Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. has become a favorite food destination among a wide variety of consumers, from Gen Z to Baby Boomer thanks to the brand’s combination of fresh food served at a tremendous value. While Del Taco casts a wide net in terms of its customer base, the brand has seen a rise of successful millennial franchisees who are looking to diversify their family’s holdings with a proven legacy growth brand.
Growing up in Southern California, Jerry Bajwa saw the love people had for Del Taco. When Jerry decided to diversify his franchise group’s holdings beyond gas, c-store and fast casual restaurants, Del Taco was very top of mind. Currently, Bajwa has two stores open and is developing five stores with plans for many more.
“While I operate numerous brands, Del Taco is one that I am incredibly excited to grow within my portfolio,” says Bajwa. “Del Taco meets the needs of consumers now, and it’s a brand that has the elements in place to thrive in the long run, thanks to the veteran leadership team and transparency within its franchise system.”
Nishant Patel is another millennial finding success of his own with Del Taco apart from his family’s other retail businesses. “I researched many brands but was amazed by Del Taco after discovering how fresh the ingredients and food were,” says Patel, who operates one store in Georgia and has an agreement to open five more. “Del Taco is a growing company and is exceeding goals. There are so many opportunities to branch out and franchise with the company across the country.”
For Navi Brah, lessons in hospitality were ingrained at an early age when he would greet guests and help fulfill orders at his parents’ Indian restaurant, working for a share of the tips at the end of the night. It was this early lesson in customer service that today carries over at his Del Taco location in Mesa, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix, where his restaurant has some of the highest guest satisfaction scores in the system.
“Del Taco is an incredible franchise opportunity for those that understand its potential, especially for millennials who value experiences over things,” says Brah. “There’s nothing better than owning a business that appeals to so many people, and Del Taco has definitely provided that opportunity for me.”
With more than 550 locations across 14 states, Del Taco is committed to offering its guests a unique variety of both Mexican and American favorites, such as burritos, tacos, burgers and fries, prepared fresh in every restaurant’s working kitchen. Del Taco’s meals are prepared to order with quality ingredients like fresh grilled chicken and carne asada steak, hand-sliced avocado, hand-grated cheddar cheese, slow-cooked beans made from scratch, and creamy Queso Blanco.
“This is a franchise system that sets franchisees up for success, and is a fantastic opportunity for millennials who grew up in their family business and are now looking to diversify those holdings, or strike out on their own,” said Laura Tanaka, Del Taco’s Director of Franchise Development. “Consumers today have an even greater focus on value, and no [quick-service] concept offers the combination of value, speed and freshly-prepared food like Del Taco. Those are attributes that offer tremendous white space for our franchisees, regardless of age, to grow with this brand.”
