Jeremy Julian - RTG: Welcome back to the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast. I thank everyone out there for joining us.

Jeremy Julian - Restaurant ...: Welcome back to the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast. Today we are thrilled to have a special guest who I've been chatting with about coming on the show. He's true innovator in the restaurant industry and has done a myriad of different things. His current title, as of the time of this recording, is the Director of Off-Premise and Catering for Costa Vida. His name is Alan Beck. You probably have seen him on the LinkedIn feeds and he's constantly commenting. He's at a ton of shows.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: As I like to say each and every time, we appreciate you guys hanging out with us because I know you guys got lots of choices. So thanks for hanging out on the show for today. Today I am joined by somebody that, I don't know, pseudo celebrity in the LinkedIn space, keeps winning all these darn awards, know, has an amazing background in his picture. But Allen, why don't you introduce yourself for those that maybe have been living under a rock and aren't sure who you are. Talk to me a little bit about who is Allen and then we'll get a chance to talk about what you get to do.

Jeremy Julian - Restaurant ...: Ironically, after this episode got recorded, he had just resigned from Costa Vida and has recently taken on a new role in 2026. By the time this episode comes out, Alan will have been on the side. ⁓ it's going to be fun to catch up with him in the next couple of months as he tries to figure out what it looks like going from being on the brand side to the tech side. ⁓ shares a ton of insights as to how Costa Vida does a ton.

Allen Beck: Yeah, I'm Allen Beck. the director of off premise and catering for Costa Vida. I've been ⁓ Costa Vida. Tomorrow will be nine years. oversee all of our app and web, third party catering and drive-through technologies revenue channels. I'm just to chat with you guys ⁓ and let guys a little bit about what we do here at Costa Vida and how we're having a positive impact in our neck of the world. ⁓

Jeremy Julian - Restaurant ...: with their off-prem and catering to really be a brand of choice for people that are out there. He and I have a really fun discussion going back and forth about all of the things that he's learned and how he implements change and works with operations closely to make sure that they are successful with the off-prem. So tune in, help us to ⁓ this a fantastic episode. And thank you for joining. If you don't know me, my name is Jeremy Julian. I'm the Chief Revenue Officer for CBS Northstar. We work at the Northstar Point of Sale Solution for multi units.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: I love it. For those that not familiar with Costa Vida, I am a huge fan of the brand. Anytime I'm in that part of town, I live in Dallas, so any chance I get to go hit up one of the stores, I'm like, okay, I'm in Flower Mountain. There's a store right around the corner. I gotta go figure out how to, that's my home store. There's another one down in kind of the Alliance area. So depending on which side of town I'm on, I'm like, okay, I gotta go check out at Costa Vida. I selfishly love the brand, but for those that are not familiar, that are not in a part of the country, that they've gotten to experience it, who is Costa Vida?

Allen Beck: of that. Thank Yep.

Jeremy Julian - Restaurant ...: please check us out at cbsnorstar.com. And now, on to the episode.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Thank

Allen Beck: Yeah, so Costa Vida, we are a 22 year old brand. Our very first store was opened up in 2003 in Layton, Utah. ⁓ fresh Mexican grill. Internally, joke that we don't do Mexican food the easy way. We do Mexican food the right way. So we are a from scratch kitchen. All of salsas, sauces, proteins, even our specialty beverages are all made in-house every day. really what sets us apart is from that ⁓ from idea ⁓ that do it the way that ⁓ Mexican food be done. ⁓ We don't to cut corners or take things away. It's just absolutely unreal. ⁓ I ⁓ I've here nine years. ⁓ I've ⁓ the almost every day for nine years, and I'm still not sick of ⁓ it.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yeah, well the thing that I always find interesting about your brand is every time I go there's something new, there's some new flavor that I can try, there's some new product that you guys have. just, mean, again, and I know a lot of people tease about Mexican food. It's like, it's a protein, it's a tortilla in some form or fashion, it's beans, it's rice, but it feels like you guys do a lot in the way of continuing to innovate where others are kind of like, pretty static. Is that part of the DNA? Is that part of the brand?

