Holy Tacos has become an unexpected beneficiary of Meta's massive AI infrastructure push, with the Rayville restaurant saying a significant share of its revenue now comes from workers tied to the project.
Opened in April 2025, the family-run business has expanded from its original food-truck concept into a permanent restaurant and catering operation, taking orders worth thousands of dollars for crews working on the nearby development.
The wider Richland Parish development represents more than $50 billion (£37.4 billion) in investment, with Meta saying it will support more than 7,500 construction jobs at peak and 1,000 operational roles once completed.
Rayville Sees New Economic Activity
Allen described Rayville as a community that had been in decline, with young people leaving and businesses closing before Meta's project arrived. The construction boom has changed the commercial landscape, according to Allen. He said some businesses that had previously closed have reopened, while new operations have appeared to serve workers and contractors.
Meta says it has contracted more than $1.6 billion (£1.2 billion) with Louisiana businesses since construction began. The company also says it has invested more than $1 billion (£748 million) in local infrastructure improvements, including roads, water, and wastewater systems. The Louisiana Economic Development agency says the project is being expanded to nearly 10 million square feet and 5GW of IT capacity, making it the largest data centre in Meta's global fleet.
Holy Tacos Turns Construction Demand Into Revenue
Holy Tacos was initially conceived as a food truck that could serve workers at the Meta site. But Allen said the company was told there was no suitable safe location for a food truck there.
The family instead took over a vacant building and installed the food truck inside it, eventually turning the operation into a permanent restaurant with catering services. Allen said Holy Tacos now caters to workers at the construction site and temporary accommodation, with Meta-related catering orders typically ranging from $4,000 (£3,000) to $7,000 (£5,200). The restaurant receives such orders roughly once to four times a month, according to his account.
The clientele has also expanded beyond construction workers. Allen said the restaurant now serves local residents as well as lawyers, contractors, and other people connected with the development.
Meta's Louisiana Project Keeps Expanding
Meta announced the Richland Parish project in December 2024, initially describing it as a more than $10 billion (£7.5 billion) investment with more than 5,000 construction workers expected at peak. The company expanded the project in July 2026 to more than $50B and 5GW of capacity.
The site will house Hyperion, which Meta describes as its largest multi-gigawatt AI training cluster. The company expects the completed facility to support 1,000 operational jobs, including roles for electricians, HVAC specialists, server technicians, security staff, and engineers. Meta has also committed $5M to Louisiana Delta Community College for scholarships and training linked to data-centre-related trades.
The Boom Comes With a Rural Trade-Off
The increased activity has not been welcomed by everyone, according to Allen. He said construction has brought dust and noise, including overnight activity, and changed the quiet rural environment that some residents valued.
The economic effect may also change once the construction phase ends. Allen expects catering linked specifically to construction workers to decline, although he believes businesses established during the boom can continue serving the wider community.
Meta's planned 1,000 operational jobs could provide a continuing source of employment after construction winds down. But the experience of Rayville and surrounding communities illustrates how a large AI infrastructure project can alter a small local economy well before its servers are fully operational.
