A Plano restaurant has experienced a surge in business following a heartfelt appeal made by the owner’s 15-year-old daughter on social media. Leslie De Loa’s TikTok video, posted last month, resonated with viewers and caught the attention of influencer Bucky Wild Child, who subsequently visited Sazon De Loa and shared the experience with his substantial following.
Located on Renner Road, Sazon De Loa specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine, all prepared by chef and owner Rafael De Loa. Just weeks ago, the restaurant faced the grim prospect of closing its doors due to dwindling patronage. However, Leslie’s emotional plea turned the tide.
In her video, Leslie candidly expressed her family’s struggles, saying, “My family’s business needs help. We do have a small business here in Plano, Texas, but we’re not getting any attraction at all. I’m here to see if we can get any attraction. My dad has worked very, very hard. So please come enjoy some food, some tequila, some Mexican cuisine, and we’ll be here waiting for you all.”
Following the video, customers began flocking to the restaurant, eager to support the local business. Jhazmin Martinez, a customer who made the trip after seeing the TikTok, remarked, “I saw the TikTok and said OK let’s go. We’ve been craving a date night for a while.”
Another patron, Jesus Martinez, praised the food, declaring, “I think it was pretty delicious.” Meanwhile, customer Diego Osorio was taken aback by the unexpectedly large crowd, stating, “I expected there to be some people… but when we walked in, I was like, dude, this is crazy.”
C.J. Nelson shared a similar sentiment, noting that the longer wait times were a minor inconvenience given the quality of the food: “It’s a good problem for them to have. I don’t mind for good food waiting a little bit longer.”
Leslie expressed her gratitude for the community’s response, saying, “It’s just amazing how people watch social media and take their time off the day to come visit us and try some of our food.”
The restaurant’s unexpected turnaround has left Rafael De Loa emotional. “Since we lack business, I have no waiters who want to work for no tips. But now, they surprise me. I mean, we’ve been here almost two years, and we’ve never had this kind of business,” he shared. “I’m happy, and I’m tired, but it’s OK. I’m trying hard every day. I’m working not 24, I’m working 30 hours a day trying to keep up now.”
Looking ahead, Rafael has identified a new challenge: staffing. With the influx of customers, the restaurant is actively seeking additional team members to support the growing demand.
