When Liz Huffstutler and Shelley Matcha opened Urban Picnic in October 2010, they said they did not know anything about running a restaurant.
Furthermore, the two chose a Round Rock space that had a troubling reputation for restaurant owners.
“This space, before we were here, had three restaurants in three years that had failed,” Huffstutler said. “We joked around that we would be the fourth in four years. But almost seven years later, we’re still here.”
That is because as time went on, the restaurant learned some valuable lessons and added someone with food industry experience to the roster of owners, Huffstutler said. Jessica Johnson, co-owner and manager, joined Urban Picnic in January 2011. She took on the role of manager and asked questions that ultimately made the restaurant more efficient.
“In the beginning I was hand-slicing our meat, so after a while I just asked, ‘Can we just buy a meat slicer?’” Johnson said. “It saved my life.”
Huffstutler and Johnson said each employee has contributed his or her own lesson to the business. The three owners have learned a lot over time but now work as a well-oiled machine, specializing in carryout lunch and dinner orders.
Huffstutler said 80 percent of Urban Picnic’s business comes from deliveries.
“We’ve delivered all the way out to Lakeway and the Capitol,” Huffstutler said. “I always say I’ll take it to San Antonio if you pay me enough.”
Most of the business, however, is in the surrounding area at schools and businesses. Three years ago, Urban Picnic started a system, Picnic 2 U, that allows schools to place orders for designated days and have meals delivered without delivery or minimum charges. Johnson said the program has been successful within Round Rock and Pflugerville ISDs.
“These poor teachers, they either have to bring their lunch or eat cafeteria food that is not designed for them. It is designed for elementary school kids,” Huffstutler said. “This way they can get something fresh and healthy.”
Urban Picnic
3810 Gattis School Road, Ste. 106, Round Rock
512-671-9800
www.theurbanpicnic.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., closed Sun.
