot more control.”
The restaurant was not new to online ordering, but online orders were minimal and delivery was non-existent before COVID hit.
“Pre-pandemic we did have an online ordering program on our site, just for takeout orders over $75,” explains Morton. “When the pandemic hit, we scrambled with our IT people and expanded what we had so it could handle for delivery.”
Doing the programming themselves meant Morton and Davidson could directly involve their managers in the design process. Because the managers know the restaurant menu and customer habits well, they influenced the design of the platform to make it user-friendly and simple. The site allows customers to choose the delivery time they prefer, and the menu is presented precisely as in the store, in contrast to the occasionally inaccurate menus presented by the established apps.
To do the actual delivery, Morton and Davidson called on Street Smart Messengers, an established delivery company in Los Angeles. Morton had used that company when he worked in the entertainment industry, so he trusted they could do the job well.
“When we contacted them, the owner said that delivering food is not typically what they do, but he had five or six drivers without work, so it was a win-win for them, too,” Morton says.
The drivers are all hourly employees of Street Smart, not freelancers as the drivers for the established apps are. The company earns money from the delivery charge; the drivers keep the tips. Morton and Davidson wanted to ensure that the delivery personnel knew how to handle food, so they required that all of them earn the California Certified Food Handlers designation.
“It’s mandated by the State of California that restaurant employees be certified, but it’s not mandated for delivery drivers,” Davidson says. “But we wanted our delivery drivers to be trained. I don’t think any other delivery service does that.”
Tito’s Tacos launched their delivery service in June 2020, and now it makes up about 15 percent of their sales, Morton says. Take-out is the biggest portion of the restaurant’s sales, at 80 percent.
Blondie Helps Market
Morton and Davidson are master marketers. For the past three years they have partnered with Tito’s Handmake Vodka to create the day-long Tito’s Fiesta Mexicana, an entertainment extravaganza that raises funds for charity and generates good press for the restaurant. The next one is scheduled for October 4, 2021.
They also sponsor professional welterweight boxer Angel Ruiz, who sports the Tito’s logo on his trunks. In April Ruiz won a fight that was broadcast on NBC SportsChannel, ensuring that potential customers around the world are at least slightly familiar with Tito’s Tacos.
But their latest effort is the most creative: They’ve drafted cartoon characters Blondie and Dagwood to help promote Tito’s Tacos takeout.
“About four or five years ago, someone handed my wife a Blondie cartoon cut out of the LA Times that shows that Dagwood can order food online,” Morton explains. “In the cartoon he picks up a pizza and food from a Mexican place called Tito’s.”
That coincidence gave Morton and Davidson an idea. They contacted King Features Syndicate, which distributes the Blondie cartoon, with the concept of using the cartoon – slightly modified – as a promotion for the actual Tito’s. King Features agreed.
Morton and Davidson then had their graphic designer, Tom Bland, edit the cartoon to show Dagwood visiting their restaurant for the takeout. They created posters of the modified cartoon and hired a firm to plaster them around town. They also have plans to place the poster on the side of their truck and on three delivery trucks used by the company that provides their tortillas. (See the video below that shows the posters being put up.)
“The first flight of posters was put up in 30 locations in January,” Morton says. “We’ll do it again in a few weeks. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s a nice way of bringing some humor to this time.”