Restaurant Unstoppable #1253: Taylor Swinning, Owner of Darlin's Diner
Date: February 16, 2026
Host: Eric Cacciatore
Guest: Taylor Swinning, Darlin’s Diner, Flatonia, TX
Main Theme Overview
This episode features an impromptu, in-depth conversation between Eric Cacciatore and young entrepreneur Taylor Swinning, owner of Darlin’s Diner in Flatonia, Texas. Taylor shares her journey from college food truck operator to small-town diner owner, breaking down the realities of entrepreneurship, lessons in business, leveraging small-town advantages, and building a thriving brand. The episode focuses on authentic leadership, learning through mistakes, and how restaurants can vitalize and transform communities — especially outside big cities.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Serendipitous Beginnings & Small Town Opportunity
- Eric discovers Darlin’s Diner by chance while traveling, leading to this unscripted interview.
- Taylor is proud of thriving in Flatonia: "It’s tiny and you could miss it if you just kept on driving. But we’re so glad that you stopped." (04:10)
- Flatonia’s diner brings in outsiders, revitalizing the local economy.
2. The Business Snapshot
- Taylor operates three businesses: Darlin’s Diner (diner), Solid a Soul (boutique), Lula’s Loft (event/catering loft). (05:21)
- Annual revenue: $800,000 with 20% profit; prime cost: 50% (20% CoGS, 30% labor). (05:53-07:19)
- Eric expresses surprise at such strong numbers in a small town context.
3. Mantra & Motivation
- Taylor’s mantra: “Fleetwood Mac — You can go your own way.” (07:46)
- To her, this means pursuing a career that doesn’t feel like work, with autonomy, agency, and freedom.
- Eric: "Success is freedom. That is the most valuable thing you could have." (09:51)
4. Taylor’s Entrepreneurial Origin Story
- Initially studied construction science at Texas A&M, influenced by parents’ history of building and renovations. (10:19-11:29)
- Left the construction field for hospitality, wanting to focus on branding and creativity.
5. The Food Truck Journey: "Donut Darling"
- At age 19, Taylor bought a food truck (“Holy Crepe”) but realized crepes weren’t profitable.
- Pivoted to donuts—specifically donut holes after a crisis involving a fire suppression mishap destroyed her German donut fryer. (18:20-29:33)
- That “disaster” became a blessing: "It was a catastrophic day that made the business what it was." (29:07)
- Unique donut holes set her apart, leading to catering weddings, major campus events, and working with Magnolia’s Chip and Joanna Gaines.
- Revenue: Up to $60K/month with 80–85% margins at peak. (37:41-37:54)
6. Lessons Learned the Hard Way
- Partnership mistake at Texas A&M stadium concessions: Didn’t have payment agreements in writing, resulting in a $40,000 loss. (34:36-36:44)
- "Don’t have partners. Or if you do, make sure there’s an agreement clearly spelled out." (35:27)
- Advice from her father: “The biggest lessons you’ll ever learn are your most expensive ones.” (32:10)
7. Exiting & Evolving
- Sold the trailer business at ~23/24, but realized lack of proper bookkeeping meant a lower sale price. (50:01)
- "That is an example of falling on your face—not having accurate books." (50:38)
- Advice: "Do it the honest way, in the right way" (50:01) for maximum value when selling.
8. Transition to Darlin’s Diner and Small Town Life
- Family connection brought her to Flatonia; she purchased and renovated a 7,000 sq ft historic building for $225K (+$260K reno), supported by a loan from her father. (55:41-59:10)
- Opened September 2020, coinciding with Texas reopening post-lockdown: "There was a line wrapped completely around the block." (58:46)
- First day chaos, overcame with regrouping and rapid operations improvement. (59:48-61:27)
9. Financial Operations
- Early struggles with cash flow and learning to allocate for payroll tax.
- Outsourced bookkeeping and recommends reading “Profit First” (Mike Michalowicz) and “Profit First for Restaurants” (Casey Anton). (67:15-70:02)
- Tried software like Margin Edge, but found it better suited for multi-unit operations rather than her single location.
10. Leadership Style & Staff Culture
- Lead by example, support staff, but hold them accountable.
