Odds are, since the Moe’s Southwest Grill location opened on Macarthur Blvd. about eight years ago, you have stopped in for lunch or dinner. Odds are, your friends, neighbors and coworkers have stopped in too.

According to Moe’s General Manager Matt Marciniak, who has been with the franchise for five years, Mahwah’s Moe’s is ranked number 40 out of over 500 Moe’s locations across the country, in terms of top revenue earners. “It’s really quite an accomplishment, because most of the other stores in the top 50 are there because of large, frequent catering orders,” Marciniak said. “We don’t get most of our business here from catered events, so we were able to get to number 40 from individual lunch and dinner orders.”

According to Marciniak, Mahwah’s Moe’s handles 250-300 orders a day, or about 2,000 a week.

The secret to the location’s success? “I think we have developed a really good connection with the community,” Marciniak said. The location has also helped, he said. Moe’s is near residential complexes, Mahwah High School and three other district schools, and many large-scale businesses and corporate offices whose employees often stop by for lunch. Moe’s also offers a 10 percent discount to Ramapo College students, and has worked with Don Bosco Prep on promotions in the past. “We try to be a part of what is going on in and around Mahwah, and to be a friendly place people can stop by for lunch or dinner, or to pick up some food to go.”

A shaky economy has actually helped Moe’s over the past few years, the manager said. “The food is not that expensive. For $7 or $8, you can still go out with your family and have a nice time. So, for people who had to tighten their belts a little bit, this was still in the price range, whereas a more expensive place might not have been,” Marciniak said. Moe’s special offers, like kids eating free on Sundays, also helped during the economic downturn, he said. “We grew during the recession.”

Marciniak credited a "fun factor" as one of the attractions drawing people to the location. Moe’s is in the middle of its Spring Concert Series, which invites local musicians to perform live shows. Upcoming performances are scheduled for April 14 and 28.

And, the location recently got a bit of a makeover. The interior got a new paint job, and the management is planning to install new 50” flat screen TVs within the next two months.

Moving forward, Marciniak said the plan for Moe’s is to continue to do what it’s been doing, because the method seems to be working – husband and wife owners Lee and Mia DiPrizito, of Wyckoff, have another Moe’s in Pompton Plains and recently opened a new location on Route 17 in Paramus.

“I think if we continue to build our relationships with our customers, they sky is the limit,” Marciniak said.