El Rancho Grande Tex-Mex Grill turned an $800 taco loss into a community-supported event, quickly recouping their costs through donations and support.
DEER PARK, Texas — When nearly $800 worth of tacos were left unclaimed, the owners of El Rancho Grande Tex-Mex Grill turned a potential loss into an unexpected wave of generosity.
At El Rancho Grande Tex-Mex Grill, customers filled the tables all day Monday.
“We were so busy, thank God,” said Dynora Guzman, the owner.
The day, however, had a challenging start. Guzman and her staff began preparations at 3:30 a.m. for several large orders — the largest placed a week ago.
“The order was for 225 tacos, which is not unusual for us,” Guzman said.
The unusual part was that the customer never showed. After attempts to reach the customer failed, Guzman realized their numbers were blocked.
“Anything could have happened, but if she would have at least had the decency to, like, pick up the phone and tell us,” Guzman said.
The total loss was $757. To prevent the tacos from going to waste, Guzman posted on Facebook, offering them for free.
The community responded, with some people coming to eat and others just to donate.
“We had people buying salsa and giving us 10 times what it was worth,” Guzman said.
Within a few hours, they recouped the loss.
“You can’t do that to people. You just can’t,” said Michelle Crate, a frequent customer.
Crate and her friends often visit the restaurant to support the family business, which has been around for 30 years.
“It’s not just about eating. It’s about socializing with your neighbors and friends,” Crate said.
Guzman expressed gratitude for the community’s support and had a message for the customer who caused the trouble:
“It really hurt. You put us behind, and without the community’s support, we would have lost a lot,” she said.
While it was a tough experience, the owners are thankful for the support and want people to remember the impact of kindness and a simple courtesy call on a small business.