Episode Description
Most restaurant owners think they do not have a story to tell on social media.
They are too busy to post. They’re worried that food costs are up. Labor is tight. The ice machine is broken. Someone called out. A vendor is late.
There’s always an excuse to not post.
So when people like me say, “You should tell more stories online,” it feels like one more thing on the really big to do list.
But storytelling does not have to start with a camera crew, a viral idea, or a polished brand campaign.
It can start with an orange tree.
At Cali BBQ, there is an orange tree outside the restaurant. On the surface, it is just a tree.
It is not the barbecue smoker. It is not the menu. It is not the tri-tip or any of the things that look obvious from the outside the business.
It’s a tree that holds our history.
It connects back to family. My Bulgarian grandfather bought the property in the late 1970s. He and my uncle planted fruit trees, flowers, and built a fountain.
Years later, Cali BBQ opened in that same spot. The business became a sports bar destination, survived hard years, made mistakes, opened ghost kitchens, closed ghost kitchens, and kept going.
And the orange tree continued to survive.
Later, during the pandemic, Cali BBQ started to transform into what we started calling “the Amazon of BBQ.” We added new smokers, changed the back patio, and needed more space for trucks and operations.
The practical business decision was obvious: remove the orange tree.
But my wife Rosi said no.
She fought for the tree because it meant something.
It was tied to family, to Bulgaria, to gardens, to memory, to the life around the restaurant that existed before the current version of the business.
The business needed to grow.
She was right, the tree needed to stay.
It’s a part of our story.
Most owners miss this. They think their story has to be just about the product.
Now here’s a thought exercise for you to try:
What object inside your restaurant carries more meaning than a stranger would ever know?
Whatever you thought of just now is a story that should be told.
It might be a photo on the wall. A recipe from a grandparent. A table that has been there since day one.
The point is not the object. The point is the meaning attached to it.
That is my Orange Tree Theory.
Restaurant owners spend so much time inside the four walls that they forget to step back and see what the business actually represents.
The orange tree is a reminder to change perspective. Get outside the building. Look at the restaurant the way a guest, a family member, or an old friend might see it.
I’ve told my orange tree story on stages, in videos (like the one you can watch at the top of this post), and in conversations with other restaurant owners. Now people fly into San Diego, visit Cali BBQ, and ask if they can take a picture with the tree.
That’s because the story gave the right people a reason to care.
This is a lesson for every restaurant owner and small business owner trying to figure out social media. You do not need to invent a brand story. You already have one.
You just need to find your Orange Tree. Then tell people why it matters.
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