The tacos at Naco Mexican are a taste of home for owners Francisco Estrada and Lizzeth Martínez — from Mexico City to Nuevo Laredo.
“For me, it’s the Mexican brisket in any way just because it reminds me of my home, my dad’s cooking, the ranch the family had,” Martínez said.
For Estrada, it’s paying homage to Mexico City.
“For me it’s the chilaquiles. I think the taco de pastor or the campechano with Angus asada in a corn tortilla with cheese, onions, cilantro, spicy green salsa … one of the best,” Estrada said.
Their nationally recognized business has to navigate the rising costs of ingredients, supplies and utilities.
“If the brisket is $10 a pound today, we sell bean and cheese (tacos) that can balance it out,” Martínez said.
Aside from food costs, Martínez says it’s nearly impossible to profit on third-party delivery services.
“I think the third-party delivery at this moment only serves as a marketing tool because you don’t make money out of that,” she said.
Right now, Texas restaurants using third-party delivery services essentially pay double sales tax on orders.
“If the consumer orders, they are paying sales tax on the entire order, but then there is also fee that is essentially deducted from that revenue before that restaurant ever gets it,” Kelsey Erickson Streufert, Texas Restaurant Association chief public affairs officer, said.
However, earlier this month, Acting Texas Comptroller Don Huffines signed an executive order to eliminate that data processing fee, which eventually falls on restaurants. Streufert says that change means businesses with thin margins can breathe.
“Single-unit independent restaurants that do a decent amount of third-party delivery estimate they are going to save maybe $3,600, $4,000 a year,” Streufert said. “We’ve talked to multi-unit locations, and they are estimating they are going to save $45,000 a year.”
Martínez says any bit of savings can go a long way, especially with their brick-and-mortar location “Santonia Cantina” coming soon to the San Antonio Pearl.
“Having that opportunity of not being double taxed, it gives us a chance to make a little something,” Martínez said.
And it allows her to continue honoring her homeland.
