Author: Ermithe Fluerime, BSU student
After many years of dining and enjoying delicious food and fantastic service at Manje Lakay Delicious Restaurant, I finally had the chance to interview the brain behind this masterpiece and the honor of Interviewing Mr. Musac Roody. The delicious restaurant is a Haitian restaurant located in the Southside of Brockton. They mainly serve but are not limited to serving Haitian food. If you are nostalgic for a good home cook meal or looking to try new food, this is your spot. They are clean, customer-friendly and the food is tasty. They are affordable, and they offer delivery.
So, let’s start with, are you from the area?
Yes, I am from Haiti, and I have been living in Brockton for 13 years.
Tell me about your Business. Why did you choose this line of Business?
The idea of Restaurant came from me and my wife cooking at home all the time together. The plan at first was to make natural juice, trademark them and sell it to supermarkets. After going through all the process of obtaining the license, we realized that we would open a restaurant, and so we did.
Why did you want to do juicing as opposed to a full restaurant? Were you juicing?
We knew lots of people who were juicing and purchasing protein shakes, and one day, my wife and I decided that we will share our natural juicing with friends, and they loved it. We started giving out samples, and more people wanted it. The plan was to sell 1 million bottles at 1 dollar each.
When did it start? What Year?
We opened the restaurant itself to the public in December 2017, but we had a license and location two years before opening.
What was the most challenging thing you went through when opening? What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the Business off the ground?
Finding the place and the location was one of the most challenging things we faced. Most buildings did not design for restaurants, and if you did find the right structure, it is not the right location for your market. After seeing this place, it underwent a 2-year renovation before being used as a restaurant.
If you had to start over from day 1, what you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge?
The menu – when you start, you assume everything will go accordingly, and you will cook, and people will purchase. Sometimes we cooked individual meals, and we had zero demand for it for an entire month. Giving the experience now, we understand our market better, and we shuffle our menu. It grew, we have more options, and we are always introducing something new. We would try to understand the market it bit more. Another thing was, and still is, finding good and reliable employees.
What is the most challenging part about having a business in 2020?
The inconsistency – you never know what the state or the CDC is going to say. Before the dining part was closed, our customers love to dine in; my wife and I always have a plan. At times it would be just my wife working with little help and me. We have a drive-thru, so we decided to make use of it. Then we decided that we will start offering delivery to the client. We managed to change as things were changing. Honestly, it was not too hard because people always wanted food.
Do you ever consider using a third-party delivery company like Door Dash?
After negotiating with them, we realized that we are better off delivering our food. It is less expensive, and there is a fee for the service. Most of our customers are within the Brockton area.
If a customer were to choose between your business and three others just like it, why would they at least give you a try first? What makes you stand out?
We offer excellent customer service; we are clean. We built our business around food safety. We do not just practice cleanliness; it’s a lifestyle. We have yet to get any complaints. We are a restaurant that believes and excellent customer service, we are friendly, and our food is delicious.
What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
We are providing excellent customer service and word of mouth. Many of our customers refer others here. Everywhere I go, people always speaking about our food and the type of services we provide.
Has internet technology (website, online ads, social media played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
Yes, not to the level we hope for, but that is our future. I have someone who manages those pages and that is continuously promoting us.
Do you feel that internet technology could play a more significant role in your Business if you had the
right tools?
Yes, most definitely. We are working on it now.
If you had to look six months to a year into the future, where would you like to see your Business?
My short-term goal is to get my liquor license and lease or own this entire plaza. Make the place more prominent and eventually turn this into a lounge, where on the weekend people can come with friends and family, have a good time.
Increase or decrease, step away, and be more a manager, passive owner? Why? (This last question can help you figure out what is driving them, are they overworked are they underworked. where they want to be with this Business, what is operating them)
is not just a business for us; we enjoy everything about it. Sometimes I am the clerk, janitor, and manager. Except for Chef because we want the taste to be constant, but if we must, I would. We do not care about the title. We want to have something we both love to do while offering excellent service.
Visit Manje Lakay Delicious Restaurant at 1753 South Main Street in Brockton, MA.
Contact them via:
Phone: 508-857-1687
Website: www.deliciousrestaurants.us/
Facebook: @manjelakaydelicious