Off-Premises Mastery: How Costa Vida's Allen Beck Drives Catering Growth
As a restaurant operator in today's challenging environment, it's inspiring to hear success stories like Allen Beck's at Costa Vida, Fresh Mexican Grill. Over the past 9 years, Allen has climbed the ranks from assistant manager to Director of Off-Premises and Catering - and was recently named the 2024 Operator of the Year by Food on Demand.
What's Allen's secret? It comes down to a mix of operational savvy, technology leadership, and strong relationships with his executive team. When the pandemic hit, Costa Vida's early adoption of the Olo online ordering platform allowed them to stay afloat and even exceed pre-COVID sales. And Allen's close partnership with the company President has enabled them to strategically phase in tech upgrades, like a planned catering-focused CRM system for 2025.
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Of course, it's not all smooth sailing. Allen readily acknowledges the common pain points restaurant operators face, like the high turnover in frontline staff compared to his centralized catering call center. But by taking order-taking off his store managers' plates, Allen has been able to boost accuracy and free up his teams to focus on execution.
Costa Vida has also made substantial investments in their catering packaging, working closely with a Canadian manufacturer to create custom, branded corrugated boxes. This wasn't just about appearance - it was also a strategic move to protect their margins amid volatile aluminum prices.
The real takeaway for U.S. restaurant pros? Catering represents a massive growth opportunity, but it requires the right operational focus and technology enablement. As Allen says, you have to stay curious and embrace off-premises, because the pandemic has permanently accelerated these trends. With the right leader championing the cause - like Allen at Costa Vida - the sky's the limit.
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