Allen Beck: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. In fact, we have a whole department. So shout out to Kit Preswitch, who's our VP of Innovation. He owns all of that. So he owns menu, supply chain, all of that. And so he and team do an amazing job. ⁓ In making sure that hey, what's the next? LTO that we're coming out with is it our chili verde is it? Our shrimp. What is it? So he does a really good job of working ⁓ finding finding the new ⁓ flavor that gonna we're gonna ⁓ roll out then working with our marketing team and developing a whole campaign around that ⁓ and ⁓ really on it. It's really awesome. We have a few news coming out next year that we're super excited about that I think is gonna have a real amazing impact on the Costa Vida fans that they're gonna really like what we've come that way.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: I love that. And I guess for those that are not less familiar, geographically, you guys started in Utah. Where have you guys penetrated? Where is your guys' core market? And how big have you guys gotten ⁓ from a brand recognition perspective and geographically?

Allen Beck: Yeah. So currently we have 91 locations open today. geographically, we are in the Utah market. What we refer to, and maybe the Midwesterners will know this, the Pioneer Corridor, which is like the Utah, Arizona, Texas, Idaho areas. We are in 17 states and Canada. We have one up in Minnesota, one out in Tennessee, several in Texas, and Arizona. Utah is our core market, and then Idaho. have ⁓ growth plan, isn't proprietary information, I'm not letting the cattle go back here, but we've taken a couple beachheads here the next few years and we're gonna really saturate the market in the Texas, Dallas area and Houston area, as well the Phoenix market well in Arizona. ⁓

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yeah, I'm sure it's an interesting divide coming into Texas because it feels like you can't swing a 9-iron and not hit a Mexican place. guys deliver something that's so different than what most do. And so I love that. ⁓ love that about your brand that you guys are growing here and have been successful in the Texas market because of that. ⁓

Allen Beck: Yeah.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Oh, and you talked about what you get to do. And so I know that, um, I know that you're, you know, responsible for a lot more of the off premise. Um, when you and I first met, I don't know, four or five years ago, maybe three years ago at RLC, you and I got to talking a little bit. And part of why I wanted to have you on the show is this. guys have a, I don't say a different, but a very intentional off-prem. A lot of people, I feel like a lot of brands are like, ah, it's just a secondary afterthought. Whereas you guys not only resource that I know you get to head that up, but it's a, it's a fantastic product off-prem and you guys. through a lot in the way of ensuring that the guest is satisfied and that you guys are delivering high value. Talk to me a little bit about kind of your guests' off-premise and where you get to make the largest impact as it really is off-prem.

Allen Beck: Yeah, I love that question. There's so many different ways to pick that question. think the very first one, the only way that I'm successful ⁓ I work very closely ⁓ ⁓ our operations team. ⁓ it matter what strategy ⁓ or concept or what marketing plan I work with, none of is successful if... operations isn't bought into it. So when we talk about catering strategy and we come out with a new catering offering or we come out with a ⁓ new menu item or whatever, I work very closely with the operations team because I need their buy-in. So working with the VP of Ops, the director of company operations and our director of franchise operations, I with those three very closely because if I roll out a new concept or I roll out... a new packaging for to-go orders or whatever and they're like, this thing's a piece of crap. They're not going to execute on it and then our customers are going to feel that. So the only way that I'm successful are because of Josh Brinkerhoff, my VP of Ops, Shannon Valentine, my Director of Company Operations, and Brian Collins, my Director of Franchise Operations. I have to give them by name and a shout out because that I do, can be successful without them. Obviously, Brian has to take it to the franchisees and sell this strategy, this concept to the franchisees and the franchise market. Shannon takes it to the corporate stores and the corporate market and say, like, this is what we need. This is what we're going to be doing. they've been a part of the process. And so they're saying, this isn't Allen on the off-premise team just something out willy-nilly. It's we've been a part of the process. We've ⁓ baked out. We've gotten input from operators. to make sure that when we roll out a policy, a procedure, packaging, new menu item, or whatever it may be for off-premise, that it's successful. Because it doesn't matter, the best marketing campaign doesn't matter if operations like this thing sucks. I'm not gonna do it.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yeah. Well, it, I guess, is part of what I was so impressed with you guys on. This is that it's a collective effort and all too often, ⁓ ⁓ either an afterthought, kind of off-prem. It's like, ⁓ yeah, we have this menu, but nobody really cares about it. ⁓ two, ⁓ at odds with, you you've got your drivers, you're trying to drive off-prem sales, but operations like screw that guy, ⁓ get them to come into the store. We cannot execute on that. And so.

