Joseph Shorter, Owner of Twice Baked (Opelika), has one goal in life: see people happy. After struggling in his youth and as an adolescent, he decided to turn his life around and become a businessman. Shorter started in the restaurant business nearly twenty years ago and quickly developed a love for cooking. Though he never took a culinary class, his baking skills seem to be near unmatched by his competition. Shorter told FetchMe that, “cooking is a blessing… it’s a gift from God.” In 2018, he decided to use his love of cooking to open a business of his own.
Twice Baked is located at 909 S Railroad Ave in Opelika, Alabama. What started as a popular door-to-door food business quickly developed into a beloved part of the downtown Opelika, AL community. Twice Baked prides itself on its fresh, never frozen foods. All of the dishes are made from scratch and served with love and a smile.
Shorter first started in the restaurant business nearly twenty years ago as a cook in various restaurants. He says that meditation is one of the keys to his success as a person and as a businessman. Though running a restaurant is stressful, he has always remained positive and thinking towards the future rather than dwelling on the present.
Shorter not only prepares great food, but he also prides himself on being involved in the local community. He believes that no matter what, you should always look to help your community. Along with owning Twice Baked Opelika, Shorter also has a cleaning service that helps out the elderly in his community. “You are out and busy doing your own thing, you can forget about what your parents or grandparents might need.” Shorter’s business cleans for the forgotten members of the community for discounted rates. Taking pride in his community and helping those that might get overlooked is very important to shorter.
Twice Baked officially opened its doors in downtown Opelika in July of 2020 during the midst of COVID-19. Though many businesses struggled during this time, Twice Baked has persevered. Shorter believes that the reason for the restaurant’s success is not only because of the food, but also because of the service as well. He tells us that, “love is key…”, and because of that, everything he does is done with love. “My goal in life is actually to see people happy. And if I can bring that through food and good customer service and treating everyone like family, then that’s my purpose.”
Shorter also tells his employees to always have love in their hearts. He always sees the best in everyone and wants people to do the same. Shorter believes there is too much judgment in the world, and if everyone puts love first then the world would be a better place.
Twice Baked has a diverse menu that includes Philly Cheese Steaks, Sloppy Joes, wings, tacos, and so much more… and of course Twice Baked Potatoes. They also have a breakfast menu. The most popular item served is their Philly Cheese Steak. One online review stated: “Best Philly cheesesteak in the Auburn area”. After being asked about what makes this dish so good, Shorter stated, “seasoning is the key to food… we also make everything fresh, cut our own meats. Everything is from scratch”. Shorter also never fries any of his food; everything made is either smoked or baked which he believes also enhances the flavor of his meals greatly. Along with the improved flavor, there are also great nutritional benefits from not frying the food.
Because of the immediate success of Twice Baked, Shorter has big plans for the future. He talks about expanding his business to other locations along with renovations for his current location. There are also plans to add live music in the future along with expanding the menu to include items like fish and jerk chicken. In the restaurant right now, they are following COVID-19 guidelines. Shorter told FetchMe that he has six P’s: Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. He believes you should hope for the best and prepare for the worst but hope for the best, which is exactly what he has done during this time of national crisis.
Shorter seems to definitely be making a difference in the downtown Opelika dining area. With happy customers and a booming business, it is not hard to see how well and closely he follows his life goal of spreading love and making people happy. When asked for a closing remark, Shorter quoted the restaurant’s motto: “Don’t be a hater, come get these taters”.
Twice Baked, currently offers a handful of lunch specials and deals that run Tuesday through Friday. Some of these include $6 taco combo which comes with tacos and a drink, a 2 for $7 combo that includes a pulled pork sandwich and a drink or chips, and $1 off twice baked potatoes, Philly Cheese Steaks and their wings, two for $6 chili dogs and pulled pork sandwiches. As a proud partner of Twice Baked, you can order any of these deals and more through with the FetchMe app. So if you are ever in the mood for delicious, local, made from scratch and made with love food, use FetchMe to order Twice Baked.
Want even more Twice Baked content? Visit our friend Opelika Observer for their article: Click Here!