In front of the meat counter at Bichelmeyer Meats, the aisle is chock-full of happy customers anticipating their purchases. Standing in a long line next to the tables and windows on the south side of the building, people wait their turn at the taco bar. 

And what a taco bar. Homemade, double tortilla shells heaped full of pork, beef, chicken and peppers, ready to be topped off with fresh salsa and sour cream.

Few shoppers say they eat just one taco, but unless you’re really hungry, three tacos may be too many.

“They’re unbelievable,” says Bob “Warpaint” Johnson, Kansas City, Mo. “They’re fresh, tasty and the meat is the best.”

One of Johnson’s favorites is tacos al vapor with beef. Steaming the beef in what looks like a giant wok for 14 hours makes the meat so tender it almost melts in the mouth.

Like a handful of the customers who frequent Bichelmeyer Meats, Johnson has known Joe, Jim and their father, John, for more than 40 years. In addition to the tacos, he loves the steaks, sausage, roasts and bologna. You name it, Johnson
swears by the meat that comes from Bichelmeyer’s.

Nearly 12 years ago, Matt Bichelmeyer approached his dad and uncle about featuring a taco bar on Saturdays. Without a doubt, Saturdays were the busiest sale day for Bichelmeyer Meats, so Matt conceived the idea to keep customers busy  while they wait.

“Our place is packed nearly every Saturday and customers were standing around waiting to buy their meat,” Matt recalls. “When people have something in their hands — like our tacos — they relax. They talk. They’re happy. They lose track of time while waiting to buy their meat.”

Keeping the waiting customers occupied also allows Bichelmeyer employees time to visit with customers.

“We catch up with our customers while we serve them,” Matt says. “We talk family, cars, food, sports — whatever is going on in their lives.”

Talk about building customer relations. At the same time, Matt and other Bichelmeyer employees answer questions concerning the products they sell. They also advise customers about meat preparation and cooking do’s and don’ts.

It’s not unusual for the meat counter area to be packed with more than 100 customers on a Saturday. The taco bar opens at 8:30 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. Anywhere from 300 to 700 hungry taco lovers fill their tummies on any given Saturday.

Weather permitting, many sit in the parking lot on the tailgates of pickups, while others pull up portable chairs or stand while savoring their favorite tacos.

Always emphasizing the positive, Matt labels the taco bar a success.

“It’s an absolutely great day to see so many people in here at one time buying meat for their families,” he says. “We’re truly blessed to have such loyal customers. It’s a pleasure to see and serve them.”

Interested in learning more about Bichelmeyer Meats? Check out this story:

May 20, 2016

Bichelmeyer Meats