The Taco Stand, a popular Mexican restaurant, recently opened a location in Riverside, Calif. Located in the Farm House Collective alongside many other unique restaurants, it added a new dining option to the area.
Evelio Martinez, the regional manager for Orange County, Riverside and Las Vegas, has worked at The Taco Stand for eight years and has seen significant growth in the business.
“Back then, we only had four locations. This is [location] number sixteen. We have [locations] in Miami, San Diego, Orange County, Riverside and Las Vegas. This one [opened] like six weeks ago,” Martinez said.
With all the growth The Taco Stand experienced, there was a clear reason behind it. One factor may be the restaurant’s slogan, ‘hecho a mano,’ which means everything is handmade and fresh to order.
Erin Engebretson, senior nursing major, spoke about her appreciation for this level of freshness in the food.
“It’s good food because even the tortillas are homemade. I feel like that’s so different than a lot of taco shops nowadays. They were light and just the flavor of the tacos is really good. [It] had so much flavor,” Engebretson said. “I didn’t even need to use the lime on it. I love a place that has the self-serve salsa nowadays. Not all places do that or they even charge you for salsa.”
Along with its fresh, handmade food, the restaurant maintained a clean environment, which made a difference for customers. Olivia Berry, sophomore photography major, noticed this.
“They just do a good job of keeping the store tidy inside. We saw someone wiping down the salsa counter and then just even being outside, there was someone that came to wipe the table,” Berry said.
While a clean environment mattered to customers, customer service could ultimately make or break a business. Berry said she had a positive experience.
“They’ve been very positive. The food was really good. The overall experience was great. The staff was very nice and friendly. They did a good job preparing the food in a timely way, so I appreciated that,” Berry said.
In any new restaurant, social media could play a big role in attracting customers. Engebretson understood its importance as an avid social media user.
“I feel like social media has a lot to do with it. Social media is our prominent way of getting advertisements. At least for me, it is,” Engebretson said.
Martinez also spoke about how social media helped The Taco Stand reach new customers.
“It’s a big role. You can touch so many people within seconds, and it is great. We have our Instagram and because [of] social media, we got that exposure. We had lines all the way [around the block on opening day]. Obviously social media, it’s crazy important these days. Absolutely,” Martinez said.
Among the menu items, the tacos were a fan favorite at The Taco Stand. Martinez said he could eat the shrimp or the chicken tacos every day. Berry said she enjoyed the chicken tacos, while Engebretson said the pork tacos “changed [her] life.”
The Taco Stand specializes in fresh, made-to-order food and added another dining option for Riverside residents seeking authentic Mexican cuisine.
