A teen’s viral TikTok saved her dad’s struggling Texas restaurant. Now they have a new problem

The Brief
A 15-year-old girl’s heartfelt TikTok plea to save her father’s struggling restaurant in Plano, Texas, went viral and brought a new wave of life to the business. The video caught the attention of a popular influencer, which transformed the nearly closed establishment into a local hotspot. However, the sudden success has now created a new challenge for the owner—finding enough staff to keep up with the overwhelming number of customers.

PLANO, Texas
A 15-year-old girl took to social media to ask for help in bringing more people into her dad’s restaurant. What made the effort successful was not just clever marketing, but an honest message from a daughter about her father’s hard work and the struggles of their small business. The video, shared on TikTok, helped save Sazon De Loa, a local eatery that had been on the brink of closure.

What we know
Sazon De Loa, located on Renner Road in Plano, is known for its authentic Mexican cuisine. The recipes are crafted by chef and owner Rafael De Loa. On a recent Thursday, the restaurant was bustling with activity, but this wasn’t always the case. Just a month ago, the restaurant was facing the possibility of closing due to a lack of business. That changed after Leslie De Loa, the owner’s 15-year-old daughter, posted a TikTok video requesting support.

In the video, Leslie said, “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.”

The video gained traction after being shared by TikToker “Bucky Wild Child,” who has over 110,000 followers and had dined at the restaurant earlier in the week.

Customers and owners react
What they’re saying
Customers from near and far have come to support the local business, expressing their appreciation for the opportunity to help.

“I saw the TikTok and said OK, let’s go. We’ve been craving a date night for a while,” said customer Jhazmin Martinez.

“I think it was pretty delicious,” added fellow customer Jesus Martinez.

Other customers noted that they were surprised by the large crowd but did not mind the wait.

“Pretty busy. I was definitely like surprised,” customer Diego Osorio said. “I expected there to be some people. Like, oh, maybe he got to a few people. But when we walked in, I was like, dude, this is crazy. It’s gonna take longer than an hour, but it’ll be all right.”

Customer C.J. Nelson agreed that the longer wait times are perfectly fine.

“Yeah, it’s a good problem for them to have. I don’t mind for good food waiting a little bit longer,” he said.

Leslie De Loa is amazed by the community’s response to her video.

“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,” she said.

The sudden turnaround has made the restaurant owner emotional.

“Since we lacked business, I have no waiters who want to work for no tips. But now, they surprise me, and you know the video I mentioned the word miracle. So, miracle to us. I mean, we’ve been here almost two years, and we’ve never got a good place, had this kind of business, never,” Rafael De Loa said. “I’m happy, and I’m tired, but it’s OK. I’m trying hard. I’m trying hard every day. I’m working not 24. I’m working 30 hours a day trying to keep up now.”

Moving forward
What’s next
Rafael De Loa shared that he now has a new problem. He needs more staff. The restaurant is currently hiring for those who are interested in joining the team.