Teen Uses His High School Graduation Money to Start Taco Shop, but Things Don't Go Quite as Planned
Teen Uses His High School Graduation Money to Start Taco Shop, but Things Don't Go Quite as Planned
Jordan GreeneMon, April 13, 2026 at 8:52 PM UTC
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Viral TikTok video saves a 19-year-old's struggling Michigan taco restaurant from closing its doorsCredit: WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7/YouTube -
Alexander Quinones, 19, launched Detroit Loves Tacos 2 with $5,000 in savings and support from his mother
A TikTok video about his struggles went viral, gaining over 420,000 views and drawing thousands of supportive comments
The viral attention has led to long lines and near sellouts at the once-struggling taco shop
A Michigan taco shop is drawing lines out the door after its owner’s TikTok video unexpectedly went viral — turning a small, family-funded dream into a must-visit spot almost overnight.
According to WXYZ-TV Detroit Channel 7, owner Alexander Quinones, 19, launched Detroit Loves Tacos 2 with $5,000 of his own savings and graduation money, with additional support from his mother, Julie Stevens, to help bring it to life.
Quinones told the outlet he first discovered his passion for the restaurant business at just 12 years old while spending time at Detroit Loves Tacos in Corktown — an early experience that ultimately inspired him to open his own spot years later.
But just last week, the restaurant had reached a breaking point, with the 2025 high school graduate struggling to make enough to cover daily expenses, including paying the shop’s only employee.
“We had a difficult discussion that day. We’re gonna have to close if something doesn’t give,” Stevens told WXYZ-TV Detroit Channel 7.
“I felt like I was failing in life a little bit. I put all my money into this, I put all my time into this. So it really, really hurt me,” Quinones added.
However, that’s when Quinones got the idea to post on TikTok. In the video, he explained how he built the restaurant on his own.
“No shortcuts, no big investors, just me working every single day, long nights with a vision,” he said in the video.
"Everything is made fresh with love and ready to serve," he added. "If you've already came by, thank you so much. Your support means more than you even think. And if you haven't, come by and check out what we're doing."
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Since posting, the video has gone viral, reaching more than 420,000 views and drawing thousands of comments from supportive viewers.
“Impressive. We will def be stopping by,” one user commented.
“I just ordered catering from Detroit Loves Tacos last week for a lunch meeting at work! The corn was top notch and the beans were amazing with the big chunks of onion! We also got ground beef, chicken, and vegetarian tacos. The rice was so good too. Everyone was raving about how good it was 🥰,” another wrote.
Someone else chimed in, “You’re what Detroit is all about.”
Viral TikTok video saves a 19-year-old's struggling Michigan taco restaurant from closing its doorsCredit: WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7/YouTube
Quinones told the outlet he’s been shocked by the outpouring of support from his community, which has since helped sell out the restaurant nearly every day.
Looking ahead, Quinones plans to expand the business, including opening additional locations and launching food trucks. He hopes his journey will inspire others to keep pushing forward, even when things feel uncertain.
“All I thought was a simple video, just to get my name out there,” Quinones said.
“I’m so grateful, I’ve almost sold out — almost completely every day out of the week. But I try and make sure that I have enough inventory, just to feed everybody,” he added.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
