May 19, 2025 // Franchising.com // CHEYENNE, Wyo - Taco John’s®, a leading Mexican quick-service restaurant, enhances its leadership team with an internal promotion and new hires. Taco John’s welcomes Tom Perella as VP/Technology and Damian Hanft as VP/Human Resources and promotes Kristin Nuss to General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
"We are confident in Kristin, Tom, and Damian’s leadership as we drive a new era for Taco John’s," said Heather Neary, President and CEO of Taco John’s. "As we continue to scale strategically, we are fine-tuning our operations to ensure franchisees are set up for success from day one. It’s critical that we have the right people in the right roles — leaders who are fully aligned with our core values and mission such as these three."
These appointments come on the heels of Taco John’s continued efforts to expand from coast to coast. Partnering with single and multi-unit franchisees, Taco John’s Path to Ownership structure and optimized business model solidify the brand’s franchisee support system, ensuring sustainable growth for the brand and investors.
“Our entire team has collaborated to enhance systems across the board, from onboarding to branding to technology,” continued Neary. “As a leader in the QSR space, we feel a responsibility to continue to find new ways to innovate, not just for new franchisees, but so existing franchisees are able to drive unit-level profitability and expand their market presence with our new processes.”
With nearly 350 locations across 22 states, Taco John’s has identified strong expansion opportunities in the Upper Midwest, Rocky Mountain regions, and high-growth suburban markets nationwide. Franchise opportunities are available for new and multi-unit operators, with tailored support to help franchisees scale effectively. Taco John’s is reducing complexity and enhancing profitability potential for operators at every stage. Prospective franchisees are taking note of the business opportunity, as the Taco John’s Franchise Disclosure Document reports an AUV of $1,881,809* for the top 25% of freestanding restaurants with drive-thru.
For more information about Taco John’s franchise opportunities, please visit https://tacojohnsfranchise.com/ or contact Shannon Iverson at siverson@tacojohns.com.
Founded in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Taco John’s® has been delivering bigger. bolder. better. flavors for over 55 years. Today, Taco John’s operates and franchises nearly 350 restaurants across 22 states, solidifying its place as one of the largest Mexican quick-service restaurant brands in the U.S. Famous for coining Taco Tuesday in 1989, Taco John’s offers everyday value with its popular menu. Signature items like Potato Olés® showcase the bold, original flavors that help fans Olé The Day. With generous portions and made-to-order dishes crafted from fresh, high-quality ingredients, Taco John’s sets the standard for crave-worthy Mexican fare. Taco John’s continues to be a standout in the industry, highlighted by recent accolades including ranking No. 147 spot on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2025 “Franchise 500” ranking and the No. 158 on Franchise Times 2024, “Franchise 400” ranking. For more information, visit TacoJohns.com and follow Taco John’s on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
*Based on the Average Sales Volume of the top 25% of U.S. freestanding restaurants with drive-thru. This information appears in Item 19 of Taco John’s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document ("FDD").
SOURCE Taco John’s®
Taco John's is the 3rd largest Mexican QSR with a proven business model that has thrived for 56 years and is poised for growth. Don’t just add Mexican to your portfolio…add West-Mex!