How a 13 Inch Crunchwrap Became Their Secret Weapon | Brandon Porcasi | Curbside Mexican Grill

Staying Hungry sits down with Brandon Porcasi of Curbside Mexican Grill to break down how a restaurant that nearly ran out of runway turned a 13-inch Crunchwrap into its signature product—and a social media magnet.Brandon joins Michael D’Onofrio and Vinny Pappalardo to share how Curbside grew from one South Hempstead location to two stores, why COVID unexpectedly helped save the business, and how Crunchwraps went from an off-menu special to one of the brand’s biggest draws. Their oversized 13-inch version became especially valuable on social media, where Brandon saw its potential to grab attention and bring new customers through the door.They also get into the less glamorous side of restaurant ownership: food costs, labor, third-party delivery fees, menu engineering, catering, and the challenge of scaling a concept without making operations too complicated. Brandon even explains how he’s using AI to track changing ingredient costs and build his own point-of-sale system.For restaurant owners, this episode is a practical look at turning a standout menu item into a marketing weapon while still keeping an eye on margins, operations, and repeat business.Timestamps:00:00 – Brandon Porcasi & Curbside Mexican Grill04:00 – Starting a restaurant with friends and family09:00 – Why they chose Mexican food13:00 – How COVID helped save Curbside20:00 – Opening the second location25:00 – The 13-inch Crunchwrap becomes a secret weapon30:00 – Restaurant influencers and social media marketing35:00 – Menu engineering and the Curbside food challenge40:00 – Third-party delivery and converting customers direct47:00 – Why a bigger menu makes scaling harder55:00 – Labor costs, food costs, and pricing mistakes1:00:00 – Using AI to monitor restaurant costs1:08:00 – Building a custom restaurant POS system1:18:00 – The realities of restaurant ownership1:25:00 – What’s next for Brandon and Curbside