Customer stories

Carlos 1800 Mexican Grill

Carlos J. Perez ,Owner

For years, Carlos J. Perez dreamed of opening his own restaurant. In 2010, that dream became reality with the launch of Carlos1800 Mexican Grill and Cantina in Winthrop, WA, an old west town located on the North Cascades Scenic Byway. Three years later, Perez opened another location in Leavenworth, a Bavarian-styled village in central Washington’s Cascade Mountains.

Perez’s restaurants are known for innovative Mexican-Yucatecan cuisine and their tequila bars featuring 300 varieties— the most extensive tequila collection in Washington State.

Winthrop and Leavenworth are vacation destinations, attracting visitors from cities in Washington and just north of the Canadian border. From the beginning, Perez saw the potential for growing his business, but knew that cash flow was dependent on the ebb and flow of tourism. “We work really hard and we have great support from the locals,” he says. “But it’s a challenge to be in a tourist area. Business is up and down. You have to be ready.”

Simple, fast funding bridges the gap

Perez had inquired about business loans from banks and other financial providers but found the process difficult to navigate. A long-time customer of Worldpay from FIS, he heard about how he could receive customized funding and make automatic payments based on a percentage of credit card transactions.

“I needed to find a way to make my life easy,” Perez says. “This was a very straightforward process. I could access a specific amount of cash more quickly— one week, wow!” Since March 2019, Perez has received three cash advances for his two restaurant locations. This product allows him to make payments that are directly in line with his cash flow, at a rate that is affordable to his business. After a successful season at the Winthrop location, Perez recently applied and was approved for his fourth advance.

Increased sales and future growth

The cash advances available through Worldpay gave Perez the cushion he needed to ease operations during a difficult season and boost his business. “Sales are up 20%. We’re getting ahead,” says Perez. “I got the help to go to the next level. It allowed me to focus on my priority—my business—instead of worrying about a stressful situation like whether I have money to pay bills on time.” As for the future, Perez is looking at additional funding to pursue another dream— opening a hotel above and adjacent to his Winthrop restaurant. “What moves me is to open my restaurants, help the community, and provide employees a solid place to work,” he notes. “Having a partner like you guys makes a big difference. I’ve been with you since the beginning and I’m planning to be with you for the next 70 years.”