Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Destiny USA’s newest restaurant calls its first week unexpected.
Cantina Laredo broke a grand opening company record in Syracuse this week.
The President of Cantina Laredo, JoseLuis Magana flew in for the Syracuse Grand Opening. He admits, at first, he was a bit unsure about Syracuse. It's a small city compared to the restaurant's other locations. And it's 1,500 miles away from the company’s home base in Dallas, Texas.
“It was not a no, but we put a lot of thought into it. The more we thought about and learned about the mall, it was an easy yes,” said Magana.
The restaurant fed 7,000 people this week, that's twice as much business as Cantina Laredo’s new location in Downtown Chicago. And that restaurant is twice as big.
“We opened up in several large markets, this was a smaller market so we didn’t expect the business that we’ve had so it’s been fun. It’s been a challenge,” said Magana.
The restaurant had to stock up on more food and bring in more staff to serve the filled restaurant.
A big part of Cantina Laredo is the experience. Some of the desserts are put together right at your table, like the Mexican Brownie. A brownie and ice cream is served on a warm plate, then the server pours Brandy Butter on top, which sizzles.
General Manager Matthew Lynch says, “It’s a great city. We’re happy to be here and it seems people are very happy to have us.”
The Destiny USA location is also Cantina Laredo’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified restaurant.
