Interview with the Director of Operations of Barrio Queen Franchise

Patrick Lacek, Director of Operations at Barrio Queen

Check out this recent interview with Patrick Lacek, Director of Operations, discussing his experience and his deep-rooted love for the brand. Patrick has become an instrumental figure in shaping the success and growth of Barrio Queen. Join us as we explore Patrick’s journey, his invaluable contributions, and discover why he cherishes every moment working for this beloved establishment.

What’s special about Barrio Queen?

When you take this amazing decor, this amazing vibrant package, and you put it together, you know, great energy, the music, the food, it just all comes together. The sea is flooded with Mexican restaurants, but I’ve never for a second thought of Barrio Queen as a Mexican restaurant, which sounds really weird. Barrio Queen is a whole different thing. This is an approachable palette. I mean, delicious, moist, succulent food. Fresh tortillas – we’re not buying any of that pre-made stuff. Chef Julio has it down to a science, it’s not even difficult. But when you do it right, it’s amazing. And when it comes together with high quality tequila, we’ve got great relationships with our Tequila suppliers. We’ve got amazing food, we’ve got the lighting, right, we’ve got the music right when it all comes together, and it does.

Almost every night at Barrio Queen or every lunch, it’s just different. I’m telling you from the time we had one location, and that would go to the grand openings. And I just loved it. When I found out that I was going to have Barrio Queen as part of my world. I couldn’t have been more excited. And it’s been amazing.

What is your goal with Barrio Queen?

My goal isn’t to change what a Mexican restaurant is, because, you know, we love traditional Mexican restaurants. My goal is to make sure that people know that there’s an alternative, and it’s fresher, it’s healthier, there’s a lot more variety. And I just think it goes to another level. You know, it’s amazing, our tacos, right, everybody wants to crack the code on a small plate restaurant, because, you know, it works from a financial standpoint, but you know, three street tacos on a plate, you know, it’s amazing how good it is and how great it looks. I mean, people eat with their eyes and our food, it’s just incredible to look at. But then when you look at it from a business owner standpoint, you know, it’s not a lot of food, but when you put it all together, it’s a great value.

I think most restaurant groups think of value perception as how much did I get on my plate? While in Barrio Queen, value perception comes from what happened when I was walking up. And I saw that amazing patio with the umbrellas and the lighting, and the music flowing out the door and the garage doors up in the bartender, shaking the margarita and the energy in the culture. I mean, you can’t understate the importance of culture. I mean, I’m not gonna we’re gonna say what’s on the plate is secondary. But that all feeds into that value perception. So you’re getting so much more than you don’t have to invest everything into what’s on the plate to give someone an amazing experience at Barrio Queen.

What are you most proud of working for Barrio Queen?

I hate to use the word magical, because in my world it is. I’ve worked in a lot of different concepts, and I’ve gone to work at Barrio Queen every day with a smile on my face. It’s easy to do that here, it’s hard to cry over a great Margarita and a great plate of street tacos. It’s not all just cookie cutter type food. There’s a pride that comes out of the kitchen as well, because they’re really working with that food, and they’re crafting it. I’m a third generation restaurant person, so that really appeals to me.

No matter where I go, when people find out I work at Barrio Queen, it’s like being a celebrity. I stand there and I get to have people tell me how much they love Barrio Queen. And when I go to the table and talk to guests, it’s a selfish act, because I know I’m just gonna get that effusive amazing praise that I don’t deserve. Certainly chef Julio does. But it’s an aspirational brand. It’s something I certainly aspire to at this point in my career. I am thrilled to be part of it. And I think anyone with a franchise portfolio should have a Barrio Queen. It’s going to really feel good.

Why is now a great time to invest in Barrio Queen?

I think this is a great time to open a Barrio Queen. When we look at the level of expertise that we have to offer, take advantage of that. The culture, the shift to a more authentic feel. People don’t want to be tricked by food that’s faux authentic, right? This is the real deal. So I think when you add up what’s going on in the world in terms of culinary, when you add on what’s available out there for real estate, and then when you add on really, our team is at its peak, and it’s not going anywhere, because we’re all really happy. This is a great time to open a Barrio Queen, because we can support it. We can give you what you need, and we can help you open a little piece of magic in your area as well.

Learn More about Barrio Queen Franchise

Barrio Queen is a new and exciting restaurant concept rooted in authentic Mexican flavors, art, and experiences. If you’re looking for the next best investment opportunity that your community will love, Barrio Queen may be the opportunity for you.

To learn more about the Barrio Queen franchise opportunity, start with our research pages here, where you can learn more about the brand story, the investment costs and fees, and how we support our franchise owners. If you’re ready to start a conversation with our franchise team about bringing Barrio Queen to your neighborhood, fill out our form here. We’ll be in touch with a copy of our Franchise Information Report, containing more details about the Barrio Queen franchise opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you!