Chuy’s Is Headed To San Marcos

By Tiffany Goulart

Chuy’s Tex-Mex is headed to San Marcos and on track to open for business just in time for the summer months.

The Tex-Mex restaurant known for its good food and funky atmosphere will be opening its new location on I-35 near IHOP and Kobe Japanese Steakhouse.

The first Chuy’s opened on Barton Springs Road in Austin, Texas in 1982 and was founded by Mike Young and John Zapp. The business has since expanded to 70 locations in 14 states.

One of the things Chuy’s is known for is its eccentric culture. Young and Zapp instilled values based on fun and food when they established their first restaurant.

“My favorite thing about working for the company is the people and the culture,” said Jon Howie, the chief financial officer for Chuy’s. “There are three rules that the employees at the restaurants follow. Do everything you can for the customers, keep the restaurant impressively clean and organized and have fun.”

Chuy’s puts an emphasis on giving back to the community. Howie said Young and Zapp started Chuy’s with the belief in always helping the people in the neighborhoods they do business in, especially the youngest members—children.

Each Chuy’s restaurant partners with a local charity and serves the community through fundraising and volunteering, so the new Chuy’s could be the perfect place for a profit share for campus groups.

Chuy’s has been looking at several locations around San Marcos for the past several years, Howie said. The company takes demographics into careful consideration when choosing where to open a new restaurant.

“We decided to open a restaurant in San Marcos because San Marcos is essentially an extension of Austin,” he said. “People in San Marcos recognize the Chuy’s brand.”

Students at Texas State are definitely excited to be getting a Chuy’s in San Marcos.

Kaysey White, exercise and sports science senior, said she cannot wait for Chuy’s to open.

“I am excited to have a wider variety of food here in San Marcos,” White said. “I love Chuy’s because their atmosphere is family-friendly but still a great place for college students to go and get a drink with friends.”

Jenna Moreland, history sophomore, has not eaten at a Chuy’s before, but is excited to try the food.

“I have heard about Chuy’s before but there isn’t one near me in Houston, so I have not had the chance to try it yet,” Moreland said. “Everyone says their food is amazing so I will definitely be there when they open here.”

Chuy’s restaurants attract a young-adult crowd, so a college town is the perfect place for a new one.

“We are excited to be in San Marcos and to get involved with Texas State,” Howie said. 

This article originally published by the Universality Star.