Communication Key to TacoTime’s Consistently High-Quality Menu of Classics and Seasonal Specials

Ongoing input from customers, as well as owners themselves, helps TacoTime stand out

Dining trends come and go, but America’s love for Mexican food never wanes — just like TacoTime™ Mexican food franchise, which now has been in business for more than half a century. Unlike most Mexican fast-casual offerings, however, TacoTime has stuck with a winning formula of high-quality, fresh food and consistent communication among owners, the corporate team and, most importantly, customers.

“Customers know what they want when they come into a TacoTime location, and we are going to give them the food, the service and the overall experience that they have come to expect,” says Kevin Gingrich, TacoTime President and multi-unit franchisee owner.

Gingrich also is a big fan of TacoTime food, having grown up for more than 30 years with the brand,  from eating in the restaurants as a high school student to working in the stores with his wife, Joy, as college students to now running multiple locations together.

“I do eat the food all the time. With TacoTime, the food tasted great the very first time I tried it in high school and still tastes great today,” Gingrich says. “From our hand-rolled Crisp Burrito to our proprietary spice blends, we really take pride in our taste profile and freshness of our food that customers know they can rely on.”

Menu refreshes build customer loyalty

That’s not to say that the TacoTime Mexican food franchise menu never veers from the core staples. Seasonal items rotate through every year, as well as new items that appear after they have been created by the Kahala Brands™ R&D team, passed approval by a team of franchise owners and been tested in a few locations.

“Our Cilantro Lime bowls were rolled out in 2018 and were very successful, and we continued to tweak them to make them both distributor-friendly and prep-friendly,” Gingrich says. That type of communication and commitment to optimizing every detail, from ingredients to prep time, is part of what makes TacoTime a true team effort across the board.

Communication a hallmark of the TacoTime brand

Being a franchise owner himself has kept Gingrich in touch with franchisees on a level that is not common in the industry. That kind of corporate management/owner relationship is a hallmark of the TacoTime Mexican food franchise opportunity, and it sets the brand apart from competitors in the fast-casual dining space.

“I work with each franchisee to see how much of a product they think they will sell. They help us determine how many cases they think they need for particular ingredients so they aren’t stuck with too much product,” Gingrich says. “We are a very unique brand. Unlike other fast-casual franchise options, the TacoTime franchisees have a major say in operations. We have co-op meetings, in which we review everything from marketing ideas to R&D on menu items and packaging.”

TacoTime also listens closely to customers, and many seasonal specials are inspired by customer suggestions. People know that they can always get their favorite Mexican food at TacoTime, but they also know they can try something new if they want. It’s a recipe for more frequent visits, and more revenue, for franchise owners.

TacoTime is ready for the spotlight. With more than 350 locations in the United States and Canada, the successful Mexican food franchise is ready to break out of its home turf in the Pacific Northwest and hit the national stage. TacoTime is looking for entrepreneurs who are passionate about bringing authentic and affordable Mexican food to their communities. TacoTime is led by a veteran franchise team and dedicated brand support team as part of the Kahala Brands family.

Ready to open a TacoTime franchise in your community?

To learn more about TacoTime, visit the franchise website’s research pages, or download the free Franchise Information Report.