Scones, Skillets, and Success: The Scrambled Story
Located on Washington Boulevard in Ogden, Utah, Scrambled’s new location is clean, fresh, bathed in light, and orderly. The food, much like the overall vibe, shares many similarities.
The red brick exterior and interior are complemented by 13 large windows that allow sunlight to flood the dining room while providing stunning views of the majestic Wasatch Mountains. Scrambled began in early 2020 as a fast-casual breakfast and brunch diner based on the twin principles of affordability and accessibility.
“A lot of our business is drive-through, online ordering, and delivering,” explained Oscar Rodriguez, the founder and owner of Scrambled. Oscar decided to lean into those elements, providing delicious food that is delivered fast and fresh.
Doughs and batters are made from scratch which means if you, like us, believe in the spiritual axiom that “bread is life,” you won’t want to miss out on the giant scone that is topped with cinnamon honey butter (Oscar’s recommendation). Additional top sellers include the Wicked Skillet. (Though rest assured, no Ariana Grandes or Cynthia Erivos were harmed in the making of those fantastic foodstuffs.) On the Wicked Skillet, you will find potatoes, cheese, jalapeños, onions, tomatoes, bacon, and sausage all topped off with an egg. There’s even a vegetarian option for those with a palate that prefers animal-free fare. Much of Scrambled’s dishes focus on Mexican fusion, incorporating salsas and spices that enhance the savory elements and balance the sweeter offerings.
Where it All Began
“I started washing dishes at a diner when I was 14,” Oscar shares. “While away at college, I worked as a chef at a restaurant downtown. I did that for about four years while I worked on getting my undergrad.” Once he had finished his degree, he meshed what he had learned from the two areas that took up most of the time in his life – business and cooking.
“We’ve been doing this for almost five years now,” he explains about Scrambled, which opened its first location in Layton just before the COVID-19 pandemic began. “It was really hard, and a bit of a headache for a minute.” They started working on the restaurant at the beginning of 2020. The original plan was a small and intimate diner with seating for 30 – 40 people, but they couldn’t find a location that perfectly fit that business plan. Enter the Layton location. It had a drive-through and ultimately meant a pivot from the original business model.
Scrambled officially opened on March 7, 2020, but was forced to close its doors just 10 days later due to pandemic mandates.
However, this “pivot”
ultimately proved to be providential, becoming an integral part of Scrambled’s early success.
While other restaurants were struggling to find ways to safely operate, Scrambled’s drive-through set them up to open sooner and more efficiently under pandemic guidelines.
“It got our name out there—showing that we are more accessible, with having a drive-through, and delivery.” Oscar shared. Scrambled was set up to serve.
“So once things started to ramp up again, we already had a strong customer base.” While COVID definitely hurt, “it could’ve been so much worse.”
Getting the Deal Done & a Bright Future
Scrambled worked with Monarch Capital and Mountain West Small Business Finance to get their second location in Ogden financed. “We had enough business, good credit, and a history that meant the 504 made more sense than anything else,” he shared. Like most small businesses, Oscar said he was just trying to get the best rate possible, so the SBA 504 was the best option, and he said working with MWSBF was great.
The new store has created at least 18 new jobs, bringing the total between the two shops to nearly 40, and plans for continued growth. Oscar says they’re exploring expansion plans further south – possibly Salt Lake or Utah County – but it would need to be the right fit. Oscar says there’s a lot of interest from investors, but for now, the focus is on getting new employees trained and continuing to deliver fresh and fabulous food to its customers.
We’ll eat to that!