TacoTime Creative Review Council Gives Owners Input On Marketing Plans

Great Food is What Brings Customers Through the Doors, but Strong Marketing Effort with Franchise Owner Input Adds Another Layer of Excellence

When consumers want to visit a Mexican food franchise, they have plenty of options. In areas where there’s a TacoTime® location, however, they gravitate toward it thanks to a long history of great food, superior customer service and great marketing.

No matter how solid your business is, being able to get the word out in fun, creative ways is a vital way to build a loyal customer base as well as bring in new guests. TacoTime does that through ongoing marketing via traditional methods, such as print and television, as well as social media and other online avenues. And it’s all done with advice and input from franchise owners, says Kevin Gingrich, President.

Every Angle Considered for Promotions

“We are a very unique brand. Unlike other fast-casual franchise options, the TacoTime franchisees have a major say in operations,” Kevin says. “We have co-op meetings, in which we review everything from marketing ideas to R&D on menu items and packaging. It even gets down to the taco wrappings and the cups we’re using. Everything we do, we want our franchisees on board.”

As a franchise owner himself, Kevin knows the value of those conversations. That’s why, in addition to the co-ops and other owner-representative groups, there’s also a marketing council that focuses solely on brand outreach and communications.

“We have a long and successful history of marketing the TacoTime Mexican food franchise brand, and that’s because these campaigns aren’t dreamed up by someone who’s never been in one of the restaurants,” he says. “The best ideas, and most effective programs, come from the owners themselves.”

Franchise Owners Weigh in on Promotions

Another group, the franchisee Creative Review Committee, looks at promotional artwork being developed for use at TacoTime locations over the coming months. That can be point-of-purchase materials, as well as ad campaigns for use in traditional or online media. They find out what’s happening in the test kitchens, and so they’re looped in on R&D efforts as well.

“By the time they review ad materials we have been working to test new products, or implement changes to existing ones, so they don’t just see a new media campaign in a vacuum,” Kevin explains. “They can see the products, look at photography and ad materials, and then after we’ve heard their input we move on to testing in a few stores. They are with us from the moment of inception, and they’re kept up to speed on how the testing goes in terms of customer reaction, so they can weigh in with the other owners and help decide if a new idea is going to make it out across all the restaurants or not.”

TacoTime is ready for the spotlight. With more than 350 locations in the United States and Canada, the 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 our research pages, or download our free Franchise Information Report.