Aspiring MVP Bossing Teng De Castro reinvents restaurant concept

PHOTO: Teng De Castro, Managing Partner of Dapo at Tisa

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Shift from Dine-In to Delivery and Take-out keeps Dapo at Tisa afloat

PLDT Enterprise recently launched its MVP Bossing campaign last December to inspire enterprises to rediscover and reinvent their businesses today to successfully thrive in the future. With the theme Rediscovery, Reinvention, it aims to convey a message of hope, to recognize and appreciate local entrepreneurs who took on the challenges their businesses faced because of the global health crisis.  

Aspiring MVP Bossing Teng de Castro is the Managing Partner of Dapo at Tisa Filipino Cuisine, which is known for its fresh Filipino dishes, top-notch service staff, and comfortable dining areas.  The pandemic where government had to implement total lockdown greatly affected Dapo at Tisa, which has 4 branches and 80 employees across the metro. Teng de Castro says they closed down for two weeks, and had to hurriedly pivot, from a dine-in establishment to a cloud kitchen concept, with food to be delivered or for take-out.

Teng de Castro says that they had to pivot in order to cope with the crisis. “We have a commitment to serve the community, and our kitchen crew who are our frontliners, know that we need to provide the service especially that food is an essential factor in comforting stressed people.”

Dapo at Tisa reconfigured their business model, setting up their cloud kitchen concept and ensuring that their loyal customers remained, either ordering online for delivery or pick-up. Employees underwent retraining for safety and health protocols, and those who had motorcycles and bicycles became delivery riders. An employee who needed to work from home became the restaurant’s online sales crew.

Pre-pandemic sales via delivery apps were at 20% for Dapo at Tisa. But during the pandemic, signing up for third party apps brought delivery sales at 80%, proving that shifting to digital sales had greatly helped keep the restaurant afloat.

Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups says that having Dapo at Tisa’s Teng de Castro as an MVP Bossing is very inspiring. “Being an optimist in times of crisis means being able to rise from extreme challenges, and for Teng de Castro, he made sure that their restaurant found solutions to continue their service to many countless customers. We at PLDT Enterprise commend him for choosing to bring out the best in himself and for his business.”

Teng de Castro believes that better days are coming. Patience, for him, as well as constant innovation to improve their business model help Dapo at Tisa remain in the hearts, minds, and bellies of people. 

For more information on PLDT Enterprise’s MVP Bossing campaign, visit pldtenterprise.com.