- "If a new employee walks in and he sees that the owner’s washing dishes, then he’s gonna wash dishes." (75:00)
- Emphasizes balancing friendliness and accountability: "Setting an example out of something that’s happened bad...otherwise staff think it’s acceptable." (76:17)
- Built a team that enjoys the work; the diner is a valued hub of the town’s social life.
11. Small Town Success: Growth, Profitability, and Community
- Last five years: best breakfast in the county year after year. (74:10)
- Owns the property; maintenance/rainy day fund needed for repairs ("historic buildings break a lot"). (80:33-81:17)
- Employs 18 people in a town of ~1,300.
12. Social Media, Branding, and Modern Marketing
- Social media is a team-building activity; leverages trends, humor, and authenticity. (88:43-91:46)
- Key insight: Make social media fun for you and your staff—authenticity translates to virality and brand engagement.
- "If you love what you’re doing, it’s going to show through the camera." (91:06)
13. Small Towns: America’s Next Big Opportunity?
- Taylor believes there’s growing opportunity in small-town America as people leave big cities for better quality of life.
- Eric: "There’s so much opportunity in these small towns where you can go and buy the building...and make a difference." (94:17-94:54)
- Taylor: "Everyone’s got to eat every day."—restaurants have power to transform towns, as a hub of community. (97:35)
14. Tactical Marketing: Harvest Host
- Harvest Host (platform for RV travelers) brings new visitors, expands word of mouth, and exemplifies innovative marketing for rural restaurants. (99:52-103:04)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Taylor on Mantra:
"Fleetwood Mac. You can go your own way... Doing what you want to do for a career where it isn’t work anymore... We have bad days, we have hard days, but every one of them is so important." (07:46–08:58) - Eric on Success:
"Success is freedom. That is the most valuable thing you could have." (09:51) - Taylor on Setbacks:
"It was a catastrophic day that made the business what it was." [On the fryer disaster and pivot to donut holes] (29:07) - Taylor’s Dad’s Advice:
"The biggest lessons you’ll ever learn are your most expensive ones." (32:10) - Taylor on Scaling:
"Never been ready for these massive leaps within the business... Just wing it and hope for the best, prepare for the worst. And it’s worked." (33:18-33:51) - Taylor on Selling the Business:
"Do it the honest way, in the right way." (50:01) - Taylor on Leadership:
"If the owner’s washing dishes, then [the staff is] gonna wash dishes." (75:00) - Eric on Restaurants as Anchors:
"Restaurants are going to be the first ones to take a gamble on that space, to revitalize it, to bring life back to it, to bring community back to it. It starts with restaurants." (97:53) - Taylor’s 3 Pieces of Wisdom: (105:42–107:00)
- “Love what you do… then you’re not at work at all.”
- “Treat everybody how you would want to be treated…empower those people.”
- “Go your own way. Just take a risk and do it.”
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Introducing Taylor & Darlin's Diner: 03:28–05:37
- Business Performance and Ownership: 05:37–07:46
- Success Mantra & Philosophy: 07:46–10:19
- Food Truck Genesis & Pivot: 12:44–29:33
- Early Mistakes & Partnership Loss: 34:36–36:44
- Revenue/Margins at Food Truck Peak: 37:41–37:54
- Selling & Lessons in Bookkeeping: 50:01–51:58
- Darlin’s Diner Opening & Chaos: 58:46–61:27
- Financial Management Challenges: 64:12–70:02
- Leadership Evolution: 75:00–77:01
- Community Impact & Harvest Host: 99:05–103:04
- Taylor’s Wisdom: 105:42–107:20
Flow & Style
The episode maintains an upbeat, candid, and relatable tone. Taylor is both self-deprecating and aspirational. Eric brings out tactical questions and pushes for real numbers, pitfalls, and wins—making it a highly actionable listen for current/prospective operators, especially those considering opportunities outside traditional big-city locations.
Conclusion
Taylor Swinning’s story is a testament to the value of authenticity, community, learning by doing—and not being afraid to fail publicly. She models the “go your own way” mantra and demonstrates that great operations, strong branding, and care for both people and place can pave the way to sustainable success in even the smallest of towns.
Find Taylor on Instagram: @darlinsdiner
Listen to more: restaurantunstoppable.com
Recommended for any restaurateur dreaming big in a small market—or anyone seeking practical, honest advice on overcoming the inevitable hurdles of independent hospitality ownership.