Allen Beck: Yeah.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Help our listeners, guess, Allen, understand did you get that buy-in because operators typically ⁓ ⁓ And I don't say that in a bad way, but they ⁓ like it the way they like it and they operate the way they do. it, are you selling to them? Are you just sharing with them the gross margin, you know, changes? Help our understand that maybe stuck in that paradigm shift ⁓ where they they need to get off-prem but haven't gotten there. ⁓ What have you done that's been successful inside your organization? You shouted out all those people that are so amazing at that, but you obviously led some of that charge and I'd love for you to educate our listeners.

Allen Beck: Yeah, I mean, the biggest thing, again, I can't take full credit, but. the biggest thing that's the biggest difference is getting the operational buy-in. And so when we roll something out, I just don't sit here in my office and say, all right, cool, we've rolled out this new concept, we've rolled out this new packaging. Now that we've rolled it out, I'm gonna go work in stores alongside not only the individuals I've already mentioned, but then the operators, the general managers in the stores. And we're gonna look through it. Because sometimes, though we worked at the leadership team of operations, when you put that in a store, in busy off-prem store, they're going to find ways to break that concept or that idea or that policy. And so it's really important to be able to like, okay, cool. We've rolled out a new condiment box to put all of the side items, the pico, the sour cream, the guacamole, et cetera. In theory, you're like perfect. I put every if I roll out a condiment box and you put all the side items in there, we're going to have less missing and incomplete. what we found when we initially rolled that out is that the condiment box was super difficult to put together. so after like once those orders started flowing in, ⁓ were like, this is a really cool box, but this thing's a piece of crap to build. I want the condiment box, but it needs to be easier to build. So then we went back. OK, we went and worked in the stores. We found that out. We got their feedback. We built it ourselves and we're like, yeah, this thing sucks. So. Then we went back to KIPP and supply chain and we said, hey, we need to work with our paper supplier. I mean, make this box. It just needs to like basically you snap it and it needs to build itself. ⁓ It to be that easy. That took some time. We found it and now it works. Now ⁓ we're and are missing and incomplete orders are being more accurate because we're not missing the side items. But the condiment box solved that. the original one didn't work. So if my advice to you would be ⁓ whether catering, your app and web orders or drive through, whatever it is out there, go and work in those revenue streams with the operators in store, busy stores, slow stores, medium stores, and you're going to find out quickly with your idea or your ⁓ process is going to work or not. Or they're going to tell you to kick rocks and you're not doing that. ⁓

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yeah. Well, I love that you that you get out of the ivory tower of corporate and get back to the stores and again I know that's part of your guys's culture, you know straight from the top that you guys do that and so the fact that you're there I I know all too often people like they don't you know, operators like they don't understand they've never been in the stores and the fact that you're willing and able to do that I think gives everybody an understanding of Hey, this is what it's gonna make it better now. How do we how do we go about, you know working collaboratively? They know that you're there with them that it's not your initiative but it's a global initiative across the board.

Allen Beck: Mm-hmm. And you get so much buy-in you're in those stores. ⁓ And it's like, yeah, I'm the director of off premise and catering. Great. You know what? I'm here to look at my concept, but I look over and see like, hey, dishes are piling up. You start helping them with dishes, you get their buy in now. And then when you try to roll something out in the future, they're like, hey, yeah, that guy came and helped me last time. I'll give it a shot and give him honest feedback versus like, they just keep shoving things down our throats and it doesn't work. Like I just witnessed this at a large concept. I won't name them because I don't want to get in trouble. But I was there and they came out with this new meal had like socks ⁓ everything and it was was a big deal. My kids loved it and a restaurant guy I was watching them this this concept struggle execute. I don't like I'm just curious like is it struggling because So I started asking the manager on duty. I'm like, like when you get a second, I'd love to just chat with you about it. I'm a restaurant guy. Let's talk about it. And they said, yeah, marketing sent this down and we're getting a ton of sales from this new mail. what they don't understand is when you go to close that box, the tabs don't work and then everything kind of explodes out and we can't fit it. And then the box is bigger than the bag it's supposed to go in. like, so they're like backed up and they got 20 of these mills on the screen and they're like, we can't execute on the one. And so it's like, it's it's a great. marketing concept you're driving business in but then operationally they're like I can't wait for this campaign to end because I hate it.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yeah, well, and I think that that's huge to get in that buy-in. talk to me a little bit about catering. Before jump straight into off-prem, because off-prem is a big piece. You talked about drive-through, and I know you're responsible for some of those pieces. Why catering? Why catering? Why do you guys focus a decent amount of your... efforts on catering. I personally know and I love kind of your guys' product but for those that are at one or two percent catering orders ⁓ Mexican Concepts, help our listeners understand why is catering such an unlock ⁓ too many brands are not considering.

