Case Studies
"Otter saves us time and money." – What Makes Mustard's Last Stand Top Dog
When you think of great cities for hot dogs, Denver might not come to mind. Dave Goodhart of Mustard’s Last Stand is changing that. Since 1978, this national hot dog icon has served Chicago-style sausage and sandwiches to a passionate array of customers. Dave and his fellow co-owners have adapted, innovated, and succeeded in Colorado’s ever-changing restaurant landscape for over 45 years. We wanted to learn what makes Mustard’s Last Stand such a tasty business – and how they innovate with help from powerful restaurant tech platforms.
As a leader in Denver’s restaurant industry, the team at Mustard’s Last Stand understands how to connect with its community. Bridging the gap between Chicago street food and Colorado tastes wasn’t easy, but winning over patrons with a delicious menu certainly was! Another key factor to Mustard’s success? Strong delivery service enhanced by Otter’s suite of solutions like Order Manager and Menu Management. In just two years, the eatery went from having no delivery at all to making restaurant apps a major revenue source. Find out how in our interview with Dave below!
What got you into Mustard’s Last Stand?
Dave: I graduated from CU Boulder in ‘04 and didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I grew up going to Mustard’s Last Stand. As a history major, I didn’t know what direction I wanted to go in. So I picked up some hours – just a few shifts at Mustard’s.
After I graduated, I really enjoyed it. I didn’t feel like I was a cubicle, sit-at-a-desk, nine-to-five guy. I really liked the restaurant industry. And here I am, 18 years later.
What inspires you to keep going as a restaurateur?
A lot of the inspiration for me is building community relations, customer service, you know. Your staff, your employees, just building that bond. There’s something new every day. That challenge is really nice.
You’ve been familiar with Mustard’s Denver location for decades. Can you tell us how the brand started?
There’s a long history at Mustard’s. It originally opened in Boulder in 1971, and was there for one or two years before [the original owners] were kicked out. They were planning to tear down the building, but that never happened. So they opened another location in Boulder in 1978. That same year, we found this spot in Denver. So we opened this store in 1978. We’re 45 years strong!
A Chicago-style restaurant in Colorado is an interesting idea. Did it take people a while to come around?
One of the hardest things for Mustard’s was bringing Chicago food to Colorado, to the Boulder/Denver area, in the ‘70s. You know, there weren’t as many transplants out here as there are now. So it took a long time to show people what a good hotdog tastes like, what good Italian beef was. That was definitely challenging.
Who are the typical customers at Mustard’s Last Stand?
Some of our customers are Chicago transplants. This reminds them of their neighborhood joint that they would go to while they were growing up. Both of our locations are right near college campuses – Denver University and CU Boulder. We get a lot of students, student athletes, teachers, professors, families. We have a wide range of customers.
Was opening a location in a college town part of your strategy?
Initially, I think it was like: “Oh, this is a great spot, and Boulder’s right on the creek.” For the Denver location, it might have been part of the strategy – look how close we are to a university! It’s a good customer base. I think that was probably part of our thinking.
Running a restaurant has plenty of ups and downs. What’s the most challenging part of your job?
What is the most challenging part of running a restaurant today? Employees, finding the workforce. The ever-changing laws. Different kinds of strategies that you need to employ – from delivery to all kinds of stuff. Regulations. Labor laws. Different kinds of health codes that weren’t here 20 years ago, 10 years ago, 5 years ago… It’s all different. Those are the hard parts.
Everything’s changing fast – especially delivery. Two years ago, we didn’t do any deliveries through our Boulder location. We started it here (in Denver). You can’t be left out. As challenging as it is, you have to change your concept to account for delivery.
What part of your job brings you the most satisfaction?
Definitely bringing smiles to customers’ faces. Reminding people of their families. The hot dog itself is so nostalgic. It makes people think about growing up, summertime… Just bringing that happiness to people.
How does Mustard’s Last Stand balance delivery, take-out, and in-store orders?
Balancing deliveries? Now, that’s way tougher than it used to be! We do give priority to phone-ins, and walk-ins take top priority. You definitely need to have a plan and a strategy to incorporate delivery.
How has your delivery business changed since you started offering delivery?
Otter has transformed delivery for us. It’s streamlined everything we can do. You could have multiple different avenues, third-party services – it’s in one tablet. Otter makes it all convenient. You’ve got your own printer. You’re not wasting your team’s time. Ring something in, and it’s already there for you. It’s definitely helped us transition into the delivery business.
How did you learn about Otter?
I found Otter through ChowNow. It was another kind of third-party service that specialized in online pick-up orders. They integrate with Otter. Over the years, the Otter team called me, and I was always, like, no! As a small business, I don’t need another company coming in and taking more of our hard work when all you’re doing is giving me something! But Otter is one that’s actually helping me.
I’ve been with Otter for about two and a half years now. I definitely am enjoying it. I can tell that I’m getting more deliveries. I’m saving time. I’m saving money. The employees are happier.
How else does Otter benefit Mustard’s Last Stand’s business?
Otter has streamlined our business. It’s made everything easier. You just need the one tablet, instead of having four or five tablets up there. You only have to deal with one thing. It’s easier for employees – they don’t need to look around for what they need. You know exactly where it’s going to print the ticket, how concise and to-the-point it is. It tells you where you’re going and what it’s doing. And that feedback’s been super nice.
Do your employees like Otter?
Yeah! The employees seem to like it. I know they like it better than having the clutter of multiple tablets up there. It’s definitely nice.
Which of Otter’s other features do you use?
For Analytics, I like the breakdowns. It tells you what’s happening: Is an order for DoorDash? What are your weekly sales? What are your main sales in Uber? What are people buying? This winter, when everything slows down, I really want to dig deep into everything Otter offers.
How would you describe Otter to another restaurant?
Convenient. It’s easy. It’s gonna save you time, it’s gonna save you stress. I was one of the naysayers for a long time. Now, I don’t know how I could run my business without it.
What’s in store for the future of Mustard’s Last Stand?
The future of Mustard’s? Right now, we’re status quo. But, you know, there’s always something on the backburner. There’s always something exciting coming up. We’ll have to find out!
We’d like to expand some locations. Can we get Mustard’s all over the Front Range?
What are your top three items from Mustard’s menu?
Number one: Italian beef. Daily-sliced roast beef, cooked in beef gravy, hot giardiniera – phenomenal. The Chicago hot dogs are kind of our claim to fame. The all-beef Vienna hot dog, steamed bun, mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickle, celery salt. And then our french fries. We hand-cut and hand-wash them. They’re cooked to order every day, so everything is always fresh.
That’s why Mustard’s Last Stand has succeeded for over 45 years!
With an eagerness to meet modern eater expectations, it’s no wonder Mustard’s Last Stand is Denver’s leading hot dog joint. Dave and his team understand the importance of a strong delivery presence in today’s restaurant industry. They also know that building a successful business takes the right tools – and Otter is there to provide them.
Apps like Order Manager, Menu Management, and Analytics give Mustard’s the abilities they need to maximize orders and revenue. By keeping up this level of consistent innovation, Mustard’s Last Stand’s first 45 years will be just the beginning.
