Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobby and Bobbie Mack. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Bobby and Bobbie Mack were born and raised in Austin, TX. They started their culinary careers at a young age working in various restaurants. They eventually left the industry to focus on building their careers in healthcare compliance and welding. After working in their respective careers for 20+ years each, Bobby decided, after traveling and being away from the family so much, to start looking at ways to get back to what he loved cooking and putting smiles on people’s faces! As a journeyman welder for the Union, he remembered how hungry he would feel at job sites; one day, while eating lunch, he started thinking, “If there were just a well-loaded stuffed potato with all the fixings close by that would hit the spot!” That idea at the lunch table was the beginning, and in 2016 Bobby formed TaterQue. Although they couldn’t focus on building the business straightaway, having the formation papers was all the fuel he needed to keep the idea alive, and in 2020 amidst the Covid pandemic, Bobby and Bobbie were ready to take the leap of faith and commit to investing time and money into building the business.
TaterQue has been blessed to serve at Tesla for the last two years and recently opened its first brick mortar at 1202 FM 685 Ste B5-6 in Pflugerville, TX. TaterQue opened as a food trailer in Pflugerville and built a solid following of Happy Spudsters. In their spare time, they love to spend time with their family and friends and give back to the community in various ways.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Starting TaterQue definitely had its challenges, and like any road, it usually starts rocky and gets smoother along the way. Understanding the restaurant business, financial and sales projections, hiring the right people, and training initially took a lot of work. We are still learning daily but are leaps and bounds from the first year. My grandmother used to recite a quote from Franklin Roosevelt “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” Obstacles and challenges come to build you as long as you don’t let them break your spirits. Every day is an opportunity to get better.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our business is TaterQue, home of the Mega Stuffed Spud. We offer a variety of BBQ stuffed spuds, wings, and more. The best thing about our spuds is they are ready to dig into, buttered and seasoned. The names of our spuds are very special and are synonymous with areas in the city of Austin where we grew up and people that were instrumental in our lives. For example, the Big Jack spud is named after one of Bobby’s coaches at LBJ, “Coach Jack,” who played a major part in shaping his life and instilled a lot of wisdom. The Alamo is a recreation center we went to often, and the Givens is a Sunday-only spud because we used to frequent Givens Park as kids and on Sundays.
We love surprises, fun facts, and incredible stories. Can you share something that might surprise us?
We are playful, easy-going people; however, we are extremely OCD and passionate about the food; we can turn into Chef Ramsey to ensure the food maintains its consistency and quality, which surprises people who aren’t used to seeing us in that way. Nothing is always perfect. We try hard and take pride in ensuring our team and customers have a great experience and the taste and experience they expect when they visit.
Pricing:
- 10.00 Eggrolls
- 17.00 Big Jack Jr (2-3 pound spud)
- 25.00 Big Jack (4-5 pound spud)
- 17.00 Springdale (seafood spud)
Contact Info:
- Website: taterque.com
- Instagram: Tater_que
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taterque?mibextid=LQQJ4d