Allen Beck: Well, why is it unlocked is because businesses are finally like putting money towards it. And so there's a big focus on it, right? We've heard at conferences, whether it be RLC, Food On Demand, even the tech conferences, FS Tech or MerTech, QSR, Fast Casual Executive. ⁓ It's a big, a buzzword, right? Catering is a buzzword. And so if you're not... building a strategy or a concept around that to help capitalize and to get a piece of that. I don't know if it's a billion dollar of also a trillion dollar pie of catering. You need to, but then also don't try to fit a square knob into a round hole. If you're going to offer catering, listen to what your customers are saying. Luckily for me, I've had 20 years of a brand of telling us, my consumers telling me what they want in catering. And then for me, It's just a matter of taking that feedback and then adjusting the strategy and concept and offerings to that feedback. I know that People ⁓ when order Costa Vida, they want to build your own bar And and what I love about that is we've been doing that very focused like highly in the last 10 years ⁓ I had strategic focus on that and then you get the big juggernauts Chipotle's that are now offering a build your own bar and I'm like, wow We've been doing that for 10 years. So we're we're we ⁓ We've captured lightning in a bottle and now people above us, where we're punching above our weight class, are following suit. And so it's really cool to see that. Now, if you're a Mexican concept and you have an awesome ⁓ enchiladas, got to, what I would suggest is make food. throw it in a container, wait 30 minutes and then eat it and see if you still like it. Because what we've done is we tried that. We tried to build everything, deliver it and it wasn't a good experience. And so what we've done from there is we said, okay, if we deconstruct it and then it that way where they can build it themselves, it works out well for us. We also have to be really strategic with that and be really honest with ourselves because we have salsas and sauces and proteins that have sauce in the process. team with our sweet pork, you want to be honest in the verticals that you want to play in. last place I want to play in ⁓ like the intimate wedding reception, wedding lunches, because I would die. If my port sauce got on that bride's white dress and I've ruined her day. So am I going to spend a lot of time marketing in the wedding venues and reception centers? No. Now, if someone calls in and says, hey, we want to do a luncheon with you guys, I talk to them about that. My sales reps talk to them about that. OK, we can. But we want to be very honest with you. Like, well, we want to play do salads. We probably don't want to do enchiladas or tacos because if something spills on those nice Dresses or tuxedos or whatever it's ⁓ gonna be devastated right and then people are gonna have that perception that we ruined that day for them So ⁓ not only do you want to talk about like what do you want to offer ⁓ how do you? ⁓ does the offering look but then what verticals do you want to play in? I'm very good in ⁓ the lunches in offices the PTA ⁓ the benefit nights for schools so I play well in that area and so ⁓ you're a if you're a burger joint that's like we don't want our food in those boxes for long because then the buns get soggy, then you want to make sure that you're offering it the right way. So that would be my biggest advice is be honest, get your customer feedback know what you want to offer and then be honest in the verticals that you want to play in. Obviously, I want to play in every vertical I can, ⁓ there are certain verticals that I don't want to spend time and marketing in because the ROI or ⁓ or whatnot isn't the best for me.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yep. Yep. Well, and the other thing I heard you say, Allen, that I think... all too often people don't think about is, they, their catering menu is just an expansion of their in-store menu. And it's like, it may or may not translate well. Me getting a bowl, which is typically my order with the sweet pork that you talked about, that does not translate well to a catering when, when I'm feeding 40 people. You want, you know, the build your own bowl versus the, the bowls where everybody's ordering them by themselves, which I guess brings me now to off-prem. You've got off-prem through third party. You've got off-prem through drive-through. You've got off-prem through

Allen Beck: Yeah.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: some other means, how do you guys think about that food traveling? Because again, I know you guys get a lot of feedback from your guests about where things are at. ⁓ How do guys manage both sides of that? Because it's, I can't imagine it's easy ⁓ because guests ⁓ want the same experiences if they're in the store, but now on DoorDash and it's 40 minutes later and is it as good and ⁓ all of that. So I'd for you to talk ⁓ us through how you guys think about that, especially with LTOs and ⁓ you your guys' concept in innovation.

