Margarita’s, the popular Mexican restaurant on Mercer’s campus, is finally back on track after an incident with its sprinkler system in January. It caused major damage and resulted in the interior seating area being shut down.  Owner Valerie Cork resorted to opening tables outside of the establishment with tent coverings and heaters so customers could eat while remaining warm during the chillier months.

For three months the interior space was open at only 50 percent capacity, which meant a loss of revenue during what is normally their busiest time of year. 

“For that to have happened in January and basically all of February and March, you know, we still haven’t recuperated,” Cork said.  “We’re not where we should be.”

The restaurant was founded in 1988 by Cork’s father and two partners. It’s grown dramatically since then, which Cork attributes to “good staff, inside and out of the kitchen.”

As the school year begins to wrap up, Cork says that they will “continue to get their numbers back.”  Her biggest takeaway from the stressful experience is simple, but true: you can’t control everything.

“You just have to be patient, move along, and keep your staff working,” Cork said. “Because if I lose them, I can’t reopen.” 

Despite the difficulties of this year, Margarita’s continues to thrive and provide delicious food for students and Macon locals.

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