Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Collin Mccauley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Collin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Collins Grub Guide came into existence in a roundabout way. For most of my life, my friends and family have asked me for food recommendations in cities I have been to or have never been to at all. A friend would reach out and say, “Yo, I know you have never been to Boise, but could you do a little research and tell me where to eat when I go next week?” I usually responded with, “I guess?”
So, when I graduated college and got my first job, I started driving all over the country. The plan was to eat my way through every city and use all my research to eat at as many hole-in-the-walls as possible. Keep in mind that I have a background in competitive eating, so I tend to eat 7 meals a day in every city, every day while I travel. So, when I began my journey, I was eating my way through cities like Memphis, New Orleans, and Houston. In each city, I would talk to strangers at restaurants or the people who worked there, and upon hearing that this was my first or second day in the city, they would be appalled at how I found their restaurant. For example, this occurred at Elwood’s Shack in Memphis, which shares a parking lot with a Lowe’s. And the people working there were like: “Most people in Memphis don’t even know we exist.” I tend to shrug and say: “I just like really good food and do a lot of research.”
After doing this a few times in different cities, strangers began to say I should write about all of my favorite places where I dined. Bear in mind that my family and friends had already told me that upon seeing all the food I was devouring in each city. So, when I finally finished all of my eating and my list of all the best food I have ever eaten (which I had been accumulating for some time before this trip), I decided it was time to make my website.
At first, I realized I would make this site simply to save me time. Nowadays, when a family member or friend asks me for a food recommendation, I can just send them a link to the city they are visiting on my website. But then I realized I love helping others eat amazing food. And I want to spread this to as many people as I can. This led me to create my other social media accounts on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram in 2023.
I currently do not make any money from it, and I am just happy helping people find great food and promoting small businesses. However, the prospect of doing this for a living greatly amuses me, though I would gain lots of weight doing so.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Collins Grub Guide is meant to be a place to begin research when you are traveling to a new city or where you can find new places in a city you currently reside in. It does not need to be the be-all and end-all of food in a city. For example, I have twelve amazing restaurants in Montreal, but I was only there for two days, and I am positive I would find many more if I spent more time there. That being said, I am confident that the restaurants in Montreal would leave everyone wanting more, as I put a lot of effort into my research, and I have the accompanying stomach to back it up.
It is also meant to be a place to discuss food rankings and rate some of the best food you have ever eaten. It is more of a community, a concept, and a guide than anything else.
I have a few accompanying social media platforms where I post live reactions, city reviews/previews, and discuss some of the best food I have eaten. However, the core concept of Collins Grub Guide is to help you eat the best food possible, and if you have any recommendations for me and others, a place where you can share those recs.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

My website garners more users than any of my social medias. That could be a chicken and an egg situation however, as it is what I spend my most time working on, and has been around longer than any of my social medias. That being said, I believe having your own quality website is a first stepping stone.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My authenticity and innate love for my product (food) have made me endearing to those interested in finding the best food. If you are passionate about your work others will see that passion and thrive from it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.collinsgrubguide.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collinsgrubguide/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@collinsgrubguide
• Other: https://linktr.ee/collinsgrubguide
  https://www.tiktok.com/@collinsgrubguide