Allen Beck: Yeah. Yep. Yeah, so it's very similar to the catering experience. ⁓ want to experience it for yourself first. So you to take that food, put it in your to-go packaging, and let it sit for 15, 20 minutes. What does it taste like? Did we lose something? And then ⁓ is too soggy? Is it too cold? What's going on there? And so one of the things that we found was our biggest opportunity ⁓ was nachos. Now, our nachos are phenomenal. you put, we're a deep-dive nacho, so they're layered nachos, and you put everything together, you got the beans, you got the protein, you got the cheese, you got the queso, you got the guac, sour cream, and pico de gallo on there, it's a fantastic bite in store. Now, if you put all of that on there, let it sit for 30 minutes, DoorDash driver then drives to deliver it, and you get it at home, all of that... liquid on there has just made all it's it's just a big bowl of soup. So the very first thing that we wanted to do is we said, okay, we got to deconstruct that a little bit. We need to take things off. So what we can do is we can say, okay, we can put the beans, the protein and the cheese on there. But we're to put the queso, the sour cream, the guacamole, and the pico de gallo. We're gonna put that on the side in four ounce containers. And so when they when they get it, they can put it on there. We're not making everything soggy, right? And so ⁓ and then you want to look at your make times, you want to look at your whole strategy of What, know, how long, much ⁓ how much time you lead time you need to make the order and then execute it. ⁓ then we worked very closely with like the door dashes and the Olu's of the world to make sure that our travel time isn't based off of distance. It's based off of how long it takes to get there. So we know that for me to execute ⁓ off-prem orders, either through my app web or third party, I need 15 minute lead time to make the order. That's not a arbitrary number. That's not a feel good number. That's data has backed that up. So order order comes in. It fires. got 15 minutes to make the order. OK, now maybe it only takes me about 12 to 13 minutes to make that order. So maybe it only sits for one or two door dash driver or customer comes back comes to pick up the order. I've strategically set my distance in all of my stores that it's only a 15 minute travel time. So. The way that we've built it is by the time the order fires to the time the order is delivered, it's a maximum of 30 minutes. Like that's it. If it's 35 minutes or 40 minutes, it adjusts accordingly. And then the distance to travel for the DoorDash drivers are only set at 15 minutes to get there because I know that's when my food is the best and that's before it starts degrading and losing, getting too soggy or getting too cold or whatnot.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yeah, obviously the intentionality by which you guys go. ⁓ The one thing you brought up a couple of times, Allen, that I'd love, again, I think it's just, it's underutilized as partnership with your packaging vendors. You brought up packaging two or three different times through the, you know, the first 20 minutes or so of this conversation. How do you go about finding the right packaging? You identify that it's a problem, but ⁓ it's hard. It's hard to make it cost effective ⁓ do that. It's hard to get production. Oftentimes you obviously lived through the pandemic when you couldn't get packaging at all. ⁓

Allen Beck: Yeah. you Yeah.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: I'd love to have you talk about how do you go discover? I see you at a lot of the shows. I know you walk these things to go talk with people. Do you just have deep relationships where you can explain to people what they're looking for? Or are you constantly out on the lookout or is it a little bit of both?

Allen Beck: Okay. Yeah, it's a little bit of both. So we have a great relationship with our paper supplier. Absolutely fantastic there. And so what we're able to do there is we're able to go to them and and say hey This is what we're looking for. What can you find me? Right? But then also on the flip side of that is going to these shows and being intentional with it If you're if you're going to a show and just like ⁓ happenstance, I'll see what's out there Then that's what you're gonna get I always go like ⁓ you set a specific goal You're gonna get a specific result Whether that's losing weight or going to a show to find current packaging or finding a technical solution or whatever So I always go intentional. I always like talking with the packaging at the conferences because they're gonna be showing their latest and greatest there. And so if you're not stopping by the booths and seeing what the latest and greatest is, ⁓ then missing on an opportunity. But then also being honest with yourselves and being like, okay, what am I looking for? Am I looking for a solution for my nachos? Am I looking for a solution for my catering packaging? Am I looking for a solution for or sealing the bag so that DoorDash drivers or Uber drivers aren't stealing chips out of the bag after we send it out the door, right? You wanna strategic with what you're looking for, because we've all been to NRA, right? There's so much going on there and you can get so overwhelmed. ⁓ Or you say, is exactly what I'm looking for, I'm gonna go to that section and I'm gonna go and find it.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Uh-huh.

