Taco John's Franchise Overview

About Taco John's

Taco John's opened its first restaurant in 1969 in Cheyenne, WY. Celebrating its second decade of same-store sales growth, Taco John's prides itself on serving generous portions, menu items prepared fresh to your order, high quality ingredients, and original recipes, seasonings, and sauces.

Franchise History

In 1968, a small taco stand opened in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The “Taco House” was an instant success with the locals because of the distinctive seasonings in the tasty tacos and generously sized burritos. In 1969, the franchise rights were purchased by two local businessmen, Harold Holmes and James Woodson. The pair decided to name the franchise after the man who opened the first store—John. The restaurants quickly grew, particularly with the introduction of drive-thru service.  

The unique concept of Mexican fast-food brought the curious and adventurous customer to Taco John’s®. Just imagine being one of those bold individuals who tried Potato Olés®, which remains a guest favorite today. And, we invented—and trademarked—Taco Tuesday®. It’s true! Taco John’s created the call to action for so many families craving a fast, delicious Mexican dinner on Tuesday nights. The fundamentals that made Taco John’s a success over the years have not changed. Great-tasting West-Mex® food served quickly and pleasantly and for a fair price—that’s what Taco John’s is all about. 

Jim Creel was named CEO in 2016 after more than 15 years with the company. Today, he leads a powerhouse executive team in COO Greg Miller, CMO Barry Westrum, and CFO Richard Bundy. Taco John’s embarked on a refreshing and modern update to the brand’s locations in 2021, bringing even more attention to the iconic quick-service chain. 

Our well-established DT operation was prepared to continue serving guests which lead to back-back-record sales in 2020 and 2021. And, we continue to innovate. With the introduction of the Drive-Thru Olé “pod,” Taco John’s restaurants can now pop up just about anywhere in the country. We are constantly updating our menu offerings to deliver an excellent experience for our guests; and we introduced the ValuEST menu in 2021, offering $1, $2, and $3 options.

This web page does not constitute a franchise offering or an offer to sell a franchise. A franchise offering can be made by us only in a state if we are first registered, excluded, exempted or otherwise qualified to offer franchises in that state, and only if we provide you with an appropriate franchise disclosure document.