Damian Otero has a story a bit different than the usual way people get started in this industry. At 21 years old, he invested the first profit share from his previous business into a restaurant. The bold move marked his entry into the culinary world, and he stepped into a commercial kitchen for the first time not as an employee, but as an owner.
Born with a passion for business and numbers, Otero quickly realized the potential of the restaurant industry. Compared to his previous retail ventures, he found a relative stability and predictability in the restaurant world. So Otero set his sights on buying a concept that combined profitability with a food he holds near and dear to his heart: Mexican food.
“My passion is business and numbers,” says Otero. “But obviously Mexican is number one. Margaritas are number one. Tequila’s number one. I grew up eating tacos, so I started looking for a taco restaurant with ideas in mind.”
In 2021, he and co-owner/COO Miguel Hernandez acquired Rreal Tacos, an underperforming Mexican restaurant that he could come into and rework. With his keen eye for business and a passion for growth, Otero transformed the concept, taking it from an operation doing about $1 million a year to projecting sales of $35 million this year.
Although Otero says he’s “obsessed with business,” his success is not just about numbers. It’s about people. Otero works diligently to build a team as passionate about business as he is.
“I hire people that are just as obsessed as I am for business,” Otero says. “People who are obsessed about hospitality. People obsessed about the beverage program and obsessed with the culinary department. We meet in the middle and just continue to grow.”
With a team that shares his vision he has opened seven locations in just two and a half years. And they’re located not just in the metro Atlanta area, but as far out as Cumming in North Georgia, too.
“We’ve been opening one new unit every four months,” he says. “We’re going to take over the state and eventually grow throughout the southeast.”
What sets Otero apart is his relentless drive for growth. He dreams about tacos, wakes up to numbers and constantly strategizes for the future. Despite his success, Otero remains grounded, understanding that success in the restaurant industry is not just about profitability but also about creating a happy and thriving business environment. Under his leadership, Rreal Tacos is not just a restaurant; it’s a thriving empire.
By Haley Harward
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Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Performance Foodservice, and table sponsors, Society Insurance and Savannah Distributing, for making this event possible:
Presenting Sponsor
Table Sponsors
Savannah Distributing and Society Insurance