Allen Beck: That would be my biggest advice. then honestly, having those deep relationships goes a long way. If it's a transactional relationship, it's barely relationship. so what we want to is we want to know how do we work together? How do we deepen that relationship? Because if you scratch our back, we'll scratch your back. And everybody's happier that way. ⁓ And we're not running off to find the cheapest and easiest solution to replace them and they feel like they're of the decision making process and they take pride in it. When they see that container or that to go packaging or that catering packaging out there, they take pride in it. Like look what I found for Costa Vida. Look what I found for that concept. I helped do that.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yep. No, I think that's part of what we do at CBS North Star. I know that we've kind of become become virtual friends. I know you've been spending time with Ali and Anthony. It's like we constantly are trying to figure out what is it that we can do to help each other. And to your point, I think it ends up being one of those things that makes everybody better. ⁓ question before I kind of before we start to wrap up is this. ⁓ often are you looking at what the competition is doing? You talked about Chipotle taking, you know, the build your own, ⁓ in a scoop and serve.

Allen Beck: Yeah.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Mexican concept at the counter. You know, there's some other people out there, you know, on the East Coast, know, the Bubba Coos of the world have been growing. You know, you've got the big ones, Folte and Mo's and some of those guys. And I know even in Utah, you guys have got, you know, there's another one that's kind of, that was a spinoff from you guys. So how often are you guys checking those things out for off-prem or you guys, you know, and I'll tell you a funny story. We had an employee that used to work at Taco Bell's corporate headquarters and Taco Bell owns, you know, Pizza Hut and they were working overnight shifts.

Allen Beck: Yep.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: and they brought in Dominant's Pizza and got called to the executive's office because they were bringing in the competitors food ⁓ the office. And at same time, I know a lot of brands like to see what others are doing so that they can learn from it. And so I'd love to understand how much are you keeping your ear down to, ⁓ you what is In-N-Out doing? What is, you know, just all these different brands, whether they're direct competitors or ⁓ they're, know, competitors just from a catering perspective and an off-prem perspective. How often are you looking at those competitors, Allen? And oftentimes guessing it's

Allen Beck: Love.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: you are doing that, you're learning from them.

Allen Beck: Yeah, so I think two concepts on there. So I'm going to be honest, I have every competitor's app on my phone, like every single one, at the ones that I ⁓ deem competitors. And what's interesting about that is I have relationships with the competitors. Jenkins over at Moe's and I.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Mm-hmm.

Allen Beck: We're friends, right? When we go to the catering workshop, we talk to each other. my mind, when successful, I'm successful, right? Because then bringing attention to our concepts and to our section of the industry. ⁓ And I that. But for me, I'm looking at least weekly. I'm getting all ⁓ the marketing emails push notifications from my competitors. And then... I'm not gonna lie. order caterings and order app and off-prem and third-party orders from my competitors at least quarterly. I want to see how the packaging is coming in. I want to see ⁓ what new LTO is. I want to see ⁓ what they doing in catering? How are they delivering it? What's included in it? ⁓ So for and this goes Wade and the leadership team here is, yeah, obviously ⁓ they don't want to bring in the competitors daily, right? Quit spending your money there, right? But at the same time if you're in again if you're it goes back to if you're being intentional with it Like I'm not just bringing in the competitors to give them money I'm bringing in the competitors because I want to see what they're doing and again success breeds success I look at it in world when In you want to talk about the POS world the CBS North Star like the last thing I would like you you want is you you don't a data breach out a competitor because then that then that then your Your partners and your customers are saying, well, what are you doing to prevent a data breach? Versus like, hey, came out with this concept, or Parbrink came out with this concept. Hey, we don't have that. How are we going to build that? Because they're seeing success from it. This is the same idea. ⁓ last thing I want is to see a competitor have a foodborne illness outbreak. Because then all that's going to happen for me is they're going to think, ⁓ Toastavita does it the very similar way. Is it safe to eat that?

