BY KAYLEIGH FREEMAN
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Yum Yums, a family-owned business specializing in pre-order food, has been serving up the Auburn community with fresh, homemade meals since 2014. Open for over a decade, the small business has become a staple for many in the Auburn-Opelika community.
Yum Yums offers a variety of home-cooked dishes, from customer favorite “ziti lasagna” to daily staple “seafood and sausage gumbo,” all rounded out by an assortment of desserts.
Yum Yums is owned by Tod and Linda Bottcher, Auburn residents that have been providing the community with fresh food for over 25 years.
Prior to opening Yum Yums, Tod Bottcher owned a restaurant named Bottcher’s Grill, a bar and grill known for its upscale food, live music and Long Island Iced Teas. The restaurant, which attracted predominantly college-aged individuals, was open from 1993 to 2005.
Tod Bottcher graduated from Auburn University in 1992 with a degree in business management. Having enjoyed his management position within the food industry but looking for a change in pace, Bottcher directed his attention to something slower-paced: a pre-order food shop.
The inspiration for the name “Yum Yums” came to Bottcher unexpectedly as he was watching TV.
“There was a TV show where this guy – I can’t even remember the show – but he came in with these yum yum burgers,” Bottcher said. “I looked at my wife, and I said, ‘If I ever open anything else, that’s what I’m going to call it.’”
The concept is simple – customers place their order at least a day in advance of their desired pickup or drop-off date. Typically, the orders create extras, which Bottcher stores in a cooler for grab-and-go customers. Because the orders that come in vary, the daily cooler stock varies as well.
“It’s amazing how many people just come in here and want to see that cooler,” Bottcher said. “‘What do you have in your cooler today?’ So that makes me feel good, because it doesn’t really matter what’s in there.”
By selling leftovers through a “grab-and-go” process, Bottcher makes sure that no food goes to waste, something that many restaurants struggle with achieving.
“The way I do it, I have no waste,” Bottcher said. “It sits in the cooler for three days, and then if it hasn’t sold, it goes to the freezer, discounted.”
Yum Yums offers more than what can be found on the menu. To accommodate each customer, Bottcher also works on request.
“I cook different things for different people, even if it’s not on the menu,” Bottcher said. “If you have a recipe that’s not too crazy, I’ll cook it.”
To be able to serve the community and have repeat customers is one of the most rewarding aspects of owning Yum Yums, according to Bottcher.
“I have one customer that came and got a bunch of food for their church in Opelika on Sunday, and they have been with me since the beginning … That they have been with me that long, it’s really cool,” Bottcher said.
Outside of the regular menu, Yum Yums has a tailgate menu which offers larger portion sizes.
In the future, Bottcher hopes to expand the business by opening a location in Opelika, which would provide more accessibility to the community.
Yum Yums is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Those interested in viewing the Yum Yums menu can visit www.yumyumstogo.com. Orders can be placed through the website or by calling (334) 209-2011.
