Taco Bueno

Taco Bueno
Mexican Restaurants
Industry Quick Service Restaurants
Founded Abilene, Texas (1967)
Founder Bill Waugh (Founder)
Headquarters Farmers Branch, Texas
Key people
 unknown
Products Tacos, burritos, and other Mexican-related fast food
Revenue $187 million
Number of employees
 3,856
Parent TPG Growth
Slogan It's More Bueno!
Website tacobueno.com

Taco Bueno is a U.S.-based fast-food restaurant chain specializing in Tex-Mex-style Mexican cuisine. Currently headquartered in Farmers Branch, Texas, the first location was in Abilene, Texas in 1967. The company has locations in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, and Colorado with concentrations in North Texas and Eastern Oklahoma. The chain currently includes 176 restaurants.

History

Taco Bueno was founded in 1967 by Bill R. Waugh, an Abilene Christian University(ACU) art graduate. The first store was located in Abilene, Texas.

In 1981, Taco Bueno was acquired by British food manufacturer Unigate

Taco Bueno was sold to Carl's Jr.'s franchisor CKE Restaurants in 1996. CKE agreed to purchase Taco Bueno on August 29, 1996.[1]

In 2001, the private investment group Jacobson Partners purchased the chain for $72.5 Million US Dollars to help aid CKE Restaurants in a battle to get out of debt.[2]

On August 10, 2005, Palladium Equity Partners announced its completion of the purchase of Taco Bueno from Jacobson Partners. At the same time John Miller was appointed CEO of Taco Bueno.[3]

In 2011, Ed Lambert became CEO of Taco Bueno, LP. He is known as their Chief Buenohead.

In fall 2015, Taco Bueno announced their first delivery expansion partnership with mobile commerce application Tapingo.[4]

In early December, 2015, Taco Bueno was purchased by TPG Growth, a division of Fort Worth private equity firm TPG. [5]

Specialty Items

Tamales

Pork tamales are a seasonal item.

Big Ol' Burrito

The Big Ol' Burrito, or BOB, comes on a 12-inch flour tortilla. It includes chili sauce, lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and tomatoes, with your choice of taco meat, diced chicken, or diced steak.

MexiDips & Chips

The MexiDips & Chips is a bed of tortilla chips with two fried corn tortilla bowls. For dine-in orders, one bowl contains queso, one holds refried pinto beans, and there are 2 scoops of fresh guacamole on the side. For carry-out, the guacamole goes in one of the tortilla bowls and the cheese is in a plastic container with a lid to prevent spillage.

In 2005, a dish known as MexiDips & Chips Plus was available for a limited time. It came with a Southwest Spinach Artichoke Dip. In 2012, a White Cheddar Queso Dip was added for a limited time. In 2013, customers who ordered MexiDips & Chips could load their queso for free with toppings like Killer Guacamole (a spicier version of the ordinary guacamole that comes with the dish), spicy chorizo, pico de gallo, or sour cream.

Muchaco

A muchaco is a lightly fried pita bread that comes with lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, and tomatoes, and your choice of taco meat, diced chicken, or diced steak. The taco meat muchaco has refried beans, while the chicken and steak muchaco come with black beans.

Potato Burrito

Taco Bueno's Potato Burrito consists of the customer's choice of ground beef or grilled chicken, hash brown potatoes, queso, shredded lettuce, and sour cream wrapped in a soft flour tortilla. As with most of the chain's menu items, refried beans may be substituted for meat at no additional charge.

Mucho Nachos

Mucho Nachos is a bed of corn tortilla chips topped with refried beans, chili sauce, queso, tomatoes, sour cream, and a choice of taco meat, diced chicken, or diced steak.

Nacho Salad

Nacho Salad is a salad concoction that comes with the customers choice of beef or chicken. It is on a bed of chips with chili, queso, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes.

Cheesecake Chimichanga

A Cheesecake Chimichanga is a warm cheesecake filling wrapped in a lightly battered flour tortilla, which is then deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar. There is an original flavor, which is just plain cheesecake. Many locations also offer a mixed berry flavor. In the past, taco bueno has offered a cinnamon cheesecake, which included a cinnamon cheesecake filling, and dusted with cinnamon sugar.

Bueno Choice Menu

In October 2010 Taco Bueno debuted the Bueno Choice Menu featuring items ranging between 150 - 450 calories.[6] The Bueno Choice Menu offers items such as grilled chicken fajita tacos, and black bean burritos. The Bueno Choice menu is no longer being offered.

Salsa Bar

All Taco Bueno locations have a self serve salsa and condiment bar featuring homemade fresh original red and roasted salsas, fresh pico de gallo, diced onions, and jalapeño peppers.

Breakfast Menu

In 2007, Taco Bueno introduced a line of breakfast items, including egg burritos and breakfast platters, at the majority of their locations. Chorizo was reintroduced in spring of 2012.

References in popular culture

References

  1. ↑ "CKE RESTAURANTS AGREES TO PURCHASE CASA BONITA". New York Times. 29 August 1996. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "CKE WILL SELL ITS TACO BUENO UNIT FOR $72.5 MILLION". The New York Times. 15 March 2001. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "Palladium Equity Partners Completes Acquisition of Taco Bueno Restaurant Chain". Palladium Equity. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  4. ↑ "Taco Bueno to offer its first delivery service". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.tpggrowth.com/news/2015/20151202-tpg-purchases-taco-bueno.php
  6. ↑ Ruggless, Ron. "Taco Bueno debuts low-calorie menu". Taco Bueno debuts low-calorie menu. Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  7. ↑ "South Park: Casa Bonita". South Park. South Park Studios. Retrieved 29 May 2011.

External links

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