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Absolutely. Yep.

Allen Beck: I want my competitors to be successful because it helps me be successful. When they stumble and fall or when I stumble and fall, we fill it in both areas. Here locally, to kind of put a pin in all that, here locally, we had a direct competitor go to and serve a catering for a 40 person catering. All 40 people got sick. The next day...

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Move.

Allen Beck: the health department was in my locations checking to see how we do catering. So again, didn't go to the concept and say, okay, what are you guys doing? They said, all right, who does catering just like this concept? We need to make sure that we don't have any other issues moving forward. And so like that, I don't want that. I want them to be successful. I want their LTOs to be successful. Because then when I roll out my LTOs or my offerings, I'm successful.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Yeah. Yeah, well, and part of why I asked you to be on the show, Allen, is really just the fact that you've been so giving with your time and energy and, you know, you're, you're, are one those people that tries to, you know, bring everybody in the industry up. So I appreciate that. line of questioning. What your go-to? What is your standard go-to? If somebody's never been to a Costa Vida, they walk in, I guess, is the standard that you would tell a brand new client? And then what is your go-to? My wife worked internet growing up and she has the most random internet order. like, that's not on the menu anywhere. She's like, well,

Allen Beck: you

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Well, when you eat it every day, you have to mix some things up. And so I'm sure you have some wonky stuff that you're like, ⁓ I get this with this and this and this. But what's kind of the standard go-to for somebody that's never been, if they're in a town and they're like, ⁓ there's supposed to be it. I heard Jeremy Allen talking. This is what I need to get. What is that? And then what did you order wonky? I've been there for nine years and I get some really crazy stuff.

Allen Beck: Yep. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So first and foremost, you got to try our street pork. It's what we're famous for. So.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: That's so good. And the case of, sorry.

Allen Beck: On the queso. So you get sweet pork and queso. It's good to go. So the marketing answer on this and this is, you Ali will love this. The marketing answer is you got to try our sweet pork and you got to try our queso. That is what we are famous for. That's our bread and butter. Right. And you can get the sweet pork if you're in enchiladas or salads or su excuse me, burrito or salads. That's the most common order that we have is burrito, salad, sweet pork. Right. You got to get a regular chips in queso. You won't regret it. That queso is like liquid gold. Again, it's made from scratch. We cut the in the back into cubes and then slowly melt it and emulsify it. It's awesome. Okay. Now the Allen answer, the second part of that, what do I get? So my favorite thing that I get is I get three enchiladas, grilled chicken, ⁓ And then I do the queso inside and out of the enchiladas. That is my go-to. ⁓ I eat that probably three, four times a week. Right now we're getting ready to roll out a brand new beef. ⁓ made that. That's my current order. That's what I had yesterday for lunch was ⁓ beef enchiladas with the queso. It's phenomenal. ⁓ a little side salad with the strips, cooked head cheese and the ranch. Awesome.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Awesome. Love it. Yeah, I've never had the enchiladas ironically, so I'll to check that out next time I'm there. well, Allen, how do people stay in touch? Again, you were always out in LinkedIn space, delivering and so I would love for all of our listeners to follow you, but how do they get connected? How do they stay connected, ⁓ to you and to the brand?

Allen Beck: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so follow us on all social media platforms for Costa. We're on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, whole nine yards. So follow Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill on all our social medias. ⁓ You can with me personally on LinkedIn. I'm on LinkedIn quite a bit. ⁓ Or if just see me walking around a show, come chat. I'm a 6'5", 300 pound redhead. You can't miss me. And I have high energy. So come stop, talk to me at the shows. Connect with me on LinkedIn. I'd love to chat anytime. I'd love to help those around, any questions. ⁓ live for that. So don't hesitate to reach out. Don't be shy. ⁓ me a message so that I know ⁓ it's just ⁓ a BDR, SDR just reaching out to try and sell me something. A personal always goes a long way in ⁓ connecting.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: awesome.

Allen Beck: so I know what's going on.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Awesome. Allen, thank you for spending your time this morning. I know you've got of fun things to do, so I appreciate you sharing the wisdom to listeners out there, guys. As I said at the onset, ⁓ don't your time for granted. So thank you guys for tuning in. If you haven't already subscribed, please do so ⁓ and it a great day.

Allen Beck: Thank you.

Jeremy Julian - RTG: Awesome.