Teriyaki Madness, located on Central Texas Expressway, is now open to serve Lampasas residents their favorite Asian fusion cravings.
Lampasas’ newest fast-casual dining restaurant is operated by M 5 Enterprise, owners of the Golden Chick franchise next door and 13 other eateries across the state.
Ben Hagan, director of the M 5 Leadership Institute, said the group is excited to bring the Colorado-based chain to Lampasas.
“This concept is unique, really in this whole region,” Hagan said. “I didn’t grow up eating teriyaki chicken. It is kind of a West Coast deal. There are a lot in this whole region that haven’t been exposed to this type of food before, and it's really good food.”
Teriyaki Madness boasts 190 locations across the U.S., with the new Lampasas site becoming No. 14 in the Lone Star State. The restaurant focuses on fresh, made-to-order Asian-inspired bowls with customizable options, including proteins such as chicken, steak, tofu and salmon, paired with rice (white, brown or fried), noodles or stirfried/ steamed veggies.
M 5 Chief Operating Officer Edgar Solis said orders at Teriyaki Madness are not started until one is received.
“It is still fast-casual food, but it still has that scratch kitchen vibe to it, and with that comes the quality,” Solis said. “Nobody’s order is started until the order is placed. It is a little bit slower than a typical fast food, but they have really good systems to help pump that food out.”
M 5 Chief Operating Officer John Hagan said he was intrigued by the chain after learning of its healthy offerings.
“I just really like the food,” he said. “I eat a very specific, healthy diet, and Teriyaki Madness fits right in with that. I love to get the chicken with the veggie bowl, and you can get it with rice and veggies, but I get it all veggies with broccoli, zucchini and cabbage, with some edamame.”
Ben Hagan said his favorite dish is the spicy orange chicken, a former limited time offering that still can be curated through the restaurant’s special menu.
Combinations are plentiful at Teriyaki Madness.
“They [Teriyaki Madness] are big on getting you what you want,” Ben Hagan said. “If you want to customize and say, ‘Hey, I want veggies, but I want all broccoli,’ they are big on accommodating the customer on the way they want it.”
Bowls range in size from junior, regular and large. Customers can expect healthysized portions when they visit Teriyaki Madness.
“The large is enough for two people or one person with a giant appetite,” John Hagan said.
Teriyaki Madness customers may take advantage of a mobile app to have orders ready upon their arrival. Customers also can build rewards through the app.
“If you order on the app and you are picking up, it will actually tell us when you arrive, and we will be out there waiting with your order,” John Hagan said. “We know when you are coming.”
Although M 5 is eyeing financial success with its newest franchise, the CEO said building up people is the company’s highest priority, not profits. The name “M 5” stands for Matthew 5, the chapter in the Bible where Jesus’ well-known Sermon on the Mount begins.
Specifically, Hagan said “M 5” references Matthew 5:39, where Jesus says, “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
And while showing love and keeping customers happy is key, providing a good environment for employees is most important, he said.
“We’ve got multiple stories and almost 300 employees now, but we are still one family,” John said. “A lot of people need jobs and a good place to work in a good environment. That is what we strive to do, to be relational and connect with people. We have people who have worked for us and now own stores.”
Ben Hagan said forming relationships with those in the community they serve is crucial to the company’s success.
“We are not programming computer servers or running spreadsheets,” he said. “Ultimately it comes down to relationships with other people, whether it is customers or employees. It is really at the core of what we do. We try to serve our customers and the communities that we are in. One of the ways we do that is by developing employees and helping them become the best people they can be.”
Teriyaki Madness customers can expect fresh food and top levels of service when they visit the now-open fast-casual dining spot.
