SAMPLE REPORT — Generated from research-sourced data for demonstration purposes. Actual reports reflect real-time community demand. See pricing →
BuildWhatWeWant
Demand Intelligence Report
Business Viability Score
buildwhatwewant.com
High-level opportunity overview and key takeaway
Viability score with key metrics at a glance
Vote growth trends and geographic distribution
Attribute rankings from community voting data
Detailed must-have and differentiator analysis
Nearby businesses, ratings, and market gaps
Unserved opportunities with positioning strategy
Recommended micro-locations and anchor businesses
Income, age, household data and spending patterns
Strengths to leverage and risks to mitigate
Launch audience, CAC estimates, and growth strategies
Neighborhood Tex-Mex With Soul has captured overwhelming demand in Austin with 953 community votes, making it the highest-voted wish in the metro. The closure of Trudy's Burnet Road location after 40+ years created a void that chains have failed to fill. This isn't just demand for Tex-Mex — it's demand for a specific emotional experience. Voters consistently describe wanting 'a neighborhood living room,' not just a restaurant. The top attribute (affordable prices under $15) combined with 'warm neighborhood atmosphere' signals a clear anti-corporate positioning opportunity. Based on demand strength, competitive gap, and demographic fit, this opportunity scores 82/100.
Business Viability Score
5
Nearby Competitors
$82,000
Median Income
3
Market Gaps
953 votes accumulated ov…
Vote Growth
953 votes accumulated over 5 months with strong, sustained growth — accelerating after local media coverage of Trudy's closure.
Proof that people want this business.
Vote Growth Over Time
Vote Timeline
953 votes accumulated over 5 months with strong, sustained growth — accelerating after local media coverage of Trudy's closure.
Geographic Distribution
Voter concentration is strongest in central Austin (78757, 78751, 78756) with secondary clusters along South Congress and East Austin. The Burnet Road corridor — Trudy's original home — shows the densest concentration at 34% of all votes.
Key Insight
This isn't just demand for Tex-Mex — it's demand for a specific emotional experience. Voters consistently describe wanting 'a neighborhood living room,' not just a restaurant. The top attribute (affordable prices under $15) combined with 'warm neighborhood atmosphere' signals a clear anti-corporate positioning opportunity.
The product spec, written by your future customers.
Detailed analysis of what your customers want built.
This is the non-negotiable. 80% of all voters chose this attribute, making it the strongest signal in the dataset. Austin's Tex-Mex market has bifurcated: cheap fast-casual (Torchy's, $10 tacos) or upscale ($25+ entrées at Suerte). The $12–$15 sit-down sweet spot is genuinely underserved.
Implementation: Target $11–$14 entrée pricing. Keep the menu tight (15–18 items) to reduce waste. Offset margins with high-margin margarita program (78% gross margin on cocktails vs. 28% on food).
Trudy's Mexican martini was so iconic it had its own fan page. This attribute is as much about identity as it is about the drink. A signature cocktail becomes the word-of-mouth hook — 'you have to try their martini' is the kind of organic marketing money can't buy.
Implementation: Develop 3–4 signature cocktails with a dedicated bartender. Use fresh-squeezed citrus. Consider a 'Mexican Martini Monday' promotion for weekday traffic. Budget $8K for initial bar buildout.
The emotional core of this wish. Voters used words like 'living room,' 'friend's mother's kitchen,' and 'not corporate.' This translates to design choices: visible kitchen, owner presence, regular staff, local art, and a layout that encourages lingering rather than turning tables.
Implementation: Invest in warm lighting, communal table option, and mismatched-but-intentional decor. Owner should plan to be on the floor 4–5 nights/week in year one. No TVs. Budget $15K–$20K for interior design.
Austin's post-midnight dining options have cratered. Staying open until 1am Friday–Saturday would position you as the default 'after the show' spot, especially given the concentration of live music venues on the east side. This drives high-margin bar revenue during the most profitable hours.
Table stakes for Austin but the specifics matter. A dog-friendly patio with shade and misters turns a nice-to-have into a competitive moat during Austin's 8-month warm season. Patio covers can add 30+ seats without expanding your kitchen.
The priority structure is clear: nail the food price point and atmosphere first, build the cocktail identity second, then layer in late-night hours and patio as you find your operational rhythm. Avoid the temptation to over-invest in decor at the expense of food quality — voters want authenticity, not production design.
Who's already here and where the gaps are.
Austin's Tex-Mex scene is dominated by established chains (Chuy's, Torchy's) and high-end concepts (Suerte, Comedor). The affordable, neighborhood-feel segment that Trudy's occupied has no direct replacement. Within a 5-mile radius of the Burnet Road corridor, there are 23 Mexican restaurants but none matching the specific combination voters are requesting.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Price | Reviews | Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuy's (Barton Springs) | 3.2 mi | 4.2 | $$ | 4,850 | Chain Tex-Mex with quirky decor. Affordable but lacks neighborhood intimacy. |
| Matt's El Rancho | 2.8 mi | 4.3 | $$ | 3,200 | Legacy Austin Tex-Mex since 1986. Closest in spirit but South Lamar location doesn't serve north/central Austin. |
| El Alma | 1.9 mi | 4.5 | $$$ | 1,890 | Upscale Mexican on South Congress. Beautiful patio but $22+ entrées — wrong price point. |
| Torchy's Tacos (multiple) | 0.6 mi | 4.1 | $$ | 2,100 | Fast-casual tacos. Ubiquitous in Austin but no sit-down experience or cocktail program. |
| Fonda San Miguel | 1.4 mi | 4.6 | $$$ | 2,750 | Upscale interior Mexican, iconic Sunday brunch. $30+ price point, formal atmosphere. |
Specific opportunities the market isn't serving.
