Joshua Dat, 33, owner of Datz Deli in New York City, saved his family's failing business by creating the viral 'Mac Patty'—a beef patty stuffed with macaroni and cheese. The innovation, born from a late-night kitchen experiment in early 2023, turned a deli making $200-$300 daily into a two-shop enterprise generating between $1,000 and $4,000 per day at each location.
The original shop is in Hollis, Queens, with a second now operating in Manhattan. The success has allowed Dat's mother to quit her full-time job in bill collecting, with his father, siblings, and uncle all now involved in running the family business.
From Struggle to Social Media Sensation
Dat invested his life savings, accumulated since age 17, to open the Queens deli with his chef father. The initial months were fraught with difficulty, including a rodent infestation that destroyed half their food supply. "I thought I had messed up, and that all the money I had saved my whole life was gone," Dat told Business Insider.
His breakthrough came when, craving a cheeseburger but having no cheese, he stuffed a patty with his father's mac and cheese. "I cut it in half, looked at it, and just had a feeling this was it. This was going to go viral," he recalled.
Family Effort Fuels Expansion
After his sister posted an image of the creation on Instagram, customers lined up the next morning. The viral momentum allowed Dat to stop paying for influencer marketing, as the store developed its own reputation. This success funded the Manhattan expansion.
The business is now a full family operation. His mother, father, and older brother run the Manhattan shop, while his younger sister and uncle manage the Queens location. Dat focuses on online content and support.
A Foundation Built on Resilience
Dat's drive stems from a childhood of financial hardship following his parents' divorce. "I would go around the house and about town collecting loose change I could find, so I could give it to my mom when she'd cry about the water bill or the electricity bill," he said. He vowed his family would never experience such struggle again.
While working with family brings challenges—"We can fight like it's World War III," Dat noted—their commitment is unwavering. "We're all showing back up at the gate tomorrow to open the shops because we're all so proud of what it's become."
Looking Ahead
Buoyed by their success, the family plans to open a third Datz Deli location in Orlando, Florida, which will be run by Dat's older sister. The business, started by Joshua Dat, is now sustained by the collective effort of his entire family.