In Search of Excellence in the Mexican Restaurant Industry

Abstract

The Mexican restaurant industry in Southern California has flourished in the past. However, due to currently tough economic times and the overabundance of Mexican restaurants, it has now become much more difficult to run a successful Mexican restaurant. The majority of the Mexican restaurants that will survive are those that are managed for “excellence”. For the purposes of this article (and since sufficient resources were not available to take in‐depth looks at income statements, balance sheets, 10 year histories, etc.), an “excellent” Mexican restaurant is classified as one that has been around for at least 10 years, is expected to remain in business, and there is at least a small chain of these restaurants.