Celebrating tradition at Antonio’s The Taste of Mexico
If there’s anywhere in the United States you’d expect to find authentic Mexican food, New Mexico would probably be at the top of the list. Yet, if you ask Antonio Matus, many local eateries oversimplify traditional dishes.
In 2002, Antonio decided to change that.
When his wife Sarah sold a property, they used the profits to open a restaurant in Taos, New Mexico. With a degree in hospitality, plus a lifetime in the food industry, Antonio knew exactly what to do.
“In Mexico, each state has its own type of food,” he said. “So I collected all the best dishes from every state and put them on the menu to serve the most traditional ones.”
With that, Antonio’s The Taste of Mexico was born. By 2010, the couple had three locations with more in the works. After briefly moving the business to Longmont, Colorado, they returned to Taos in 2017, where Antonio’s has been ever since.
It wasn’t long before they caught the eye of celebrity chef and restaurateur Guy Fieri, who featured them in a 2022 episode of “Diner’s, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Antonio unknowingly served one of the show’s producers years before, who highly recommended Guy stop in for a visit. Once the episode aired, it filled Antonio with a sense of accomplishment.
“As a chef, it’s kind of like the crowning achievement I always dreamed of,” he said. The accolades didn’t stop there — Food Network plans to feature them on America’s Best Restaurants in 2025.
The problem with payment processing
Like many merchants, Antonio knows payment processing fees are a cost of doing business. But sometimes, those costs are too high — especially if you’re working with the wrong partner.
“When we reopened in 2017, I worked with Wells Fargo to do our transactions, but I was very unhappy with them,” he said, referring to the company’s high rates. Soon after, he received a call from another payment processor, who told him about how he could pass fees on to customers. At the time, Antonio balked at this idea, afraid that diners would be angry and he might lose their business.
He eventually switched to Square — but that didn’t last long. One day, he printed a sales report and noticed how much money he was losing on every transaction.
“I said, ‘Oh my god, am I paying all that money to Square?’
Why Sekure?
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Serving up savings with Sekure Payment Experts
Antonio received a call from Karen Siewdass at Sekure, who listened to his problems and offered a free statement analysis.
Over the phone, Sekure explained how card networks charge fees in exchange for their rewards programs — costs that the restaurant ultimately pays. These charges, alongside a swarm of other hidden fees, can undercut a business’s profitability.
Karen, Antonio’s Payment Expert, also demonstrated the power of Sekure’s Edge program. It saves merchants up to 100% on payment processing fees by passing them down to customers. As a dual pricing structure, it gives customers the choice of paying with cash if they don’t want to add a small percentage on top of their transaction.
Not only did this address Antonio’s financial concerns, but it also ensured his customers wouldn’t be upset about the charge. Convinced of the benefits, he signed up right away.
“People were understanding,” he said. “Sometimes people will go to the ATM to get cash if they don’t want to pay the fee … There’s a lot of people who don’t even care.”
Plus, to make transactions even simpler, Sekure provided a free, top-of-the-line Cluster restaurant point of sale (POS) system. The Cluster POS system streamlines payment processing by consolidating multiple payment methods into a single platform, allowing faster, more secure transactions. It also provides real-time sales tracking, helping owners monitor revenue and improve operational efficiency.
And the best part? Thanks to the Edge program, Antonio now saves over $2,500 monthly.
I met with my accountant at the end of the year, and I noticed that with the money I’ve saved, I could buy myself a brand-new truck.
Customer service you can count on
Since joining Sekure, Antonio has had nothing but rave reviews for the people he’s worked with. In fact, he gives the customer service team a 100% rating.
“They’re really, really good,” he explained. “I used to fight with credit card companies over the phone all the time. I’ve never had a company like Sekure where the relationship is so nice, helpful and knowledgeable.”
If he or his wife ever encounter any issues, Antonio knows they can message their Payment Expert, Amanda, who will call back right away. Whether it’s their POS system or the Edge program, she can troubleshoot the problem and find the right solution.
Refer-a-friend: The partnership that pays
Do you know any businesses that could benefit from better payment processing? Antonio sure did. In fact, he’s referred so many fellow merchants to Sekure that he’s lost count.
“I assume it’s a good 15 or 20,” he said. “I joked that I’d buy a tie, suit and briefcase to go out and find restaurants that want to work with Sekure.”
Sekure’s refer-a-friend program rewards merchants with a $250 Visa® prepaid card* for every successful referral. Over the years, Antonio has earned thousands of dollars. But for him, it’s not just about the money — it’s about helping the restaurant community.
“I want to tell people about it because I want to save them money,” he explained. “With the money they save, they could probably stay afloat if it’s a rough year.”
Looking ahead, Antonio would love to open a chain across the United States. He already plans to sell his restaurant’s famous salsa in stores. Until then, you can pick up a bottle in person at Antonio’s The Taste of Mexico.
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