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Moogie’s Gyros in Oak Brook uses word of mouth to build business
Owner Tommy Mongolias and Doni Lazar at work at Moogie's Gyros on Thursday in Oak Brook. | Joel Lerner~Sun-Times Media
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NAME: Moogie’s Gyros
ADDRESS: 2121 Butterfield Road, Oak Brook
CONTACT: (630) 317-7505; www.moogiesgyrosoakbrook.com
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday-Saturday
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Updated: October 8, 2012 1:55AM
OAK BROOK — Word of mouth is an important part of business for an Oak Brook fast-food restaurant owned by brothers Jimmy and Tommy Mougolias.
The brothers opened Moogie’s Gyros in February 2011 at the southeast corner of Butterfield Road and Summit Avenue. And they continue to count on good food and customers spreading the word to keep the business going.
“So far, it’s been very good here,” Jimmy Mougolias said. “Business has increased every month since we opened, and we want to keep that going. The only way to do that is to give people great food and great service.”
The Mougoliases owned Twins Gyros in Harwood Heights when they learned of the opportunity to open another location in Oak Brook.
“The owners of the previous place and I had a mutual friend who told me this location would be available,” Mougolias said. “I was interested in opening another location, but I wasn’t really looking.
“I came and took a look at this place and fell in love with it. I liked the building, I liked the location, and I loved that there is a drive-thru here, which we don’t have at our other store because it’s in a strip mall.”
Much of the Moogie’s menu matches the one at Twin Gyros. But there are exceptions.
“There was a Middle-Eastern cook here before, so we kept things like shawarma, falafel and hummus, which a lot of people like,” Mougolias said. “We also do have a vegetarian section to our menu here because there are a lot of ethnic people around here who are vegetarian.
“We want to have a variety of different things so that there’s something for everyone. Even if you really like gyros, there are times when you want something different for a change. It’s difficult to have a menu with a lot of things. More variety is good to have for people, but you have to make sure you do everything well.”
Quality control is a huge priority, Mougolias said
“We really work at that, but everyone makes mistakes, and when we do, we do whatever we can to make it right,” he said.
Moogie’s menu includes a variety of appetizers, such as various types of French fries, chili, and buffalo wings; salads, burgers, Italian beef and sausage, both regular gyros, which includes lamb and beef, and chicken gyros; other hot sandwiches, and hot dogs.
“We do have the Vienna Chicago-style hot dog, but one thing we don’t do, which usually is done with Chicago-style dogs, is have poppy seed buns,” Tommy Mougolias said. “The poppy seeds get all over everything, and that can be a problem for some people with food allergies.”
Jimmy Mougolias said much of his business comes from people who work nearby stopping in for lunch.
“Lunch is definitely the biggest time for us here now,” he said. “We’re working at getting more well-known to people who live in this community, and we are open for dinner as well as lunch.”
Becoming more well known is best done through word-of-mouth promotion, Mougolias said.
“We want to make it more of a neighborhood spot,” he said. “We have gotten involved with sponsoring school events in the area. We want to get people in the door. Once we do that, I’m confident that they will come back.”
