May 21, 2008 // Franchising.com // (Lake Forest, CA) – For years, when consumers in the Charlotte, North Carolina area had a taste for tacos, they had only one option. But soon lovers of Mexican fast food will have a fresh choice. California-based Del Taco, the nation's No. 2 Mexican quick-service chain, today announces a development agreement with experienced restaurant operators Jeff and Janette Marx to open three Del Taco's in the Charlotte area.
Charlotte is an ideal market for Del Taco, according to Ron Petty, president of development for Sagittarius Brands, parent company of Del Taco. At Del Taco, Mexican and American items are made to order using fresh product, freshly grated cheddar cheese, beans made from scratch, chicken grilled every hour and fresh California strawberry's in the shakes.
"Our research shows that consumers in Charlotte are hungry for something new in the Mexican quick serve category," Petty said. "We expect Del Taco to be well received and are excited to have such quality franchisees to bring our brand to this new market."
Jeff and Janette Marx had previously lived in Southern California where Del Taco is a cultural icon.
"We are excited to bring something new to Charlotte, especially a trendsetting brand that has such a following as Del Taco. We've had only one major player in this category and we think the timing and market are ready for another - especially one of the caliber of Del Taco," said Jeff Marx.
As a business, Marx said Del Taco is appealing because it has the highest sales volume of any Mexican quick-service restaurant; its average unit volume (of nearly $1.2 million) is significantly higher than the No. 1 chain in its category.
For more than 40 years, Del Taco has offered menu items that appeal to a broad range of tastes with a strong emphasis on quality and value. Del Taco is a privately held company that operates or franchises more than 500 Mexican quick service restaurant locations throughout the United States.
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