5-minute read
Daniel Cox, 33, and his fiancée and business partner, Lillian Rodriguez, 46, didn’t know what to expect when they launched Savage Tacos in April 2024. Now they’re preparing for the next chapter as their business continues to grow.
Savage Tacos was two and a half “painful” years in the making, Cox said. They bought the empty trailer in 2021 and did all the work themselves — electrical, plumbing, installing equipment, even the paint job. Rodriguez helped Cox hone his cooking skills, and they worked together to develop a menu. They scoped locations like Lakeland Regional Health and Keiser University.
“We had planned to work our regular jobs and do it on the side for as long as it took, really,” Cox said. “It didn’t happen like that at all. It really took off pretty quickly.”
‘They ain’t going to leave hungry.’
Cox said that Rodriguez is the spirit behind their business. “She stuck with me through the bad, the really bad,” like when he thought he might have to give up and sell the half-finished trailer. “Thank God that she really put her foot down because we wouldn’t be where we are now without her … The business exists because of her.”
Rodriguez is also the mastermind behind the food. She was a chef in Puerto Rico before moving to Florida.
“We never say that we’re authentic Mexican because we’re not. But we like taking something that’s simple and we kind of put a bit of a twist on it,” Cox said. “Our tacos are huge. They’re like mini burritos, basically. And we top them with everything that you typically wouldn’t get when you go to a food truck. So, you know, we give them the cheese, the beans, the pico de gallo, the guac, and the meat. It comes with everything.”
Savage Tacos posts their hours and location weekly on Facebook.
“We always say … when they leave our truck, they ain’t going to leave hungry.”
Next chapter
A brick-and-mortar Savage Tacos is in the works. Cox said the location is about four minutes from Downtown Lakeland on Rose Street — and he’ll share more details soon. They’re hoping to open in February 2026.
At first, they only planned to use the location as a food prep space, Cox said. “And then while we were looking at the space, I was like, ‘Hmm, it’d be pretty cool if we had a pick-up location here, too.’”
It’s a small space with only 11 parking spots, but Cox said that’s exactly what they wanted. They plan to do much of the construction themselves and keep costs low to pass savings on to customers.
“We did a special a couple of months ago on the truck … chili shrimp tacos, and they were really good,” said Cox. “Once we have the brick and mortar, I think we will expand the menu and offer weekly specials, too.” They’ve gotten requests for nachos and chimichangas.
They also bought a second truck in October 2024. Just like the original, they’re doing all the work themselves, and they plan to get it on the road next year.
A pipe dream
Cox was at a low point when he started dreaming of owning a business. He was going through some personal difficulties and was let go from his job in retail management. “The world was kind of, like, ending so to speak,” Cox said.
“I put my heart and soul into everything that I do, and I put it into working for them. And they just, you know, they cut me at the blink of the eye.” That was the last straw. He told Rodriguez, “One day we’re going to work for ourselves. And one day we’re going to be our own boss. We’re going to run our own business.” And that was how it started. “It was like a pipe dream.”
Cox found a job to tide them over, sold the only asset he had, a 2015 Mazda, and used the money to buy a 16-foot-long enclosed trailer. “Then just piece by piece, and brick by brick, we built it from the ground up.”
Poor Man’s Food Truck
Cox had no background in construction, but he was determined. “I taught myself,” he said. “Every night, I would get home from work, and I would take care of my son, of course. And when he was in bed, I would just watch videos, read books, read online.”
He also had no background in social media, but he started sharing on his YouTube channel, “Poor Man’s Food Truck.” He thought, “Maybe it will help someone because … there must be so many other people that are like us that maybe want to start — not just a food truck — but a business in general and maybe don’t know if they have what it takes.”
Today, the channel has more than 6,000 subscribers. His most-watched video, with more than 96,000 views, is about the cooking equipment in the truck. Cox still gets messages about his videos.
They plan to continue to share on “Poor Man’s Food Truck” during construction of the brick-and-mortar location.
A family effort
Cox finally has only one job — Savage Tacos. He and Rodriguez are still the only two employees.
“I don’t even count the hours anymore,” he said. “Once you see, you know, the people that come back again and again … the people that send you messages … people will go out of their way to give us praise. That for me, that outweighs all the work.”
Even Cox’s seven-year-old son, Henry, helps with the truck when he’s not in school. “He loves doing the register and all that kind of stuff,” Cox said. “He’s like, ‘Daddy, one day I’m going to open my food truck.’”
“We are so, so grateful for the support,” Cox said. “Lakeland has a special place for us just because we’ve reached so many people here, but everybody that’s given us support, we couldn’t do it without them, you know?”
latest news
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Great story. I will investigate further.
Looking forwArd to a monster taco