Kathleen Furore
The chips at Old Pueblo Cantina in Chicago always arrive hot.
By Kathleen Furore
Editor's Note: At least twice a month, my husband Ed Avis (el Restaurante's publisher) and I head to Old Pueblo, an upscale neighborhood restaurant a few blocks from our home. No matter the night, the place is buzzing — and one big draw is the phenomenal chips that hit the table almost immediately: thin, crispy, and best of all, warm. We've told the waitstaff more than once that they're the best chips we've ever had, and they say we're not the only ones who think so.
What makes warm tortilla chips so irresistible? And why are they such a smart investment for restaurants?
Heat softens surface starches, which creates fresher, crunchier chips. It also releases the warm corn-and-oil aroma that hits customers as they walk in the door, which can subconsciously compel them to order more than they originally intended (think guacamole, specialty salsas, premium appetizers, and high-margin cocktails, too).
So how can you make sure you’re serving the kind of warm chips that drive sales? Go!Foodservice recommends skipping the oven, because uneven heat there tends to dry them out or cook them inconsistently. A dedicated chip warmer solves that issue with continuous, even heat, delivering the crispy texture guests want and avoiding the top complaint about chips: cold, stale ones.
The efficiency gains matter too. Batch-prep during downtime, hold chips for hours without quality loss, and free up staff during the rush — all while cutting discards.
Texican, a company founded by Don Spilger in Houston in 1987 and today run by his son JB Spilger and JB's daughter Kayleigh Diaz, was a pioneer in the chip warming equipment market. Here, Diaz shares the story of how the company’s chip warmers came to be.
What made Don Spilger decide to start a company focused specifically on chip warmers? Did he have any experience in the restaurant industry? Had a lot of bad/stale chips when eating at restaurants?
The idea was actually spurred by Ninfa Lorenzo, or as she is better known “Mama Ninfa,” who founded Ninfa’s Restaurants in Houston. She was using drawer warmers and had complaints of crushed chips at the bottom and inconsistent heating throughout the drawer. This led to waste of chips and staleness! Prior to the birth of Texican, Don was a restaurant designer and equipper. He spent many years in this industry.
How did he convince restaurants to try the warmers at first?
Don spent the early years in a rented trailer that he parked in the steel manufactures parking lot designing and building the very first machines. He drove these machines around Houston pitching his new idea to local equipment dealers and restaurants. Ironically, the first machine he sold was to a local steak house, Taste of Texas.
What do you/your salespeople say to restaurant owners/operators today if they're hesitant to invest in a warmer because they think their chips are fine as is?
We find that a lot of restaurant owners/operators tend to overlook the quality of their chips to cut or save cost elsewhere. At Texican we believe that at many restaurants, chips are the very first impression a customer will have to the restaurant. Warm, fresh chips is exactly what our machines guarantee. We often joke that while the initial cost is an investment, you will never have to buy another machine again. Great for the customer, not so great for us lol!
What is it about your warmers that set them apart?
For starters, we are the original designers and manufactures of these types of machines. We have the most durable and affordable option on the market. Our machines are American made and Texican is family run, down to the grandkids! We pride ourselves on our customer service and have a genuine investment in every machine we send out. Texican is our livelihood and that is apparent in every aspect of our machines down to the way they are packaged and shipped.
Do you have any recent input from restaurants that use your warmers?
We have customers that have used the same machine for over 20+ years. We work with our customers to attempt repairs before recommending a whole replacement machine. Our customer trust that their machines will work reliably for years. Our customers know that they can always count on someone to be there to answer their calls and fulfill all their needs.
# # #