Today we’d like to introduce you to Leanne & Tyler Hudson. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Tyler (Nashville, TN) & Leanne (Lakeland, FL) have been married for 12+ years. We met at the University of Tennessee. Tyler has been working in the restaurant industry for 15+ years in every position from pizza delivery driver to server and general manager – he’s done it all.
In 2021, we decided to invest in our own restaurants. We did some research and found CRAVE Hot Dogs & BBQ; a newer restaurant franchise with a simple and delicious concept. We moved back to Central Florida from Nashville to be closer to family and begin the process of opening some CRAVEs. Luckily, Orlando already had a CRAVE, and in December of 2022, it became ours. We opened the doors on January 27, 2023, and have had such a great time meeting our SODO District friends and surrounding area neighbors.
We also have a CRAVE food truck for Central Florida and will be opening a CRAVE in Lakeland later this year.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Our hardest obstacle has been finding locations. We originally wanted to open CRAVE in Nashville, where Tyler’s family lives, but after a year of searching, we decided to move back to Central Florida, where Leanne’s family lives.
We are excited to be surrounded by such a big family support system stretching from Orlando to Lakeland to Riverview. It has been hard waiting for locations to become available or agree with our vision and our budget. We began this search in March of 2021 and didn’t open our doors until January of 2023; there was a lot of hope and then rejection and impatience in those 2 years.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about CRAVE Hot Dogs & BBQ?
We are a fast-casual restaurant that sells Hotdogs, BBQ, and more. You order at the counter and in a few minutes we bring your order to you. We serve hot dogs, hot sausages, bratwurst (yes we have sauerkraut), pulled pork and pulled chicken, smoked brisket, tacos, sandwiches, and more.
We also have a self-service beer wall and plan on selling local brews and wine (liquor license pending). On Thursdays, we will be hosting a trivia night, but daily we have a patio with cornhole, giant connect4, and giant Jenga as well as multiple board games and activities inside.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and are any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
We began our business journey after COVID, so we haven’t experienced a before and after.
Pricing:
- Kill the Craving Platter (Sampler serves 4-6 people) $74.99
- Mac N’ Brisket Bowl $12.95
- Chicago Dog/Build your own $5.95
- Kids Meals $5.95
- 6 Chicken Wings $8.95
Contact Info:
- Website: iwantcrave.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craveorlandofl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraveOrlandoFL/
Image Credits
Leanne Hudson