No neighborhood Tex-Mex on Bur
No neighborhood Tex-Mex on Burnet Road Trudy's departure left a geographic void. The 78757/78756 zip codes have 48,000 residents within walking/biking distance of the old Trudy's location. The nearest comparable sit-down Tex-Mex (Matt's El Rancho) is 2.8 miles away on South Lamar — a completely different neighborhood.
Signature cocktail program at
Signature cocktail program at casual prices Austin's craft cocktail scene charges $14–$18 per drink. A $9–$11 Mexican martini with quality ingredients and theatrical presentation (the shaker, the olive garnish) fills a gap between dive-bar margaritas and cocktail-bar pricing. Beverage revenue could reach 35–40% of total.
Late-night Tex-Mex north of th
Late-night Tex-Mex north of the river After midnight, the only options north of Lady Bird Lake are Whataburger and IHOP. A Tex-Mex restaurant open until 1am would capture the post-concert, post-bar crowd from the Domain, Burnet Road bars, and North Loop venues. This time slot generates disproportionate alcohol revenue.
Where to put it for maximum impact.
Burnet Road (between 45th and Anderson)
Ground zero for voter demand — this is where Trudy's was. The corridor has diversified with breweries (Draught House), coffee shops (Houndstooth), and boutiques. A Tex-Mex restaurant would complete the neighborhood dining ecosystem. Several 2,000–3,000 sq ft spaces are available.
Density: 34% of all votersNorth Loop / Airport Blvd
Adjacent to Burnet with strong walkable residential density. The North Loop district is Austin's emerging indie retail/dining corridor. Lower lease rates than Burnet proper ($28–$32/sq ft vs $35–$40) with comparable foot traffic.
Density: 22% of all votersMueller Development
Austin's largest new urbanist development with 6,500 homes and growing. The Aldrich Street retail corridor has Thai, pizza, and BBQ — but no Tex-Mex. Family-heavy demographics align with the 'neighborhood living room' concept.
Density: 15% of all votersBurnet Road between 45th and Anderson Lane averages 28,000 daily vehicle trips with strong pedestrian activity on weekends. The corridor benefits from being a major north-south artery that isn't a highway — people actually stop. Friday and Saturday evenings see 40% higher pedestrian counts than weekdays, driven by the brewery/bar cluster.
Who lives here and what they spend.
248,000
Population
$82,000
Median Income
25–44 (42%)
Primary Age Range
2.3
Avg Household Size
The 5-mile radius around the Burnet Road corridor encompasses Austin's most established residential neighborhoods. High density of young professionals and families who eat out frequently. The area's median income supports regular casual dining, and the 25–44 cohort aligns perfectly with the nostalgic-but-social dining experience voters want.
Spending Patterns
Households in the 5-mile radius spend an average of $4,850/year on dining out, 22% above the national average. Tex-Mex is the #2 most-searched cuisine category in Austin after BBQ. Average party size at casual sit-down restaurants in the area is 2.8 people, with a mean check of $38.
Education Levels
62% of adults in the target area hold a bachelor's degree or higher, with significant clusters of UT Austin alumni. This is a food-literate population that values quality ingredients but also appreciates unpretentious presentation.
Commute Patterns
34% of workers in the 78757/78756 zip codes work remotely at least 3 days per week, creating strong weekday lunch demand. The Burnet Road corridor sees 28,000 average daily vehicle trips, with peak foot traffic 11:30am–1:30pm and 5:30–8:30pm.
Consumer Behavior
Austin diners discover restaurants primarily through Instagram (38%), word of mouth (31%), and Google Maps (22%). Yelp influence has declined to 9%. The 25–44 cohort visits casual restaurants 3.2 times per week on average, with Tuesday and Thursday being the strongest weeknight dining days.
Strengths to leverage and risks to mitigate.
Exceptionally strong demand signal backed by a clear market gap. The closure of a beloved 40-year institution means voters aren't hypothesizing — they know exactly what they lost and want it back. The combination of high vote count, emotional attachment, and an affordable price point in a high-traffic corridor creates a compelling opportunity. Risks center on execution: maintaining the 'neighborhood feel' while keeping prices low enough to honor the core promise.
Your built-in launch audience and growth plan.
Based on voter engagement and Austin dining patterns, expect 120–160 covers per day within the first month, scaling to 200–250 by month 6. The high vote count (953) suggests a built-in opening-week audience. Conservative modeling projects $45K–$55K monthly revenue in the first quarter.
$12–$16
Estimated CAC
Of the 953 voters, an es…
Notify-Me Conversion
Of the 953 voters, an estimated 65–72% would opt in to an opening announcement. Historical conversion from notify-me to first visit in the Austin market averages 28–35%, suggesting 170–240 customers from the voter base alone in the first two weeks.
Disclaimer
This is a sample report generated from research-sourced data for demonstration purposes. It is intended to illustrate the format and depth of a BuildWhatWeWant Demand Intelligence Report. Actual reports reflect real-time community voting data and current market conditions. Always consult qualified professionals before making business decisions.
BuildWhatWeWant
buildwhatwewant.com
February 15, 2026
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