Cinco de Mayo is Big Business for Mexican Restaurants

By Ashley Bray Apr 29, 2024 1:03pm

Mexican cuisine is big business for the restaurant industry as 11% of restaurants in the United States, or about 1 in 10, serve Mexican food, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from SafeGraph. Mexican restaurants are most popular in California and Texas, but Pew Research Center found that 85% of U.S. counties have at least one Mexican restaurant.

Cinco de Mayo, the celebration of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 (and not Mexican Independence Day as many assume), can be one of the biggest days of the year for Mexican restaurants.

We spoke with Chevys Fresh Mex, an American chain of Mexican-style casual dining restaurants that started in California, about how they prepare for one of their busiest times—from the 27,000 ounces of Tequila, 1,400 avocados, and thousands of tacos, to their annual parking lot bash with DJs, mariachi bands, and special giveaways.

"It takes about four months of coordination to schedule and order all of the stuff needed for Cinco de Mayo," says Kurt Pahlitzsch, vice president of Casual Dining at Doherty Enterprises, franchisee of Chevys in Linden and Clifton, N.J. "We really need to identify the offerings we want to provide as having the day of the week change that the holiday falls on makes the forecast that much harder. But the real adjustment in ordering pars happens the final week all based upon the outside temperature. A swing of five degrees could double the business if we break a temp of 70."

mariachi cinco de mayo mexican restaurants — The Cinco de Mayo celebrations at Chevys include mariachi band performances. (Photo: Chevys)

Pahlitzsch says the restaurants increase their orders on in-demand items like tequila and tacos. He says the increased orders of the same items actually improves efficiency in the back-of-house. "It actually makes the kitchen faster as the variety of menu focuses in on core items, and they just always have those items on the grill," he says.

With Chevy's over twenty years of experience hosting Cinco de Mayo bashes, the restaurant has some advice for others looking to capitalize on the increased traffic. "Always make sure you have somebody that delivers ice, know your power needs for the DJ and band's equipment, don’t run out of beer," says Pahlitzsch. "As the party gets bigger, simplify your options for the guest and stay consistent with what you normally sell so you have less risk on waste. Pay attention to the weather too."

Cinco de Mayo is Big Business for Mexican Restaurants

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