How a Guatemalan Chicken Restaurant Acquired New Diners and Kept Them

The fast-casual chicken market has a lot of competition in the
U.S. That hasn’t stopped Campero USA from growing and
winning over consumers. The Guatemalan brand has achieved great
success in the U.S. market. Sharing the story is the company’s
Managing Director and COO Luis Javier
Rodas joined The Main Course Host Barbara Castiglia.


Rodas has spent over 20 years with the brand and began to manage
the U.S. stores in 2016.


First, Rodas described the menu. “Fried chicken is our top
seller, and it has a unique flavor. The key to the chicken
sandwich is we use the same flavor from our bone-in chicken.”


The restaurant, like any other, faced considerable disruption in
2020. However, they were already ahead of the curve. “Without
knowing what would happen, we were already launching digital
kitchens, our delivery service, and loyalty program,” Rodas said.


Before the pandemic, most sales were dine-in. They were able to
keep serving during shutdowns with drive-thru and delivery. They
even added new customers. Rodas explained how. “Most marketing
was billboards or radio, which was working. After the pandemic,
we switched everything to digital and social media to expand
reach.”


They also began using ghost kitchens in 2020, extending their
service area by opening them in places where stores didn’t
currently exist.


Their pivots made 2020 a record year. Once dining rooms were able
to open, the company implemented new technology for safety. “We
changed our service model to allow for ordering and payment at
the table instead of interacting with a cashier,” Rodas noted.


Rodas said the company has big plans for growth in the next few
years but will always balance growth with quality. “We have
parallel teams working on this, and we’re looking for franchise
partners that have a passion for the industry and experience.”