Jake Wheeler dishes on his family's new Big Taco TexMex concept
The new TexMex restaurant concept Big Taco, which opened quietly Nov. 14 in Casselberry, won't have its grand opening event until early 2024. That's because Manager Jake Wheeler said a restaurant needs time to settle in, for systems to become established and for the team to gel.
Wheeler described a company culture where friendly competition is welcome. The cooks in the kitchen — 12 guys and two gals — compete to see who can do their work fastest. “We have a good time with it,” said Wheeler. “The oldest person working here is 24, and that’s me.”
The youth in the building translates to an energized experience for diners. The music permeating the air with the help of a powerful subwoofer is an incredible and eclectic custom-selected playlist that includes bangers across genres, everything from rock to hip-hop to reggae to pop. Wheeler says every one of the 425 songs was hand-picked and the playlist, which streams through a platform called My Instore Radio, fills the whole day. The team knowns when closing time approaches by the music they hear, without having to check a clock.
