Business: Tasty Biscuit
Address: 1112 E. Ogden Ave., Naperville
Phone/Facebook: (630) 369-8035, Tasty Biscuit – Naperville, IL
Owner: Hasnaa Soliman, 48, of Saint Charles; Manager: Emily Hunt, 29, of Plainfield
Years in business: One
What does your business do?: “We make a lot of biscuits. We make huge portions of food. A big variety of dishes,” Emily Hunt said.
When are you open?: From 6:30 to 3:00 every day.
How’s business?: “We’re still here. Many restaurants don’t survive the first year.”
What’s your secret to success? “This is Hasnaa’s eighth restaurant. There are three Tasty Biscuits. She also owns EggCited (Pancake House) in Naperville. … She knows what she’s doing. She finds new things, has a lot of smart, creative people who work at her restaurants who bring new ideas and new recipes. … We have an awesome coffee bar. We have really great servers. … When we opened here and in Bolingbrook, all the chefs from each location came together and learned from each other.”
What’s new?: “We actually just got new menus and added a couple of items. The everything bagel toast. We have a ton of avocado toasts that are so popular.”
Why are you here?: “I was a server for several years at the Bolingbrook location when it was Family Square. … Hasnaa bought that location, did a remodel and re-opened as Tasty Biscuit. I was serving there. She opened this location, brought me here and I got a promotion.”
Did being a server prepare you to be a manager?: “Oh, for sure. It builds the foundation of teamwork and anticipating our customers’ needs. … It’s really important that the manager knows everything, not just the business side. I know all the ingredients in all of the food. I know what people ask for. I love restaurants, trying new places.”
Do you have a liquor license?: “No, we don’t serve alcohol.”
Do you have a favorite item?: “I could give you a favorite from every category on the menu. One favorite is not possible.”
What do you like about your job?: “Every day is different. I meet all kinds of people all day long.”
How is every day different?: “Well, things happen fast in a restaurant. Sometimes, we get large groups that come in. Or other things like sometimes a piece of equipment breaks. But I like the challenge of doing something different every day. It’s never boring here.”
How many employees do you have?: “Around 30.”
Is there anything you don’t like?: “Sometimes, it can be a lot of hours, but it’s not necessarily a negative. When you enjoy your job, it’s not a terrible thing.”
Is the kitchen the key?: “Yes, it’s the center of the operation. … Our chef gets here at 5:30 a.m.”
Is it true we can order anything not on the menu?: “It depends what it is. We have a build-your-own skillet and a build-your-own omelet. … We offer upgrades.”
Are people waiting to get in at 6:30?: “Sometimes. … We have a group that comes every Friday morning at 6:30, 7 o’clock. Retired teachers. They meet every week, have coffee, eat breakfast.”
When can you order breakfast and lunch?: “You can order off the whole menu all day. The soups are usually ready by 7 or 7:30. We can make any menu item the whole day.”
When are you busy?: “The weekends typically.”
What’s your favorite story?: “Labor Day was so busy. One or two servers couldn’t make it in. One of the hostesses couldn’t make it in. I called Hasnaa and she came in to help. It was crazy. So busy. … A team building day, for sure.”
What misconception do people have?: “People think we’re open for dinner because Quincy’s, the restaurant here before, was open for dinner.”
Is the back room new?: “When this was Quincy’s, this room was closed off.”
Can you rent the back room?: “Yes. On the weekends, we’re usually so busy we use this room for regular dining but we have some groups that come during the week (in this room). A networking business group meets back here every Thursday morning. Another association meets the first Tuesday each month back here. And we can accommodate larger parties.”
What challenges do you face?: “Right now, the cost of all of our food. We don’t get special discounts. Certain items fluctuate like crazy. … Tomatoes almost doubled in price in a couple weeks.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business?: “You have to know what you’re doing. Do a lot of homework. It’s not easy,” owner Hasnaa Soliiman said.
If you know of a business you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at metschmsfl@yahoo.com. Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.