During the shutdown, Los Sombreros—a Mexican restaurant with locations in Scottsdale and Phoenix—was faced with devising alternatives to dine-in service. While figuring out the best way to buy pantry and refrigerator staples for the restaurant, owners Kurt and Colleen Riske decided to create an online grocery mini mart. Called the Mercado, it allowed customers to purchase such food staples as produce, dairy, eggs, pantry items, prepared foods, beer, wine, cocktails and even paper and plastic goods, all of which could be picked up curbside.
The restaurant also started driving a “margarita van” through neighborhoods, offering margaritas, chips and salsa, and pints of homemade ice cream. In addition, chicken and vegan bowls were available at a drive-through option set up to operate strictly during the shutdown. The restaurant donated and served 130 of the bowls to out-of-work food industry workers in a single afternoon at its Phoenix location.
“Our customers have expressed so much gratitude for the Mercado,” Colleen says. “There are plenty of folks who still want to avoid the grocery stores in-person and prefer picking up their grocery orders curbside from us, along with a family-style meal for the night.”
Riske says before the shutdown, 95 percent of their business was dine-in. Through these alternatives, the restaurant replaced about 30 percent of its revenue.