Daniel Estrada, co-founder and CEO of 86 Repairs, embarked on his entrepreneurial journey driven by the frustrations restaurant operators face when managing repairs and maintenance (R&M). Alongside his co-founder Joe Gallagher, who worked in the food equipment industry, Estrada recognized a common pain point across the industry: R&M was a chaotic and time-consuming challenge for operators. 

86 Repairs , whose name is steep in American pop culture, is a tech-powered platform tailored for the restaurant industry, streamlining repair and maintenance management. Our solution offers on-demand repair coordination, preventative maintenance, and round-the-clock support, helping restaurants gain control over their facilities. By leveraging data-driven insights, 86 Repairs enables operators to reduce R&M costs and minimize the time their teams spend dealing with equipment issues, allowing them to focus on what matters most—running their business.

“He came to me one day, and we were just kicking around ideas,” Daniel recalls. “He said, ‘there’s something here.’ I don’t know what kind of business we can build, but there’s a problem here and a pain point that’s worth digging into.” 

After months of speaking with operators, the same frustration echoed back: R&M was a headache. This led to the founding of 86 Repairs, a company designed to streamline and simplify R&M for restaurants.

One of the most powerful elements of 86 Repairs lies in its use of data. By centralizing R&M operations, the company collects and analyzes valuable data to provide better insights and actionable recommendations. This data-driven approach allows 86 Repairs to assess service quotes, recommend when equipment should be replaced, and assist in capital planning—offering far more value than traditional solutions that often prioritize vendor relationships over operational efficiency.

“Part of the value that we’ve always seen in 86 is because we’re putting ourselves in the center of the R&M process with our customers,” Estrada explains. “We collect a tremendous amount of data that has a tremendous amount of value in the industry.” 

From cost forecasting to helping finance teams manage accruals more effectively, 86 Repairs helps operators make informed, strategic decisions about their business using a plethora of collected data.

Estrada encourages restaurant operators to take a closer look at their current R&M processes, even if they seem to be running smoothly. By reassessing workflows and training staff more proactively, operators often uncover hidden inefficiencies and significant cost savings. While partnering with 86 Repairs is an option, Daniel emphasizes that the real value comes from evaluating and optimizing existing processes. 

“Even if you think things are going well in R&M, there’s a lot of hidden cost and pain in this process that operators don’t always see,” Estrada says. “The conclusion may not be signing up with 86 Repairs…but the value that comes out of that process might be here’s a way I can tighten up my workflow, or train my team more effectively, or get more proactive. There’s a lot of money on the table from that.”

Under Estrada’s leadership, 86 Repairs continues to transform how restaurants handle repairs and maintenance, offering a smarter, more streamlined approach that allows operators to focus on what matters most: running their business.

Digital Hospitality is an interview-based video podcast hosted by business owner Shawn P. Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) and produced by his Cali BBQ Media company sponsored by Marqii (@getmarqii) The weekly digital series explores the ways successful businesses and entrepreneurs have merged old and new with innovative digital strategies that harness the power of the Internet and social media. Shawn is the founder of Cali BBQ Media and creator of the Restaurant Influencers podcast on Entrepreneur Media.
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