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Teaming Up: Mexican Restaurants Get Exposure with Partnerships
Partnerships are essential to a successful business, and many Mexican restaurants are partnering with well-known companies to help raise their profiles. Some make a lot of sense, others not so much!
In the “makes sense” category, Tito’s Tacos in Los Angeles has been teaming up with Tito’s Handmade Vodka for the past six years. Their names are the driving force, but Tito’s is a popular vodka in a lot of Mexican restaurants, so the product connection exists, too.
The companies have created a community festival near Tito’s Tacos that doubles as a fundraiser for the Culver City Arts Foundation. Recently, the restaurant debuted Tito’s Tapestry, a short documentary about the event.
Illegal Pete's teamed up with the "immersive art experience" called Meow Wolf in Denver
The partnership between Illegal Pete’s, a burrito-focused restaurant in Denver, and Meow Wolf, an “immersive art experience” in the Mile High City, is another match-up that isn’t all that surprising. Why? Because both businesses are known for their irreverent, fun, untraditional attitudes.
The restaurant created tie-dyed tortillas that invoke the spirit of Meow Wolf, and together they produced a video that appeals to customers of both businesses. The partnership may be expanding, too. Illegal Pete’s founder, Pete Turner, says he’s thinking of adding Meow Wolf tickets to his Starving Artists program, which feeds out-of-state musicians passing through Denver.
“So, you get fed at Pete's and then go to Meow Wolf, which to me seems like a pretty cool hospitality gesture for people visiting Denver and probably makes Denver a more special place to these bands,” Turner said in an interview with el Restaurante.
Partnerships with athletes fall into the “sort-of-makes-sense” category, since athletes’ personalities and successes rub off on the restaurant, at least theoretically.
The All-World Breakfast Burrito at Rubio's
For example, in June, Rubio’s Coastal Grill partnered with professional surfers Griffin and Crosby Colapinto to launch an exclusive new menu item, the “All-World Breakfast Burrito.” The surfing brothers exude a cool beach vibe, which is exactly the vibe Rubio’s wants to exude, too.
Similarly, Tex-Mex chain Surcheros has partnered with Luke Bennett, a wide receiver on the University of Georgia’s football team. The result: the Bennett Burrito and Queso "Luke's Way” that now appear on the restaurant’s menu.
Because nearly all of Surcheros’ 26 locations are in Georgia, it’s a safe bet many of their customers are Georgia football fans. A portion of proceeds from sales of both menu items will be donated to DGD Outdoor Adventures Inc., a non-profit organization that provides opportunities for underprivileged children to connect with the Georgia football program through outdoor activities.
On the far end of the spectrum are the partnerships that really make you scratch your head.
Moe's and Cheez-It crackers - huh?
Take the partnership between Moe’s Southwest Grill and Cheez-It crackers. What do cheese crackers have to do with Mexican food? Nothing. But Moe’s has decided that people might want to put Cheez-Its in their burritos or tacos — and of course they like the media attention they get from the odd pair-up.
Who wants to be a Chipotle fork at Halloween?
And finally, the least sensible partnership of all is the one between Chipotle and Spirit Halloween. The giant costume vendor is making burrito, fork, take-out bag, water cup and napkin costumes. Has any kid ever wanted to be a napkin for Halloween? Or a fork? Probably not, but Chipotle got the idea for the costumes when a social media post showing fictional images of those costumes attracted 700,000 social engagements.
We won’t know until late October if Spirit Halloween actually sells many of the costumes, but Chipotle is getting all kinds of press about the idea. And clearly that’s the goal of any partnership — to attract attention and bring customers in the door.
Salsa Contest Deadline Extended
The deadline for the 2024 Sassiest Salsa Contest, sponsored by Sammic, has been extended to September 30. The winner will receive a Sammic XM-52 Immersion Blender, the ultimate tool for mixing salsa! And the top three winners will get a cash prize: $750, $500 and $250, respectively. Winning recipes also will be used in our Recipe of the Week emails and published in the November/December edition of el Restaurante.
Don’t wait! To enter the contest, click here. Your recipe must be an original creation — and remember we’ll publish the winners, so don’t send a recipe you’re trying to keep secret. Experienced chefs will judge the recipes and winners will be announced in October. Good luck!
Learn the Art of Bizcocho at Antojo Industry Expo
Chef Alex Peña
Chef Alex Peña, an artisan baker with decades of experience rooted in the rich traditions of Mexican and Central American baking, will offer two Cocina Antoja demonstrations during the Antojo Industry Trade Expo in Long Beach, California, October 13-14.
On October 13 at 11 a.m., Peña will present an immersive class on bizcocho, highlighting Mexican sweet breads, conchas and chilindrinas. On October 14 at 11 a.m., he will teach attendees the intricate steps of making pan de muerto, including the unique Tumbas variety in a 45-minute session that will end with a tasting of bread fresh from the oven.
Peña has trained at the prestigious Richemont School of Baking in Luzerne, Switzerland, and Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, California. He has worked at his family’s famous La Morenita Bakery & Tortilleria in Los Angeles and in bakeries throughout the world.
To register for Antojo Industry Trade Expo, click here.
Webinar Will Help Mexican Restaurants with Social Media
Are you struggling to keep your restaurant's social media presence fresh and engaging? A free webinar — Digital Hospitality: 7 Social Media Tactics That Will Get You ALL the Customers — on October 17 at 1 p.m. Central time can help!
This webinar, part of the el Restaurante Webinar Series, will be led by Mark Sorenson from Social High Rise, a company that specializes in social media for restaurants. Sorenson will offer tips that will help you win your guests over completely and keep them coming back for more. You’ll get easy-to- follow advice that you can start using right away. Plus, you will get free tools like the Social High Rise Ultimate Restaurant Social Media Checklist and a preview of ReviewAssist.
Please click here to register for this complementary webinar.
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