Why Fast-Casual Mexican Food is Hot?

As more and more Americans crave high-quality Mexican food at an affordable price, TacoTime Mexican fast food franchises are poised to dominate the rapidly growing food segment

When the first TacoTime® opened its doors next to the University of Oregon in 1960, the college students who came rushing from campus to fill up on our deliciously homemade burritos, tacos and salsas must have had their minds blown. This has led to opening several more locations of TacoTime Mexican fast food franchises all around the country!

The American palate has broadened considerably since the 1960s. The advent of the Internet and our access to different cultures has fundamentally changed the way we think about food — as well as what foods we think about. We have become far more inclusive, adventurous and multicultural. There is perhaps no better evidence of this phenomenon than the rising popularity of Mexican franchises.

According to Brizodata, there are more than 73,000 Mexican restaurants across the nation. Zippa reports they generate nearly $82.3 billion in annual sales. This makes the Mexican restaurant industry an appealing option in the booming QSR category.

While Mexican fast food franchises are on the rise, there are other trends at work that will make or break the success of a brand: chief among them is the concern that the food we are putting into our mouths is as important as the taste, quickness of ordering and even the cost. Only one brand can live up to market demands for high-quality ingredients in food that’s made fresh: TacoTime.

Our food makes TacoTime franchising the premier Mexican fast food franchise. Where other Mexican fast food franchises cut corners, we take the time to do it right. Our chips and taco shells are made fresh in our kitchen every morning, and our beloved salsas are made fresh daily. Each one of our world-famous Crisp Burritos is rolled by hand, and our craveable Mexi-Fries are cooked to order. Our produce is the freshest and ripest available — often locally sourced — and we use only 100% boneless, skinless all-white meat chicken and top-quality lean ground beef. We also provide vegetarian options, and feature a wide variety of seasonal and limited-time offerings that keep our menu fresh and our customers excited to come back.

Our brand promise for over 60 years in business has been that fresh, real ingredients make better food.

“The key difference with TacoTime is our taste profile,” says TacoTime’s Director of Operations. “It tastes good because of the seasonings that we have, which are proprietary spice blends created for TacoTime. But our bigger unique factor is how many items we make in-house.

From our hand-rolled Crisp Burritos, to making the taco shells — which most people don’t even know that we do — to the array of other items that are made in-house, we do it all from scratch. We make our own salsas and cook our own taco meat. The norm in the QSR space is where brands bring in products through the back door, maybe reheat it or just pour it out of a bag. We don’t do that. We cook it in-house, and that’s why it tastes better.”

The time is now to open a TacoTime Mexican fast food franchise in your community

With a low initial investment, TacoTime is the chance for new and experienced entrepreneurs alike to bring the premier Mexican QSR franchise to hundreds of communities who want their Mexican food served fast without sacrificing quality, freshness and taste. While TacoTime franchise owners and their employees cook and prepare many of our products in-house on a daily basis, an entrepreneur doesn’t need to have restaurant or cooking experience to franchise with us.

“TacoTime is a brand with franchise owners who have been operating a great business for 20, 30 and even 40 years,” says John Wuycheck, Senior Vice President of Kahala Brands, the parent company of the TacoTime franchise. “Our average unit sales revenue is over $1 million (for the top 10% of our traditional stores, according to Item 19 of our FDD); and while that is a terrific number, it is the result of two things: 1) we have been extremely strategic about where we place new TacoTime locations, and 2) We franchise with entrepreneurs who are passionate about the food, their customers and their staff. We only open restaurants in locations that have the population density to support a great business, and furthermore, TacoTime is an easy-to-run business that requires a good work ethic and the discipline to follow our experienced business model.”

TacoTime is a low-cost investment opportunity with high potential returns. The initial investment estimate for a traditional TacoTime restaurant is between $331,150 – $762,800. A beloved part of hundreds of communities in the United States and Canada for over 60 years, TacoTime is poised to become the premier Mexican QSR franchise as it ramps up for national expansion. The franchise fee for your first traditional TacoTime franchise is $30,000, and the franchise fee for multiple units may be discounted if certain criteria are met.

Learn more about the TacoTime franchise opportunity

For in-depth details about the TacoTime franchise opportunity, download our Free Franchise Opportunity Report. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages!