Simply down the road from Ohio State College, the primary Condado Tacos opened in 2014. It was a celebration of excellent meals and individuality, in keeping with CEO Chris Artinian. Within the intervening years, nothing and all the things has modified for the restaurant firm.
“Joseph [Kahn, founder of Condado Tacos]The imaginative and prescient of was to create a spot that not solely had nice meals, actually contemporary, clear, no preservatives, nice flavors, appetizing merchandise, however was additionally a placeArtinian stated.
“Much more essential than the meals, if that is attainable, was creating an surroundings the place folks can come as they’re,” he stated.
Condado Tacos doesn’t have uniforms for its workers; they will actually “come as they’re” to work. Artinian stated this makes for a extra snug and pleasant surroundings, as does the graffiti on the partitions, all designed by native artists from every location.
This has helped in these troublesome occasions for work, in keeping with Artinian. He believes that Condado Tacos had a barely simpler path than most eating places as a result of “they permit the staff to be themselves.”
“The thought is simply to create this vacation spot of an important place to eat,” he stated.
The model’s shopper base is youthful, the core demographic is between 25 and 45 years previous, in keeping with Artinian, going again to these days within the state of Ohio serving college students and “hipsters” within the neighborhood. However it’s nonetheless enticing to everybody.
“It is intangible the place folks really feel tremendous snug on this actually pleasant surroundings,” he stated.
Patrons additionally flock to the informal restaurant for quite a lot of functions. The idea is designed to get meals out the door in a well timed method. That is virtually remarkable for an informal restaurant.
“We’re pleased with the truth that we will play each methods. Are available in for an important full service expertise and revel in cocktails, salsas, tacos, and many others but additionally benefit from the pace and comfort of quick informal service the place you’ll be able to choose up and [get food] to go,” he stated.
The menu is small and the kitchen is organized and environment friendly, giving Condado the power to arrange meals with the pace and effectivity of a quick informal restaurant.
“We are able to get our folks to select up or go as quick as any quick informal restaurant,” he stated.
Condado Tacos solely serves tacos, dips and margaritas.
The small menu and restricted substances spark creativity, in keeping with Artinian.
“We stick with what we do nicely, so it permits us to actually deal with being nice, and we will get artistic with tacos with out overcomplicating creating recipes,” he stated.
Many shoppers select to have a conventional informal eating expertise and keep for 45 minutes. Artinian does not care, he isn’t dashing them in any respect. In reality, he welcomes you. However for individuals who select pace, expertise is there to assist.
Condado Tacos makes use of handheld gadgets that enable servers to enter orders instantly from the desk, friends to pay on the desk, and extra.
“If you wish to keep an hour, you are in management, however for those who are available for lunch and also you solely have 30 minutes, you’ll be able to stroll in, sit down and really feel such as you actually loved an important meal and nonetheless be again at your desk in 30-35 minutes,” he stated. Artinian.
The idea initially targeted on “nice meals, wonderful margaritas, nice folks, and a celebration of individuality,” in keeping with Artinian. That model id hasn’t modified within the model’s practically full decade in enterprise.
And it has grown in that point, too. The restaurant presently has 34 models and plans 5 extra this yr to convey the variety of models to 39. Within the coming years, Condado Tacos expects to steadily open 12 to 15 extra shops yr after yr.
What’s it prefer to be a Midwestern model on this surroundings? Artinian has a solution for that.
“The Midwest has been an important development car for eating places in recent times and, , I believe for those who actually have a look at it, it has been the birthplace of plenty of chains that folks have come to understand. ,” he stated.
Condado Tacos, whereas it has areas in bigger cities like Columbus and Pittsburgh, is taking the time to understand smaller, underserved cities that do not get the eye of bigger ones when trying to increase.
“We have realized that these markets within the Midwest have been actually underserved, and so they’re rising by leaps and bounds in recent times, which is basically thrilling to see,” he stated.
