Case Study

Taqueria El Tapatio x Chowly Platform

A Proven Path From Marketplace Dependence to 1st Party Growth

+256%

Increase in integrated online-order revenue

+711%

Increase in orders online

+5x

Increase in Website Traffic

“Chowly is helpful in every way. We can use the Chowly Platform for many different facets. It's strategic and it's convenient.”

— Gerardo Padilla, Owner of Taqueria El Tapatio, 1 location in Santa Clarita, California

Introduction

Taqueria El Tapatio is Santa Clarita, California’s “Home of Authentic Mexican Food.” It’s the kind of restaurant people return to again and again — big plates, bold flavors, and food made with heart. The menu hits all the essentials: tacos, burritos, quesadillas, quesabirria, fajitas de asada, nachos, seafood plates, and caldos. Nothing sits. Everything sells. And the free salsa bar is a customer favorite — a simple hospitality moment that makes every meal feel complete.

Owner Gerardo (Gerry) Padilla comes from a family with nearly 40 years in the restaurant business and more than 15 locations across multiple cities. His Santa Clarita shop carries that legacy with seasoned meats, generous portions, affordable pricing, and a menu broad enough that customers truly order from every corner of it.

The restaurant sits near a mix of industrial businesses, a high school, nearby neighborhoods, and traffic from Six Flags Magic Mountain — a crossroads that brings in workers, locals, students, and tourists. Even without direct street visibility, the food keeps the place busy from open to close, seven days a week.

With so much demand and 20-30% of revenue coming from delivery apps — Gerry wanted more control, more direct ordering, and a better way to grow repeat business.

That’s where the Chowly Platform came in.

Gerry first connected with Chowly through his POS provider, SpotOn. From there, Chowly built Taqueria El Tapatio’s first-ever website and online ordering system, giving customers a direct way to order without third-party fees eating into every ticket. The impact was immediate: after launching the Chowly Platform in June 2025, Taqueria El Tapatio saw a +256% increase in integrated online-order revenue, higher profitability, and more control over every order.

Challenge

Before Chowly, Taqueria El Tapatio was doing what most small, high-volume restaurants do — juggling disconnected tools and losing time on tasks that should’ve been simple. Gerry didn’t have a website, which meant no direct ordering, no customer data, and no way to shift traffic away from third-party delivery apps. All online orders lived inside separate platforms, forcing him to bounce between three different tablets just to keep up during rushes.

Menu updates had to be done in multiple places, order errors were harder to catch, and there was no automated way to re-engage loyal guests. With 20-30% of revenue tied to delivery apps, the restaurant needed a unified system to take back margin, streamline operations, and start building long-term repeat business.

Shift

Step One: Integration & Delivery Control. Gerry began using Chowly through his SpotOn POS, gaining the ability to manage all delivery orders—DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub—in one dashboard. He could pause orders, diagnose printing errors, and upcharge delivery menu prices to protect margin.

Step Two: Launching Marketing Website First-Party Online Ordering. Next, the restaurant launched its Chowly-powered Marketing Website and 1st Party Online Ordering. Gerry immediately started funneling loyal customers toward first-party ordering using postcards in every online order. Guests responded—direct orders grew, and customers began returning for online-only promotions.

Step Three: Using Chowly Platform to Shape Strategy. With direct ordering live and more traffic flowing through the website, Gerry could upcharge on third-party apps, keep prices lower on his own site, and use Chowly’s postcards to capture customer emails. From there, Chowly’s automated marketing tools kicked in — giving him access to guest data, targeted marketing, performance insights, online-ordering revenue tracking, customer behavior patterns, and a direct communication line with repeat guests.

With this visibility, Gerry finally had the information he needed to shape pricing, run strategic promotions, and drive repeat orders — tools he never had before.

“I can look at all three delivery apps through one site instead of going to each one individually.”

— Gerardo Padilla, Owner of Taqueria El Tapatio, 1 location in Santa Clarita, California

Results

Bringing Taqueria El Tapatio onto the Chowly Platform turned a fragmented, multi-tablet workflow into one clean system. Orders became easier to manage, direct ordering finally had a home, and marketing shifted from reactive to strategic. With more customers choosing first-party ordering, profitability and control both increased.

Since implementing the Chowly Platform, Taqueria El Tapatio has:

• Achieved a +256% increase in integrated online-order revenue after launching in June 2025

• Generated a +711% increase in online orders, driven by direct ordering and better visibility

• Captured 5× more website traffic, tied to Chowly’s website build and search optimization

• Consolidated all third-party orders into the POS, removing tablets and manual re-entry

• Gained real-time control over quote times across every ordering channel

• Shifted more sales to higher-margin first-party ordering, improving profitability

• Built a growing email list using Chowly postcards inside online orders

• Automated reorder campaigns to bring lapsed guests back at 2- and 4-week intervals

• Saved significant staff time by managing all delivery apps and online orders in one dashboard

• Unlocked deeper customer insights, including revenue attribution and behavior patterns

• Established more predictable revenue, supported by rising first-party and repeat demand

“It’s going great. We used the postcards you gave us in every online order, and people came in to sign the board for the promo. Once we had their info, we could start marketing to them with deals to keep them active in the restaurant.”

— Gerardo Padilla, Owner of Taqueria El Tapatio, 1 location in Santa Clarita, California

Conclusion

Taqueria El Tapatio built momentum the moment its digital foundation came together. Direct ordering, predictable traffic, customer data, and day-to-day control now live in one place. Gerry runs his restaurant with fewer interruptions, fewer workarounds, and a clearer view of what drives repeat revenue. The Chowly Platform turned scattered tasks into a steady system he can rely on, giving him more time to focus on food, pricing, and the experience his customers return for.

Key Takeways:

• Shifted from no website to a full direct-ordering channel that produces consistent revenue.

• Consolidated third-party management into one workflow with real-time controls.

• Captured customer information that supports targeted marketing and repeat orders.

• Cut down on manual work by centralizing ordering, updates, and troubleshooting.

• Built a predictable, first-party channel that increases margin and long-term value.

Taqueria El Tapatio x Chowly Platform

Key Takeways:

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