Turbo Restaurants | Arbys® opens up their 2nd location this year located at 2201 S Gregg St Big Spring, TX 79720!
Opening Day: July 28th, 2022
Popeyes opened up its 1st location this year located at 340 East Bethany Drive Allen, TX.
Opening Day: June 23rd, 2022
Part Quesadilla. Part Burger. 100% Taco Bueno®
This unique handcrafted creation, part Tex (burger), part Mex (quesadilla) is made with Nolan Ryan Beef® and piled high with house-made Pico de Gallo, guacamole, shredded lettuce, queso, Cholula® chipotle ranch dressing and smashed to perfection between two crisp, warm cheese quesadillas.
Que Bueno!
Best Choice | McAlister’s Deli opens up their 3rd location this year located at 3260 N Zaragoza Rd. El Paso, TX!
On opening day, the first 100 customers receive free tea for a yea! And bonus; the first 50 were give a free tumbler. Sweet!
Opening Day: June 13th, 2022
Taco Bueno expands again in Texas by adding a new location at 310 This Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566. This new restaurant emphasizes the brand's fresh and high quality Tex-Mex with its bold colors.
In addition to bright colors, energy-efficient led lighting, and authentic décor, there is also colorful accent lighting and high-top bar seating so guests can use laptops and tablets. Digital menu boards and promotional signage are also featured. The contemporary Tex-Mex flavors, ingredients, and items offered by modernized restaurants and frequent menu changes will continue to drive growth in 2022.
Opening Day: May 19th, 2022
Papa John's made a donation to provide pizza to over 500 nurses Friday in honor of National Nurses Day. The pizzas were donated to nurses at the Hospitals of Providence Sierra Campus. “We would like to continue paying it forward to hospital medical care staff, urgent-care facilities, and first-responders,” said Mike Abeyta, Senior Director of Operations for Papa Johns El Paso. “In honor of National Nurses Day, we want to show our support and appreciation for all they do each and every day.”
The pizza deliveries will occur throughout the day for lunch and dinner to feed both day and night shift nurses on National Nurses Day.
Papa John's El Paso employs approximately 200 people in the community and has been locally owned and operated for over 25 years.
Enjoy our New Margarita Chicken Tacos* – No ID required!
Celebrate Cinco all month long with Taco Bueno's New Margarita Chicken Tacos available through May. You may enjoy irresponsibly, and we won't card you!
These seriously fresh New Margarita Chicken Tacos are served with marinated and grilled chicken or fried to golden perfection and dusted with margarita flavors. They come garnished with lettuce, house chopped Pico de Gallo and bursting with flavors from Cholula® Chili Lime ranch dressing!
Taco Bueno continues its expansion in Texas with adding a new location at 6530 State Highway 121 McKinney, TX 75070.
This new restaurant emphasizes the brand's fresh and high quality Tex-Mex with its bold colors.
Opening Day: April 26th, 2022
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 31, 2022-- Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) (“Papa Johns®”) today announced that it has refranchised its majority stake in a joint venture between Papa Johns and Blue and Silver Ventures, Ltd. Sun Holdings, a leading multi-brand franchisee operator and one of Papa Johns largest domestic franchise partners, has assumed control of 90 Papa Johns restaurants in Texas.
“Sun Holdings is a proven, well-capitalized operator who understands our ambitious goals to expand the footprint of our brand,” said Amanda Clark, Papa John’s Chief Development Officer. “We will continue to build new corporate restaurants as well as refranchise when we can provide our franchisees strategic scale to support the brand’s long-term growth, with this deal as a great example.”
McAllister’s Deli, a leading fast-casual chain, will open its doors at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 28 at 306 West Prien Lake Road, Lake Charles, LA 70601 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Known for their genuine hospitality, McAllister’s Deli is home to handcrafted sandwiches, always fresh salads, giant stuffed spuds, and McAllister’s Deli Famous Sweet Tea.
“We are excited to open the new Lake Charles location, which will be our 5th McAllister Deli in Louisiana.” Guillermo Perales, president and CEO of Sun Holdings, says. “We look forward to welcoming the local community to our restaurant and enjoying many meals together.”
Dallas, TX, November 15, 2021 – Taco Bueno continues to expand with a new location at 744 W I-30 in Royse City, TX. To emphasize our tradition of always making fresh and high quality Tex-Mex, we have remodeled this location with vibrant, bold colors.
A number of the new features that have been implemented in the newly remodeled location in Addison, Texas, will be incorporated into numerous other locations that are in the process of being constructed. In addition to bright, vibrant colors, energy-efficient led lighting, and Mexican décor, there is also colorful accent lighting and high-top bar seating so guests can use laptops and tablets. Digital menu boards and promotional signage are also featured. The contemporary Tex-Mex flavors, ingredients, and items offered by modernized restaurants and frequent menu changes will continue to drive growth in 2021.
It now operates 142 locations throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas since being founded in 1967 in Abilene, Texas. Muchacos, which are tacos covered with a soft pita-like shell, are among Taco Bueno's most popular items. Additionally, they offer a variety of "Big Freakin" dishes, which are all of their favorites, but double their size People Magazine and Business Insider named Taco Bueno the top Tex-Mex restaurant in the US, beating out Chipotle and Qdoba.
Guillermo Perales, a Dallas restaurant franchise owner, purchased Taco Bueno in 2019. The CEO of this company was listed on the top 10 power list of Nation's Restaurant News multiple times and is ranked as the third largest franchisee in the US. His achievements have been recognized several times by Ernst & Young, Latino Leaders Magazine, and IFA as being among the 101 Most Influential Latinos. After acquiring the brand, he plans on using his experience to turn Taco Bueno around. It's expected that Taco Bueno will continue to grow and flourish with over twenty new locations opening within the next year.
ABOUT SUN HOLDINGS, INC.
Sun Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1997 by Guillermo Perales, funded by an SBA loan. Sun’s portfolio has been ranked as the 3rd largest franchisee group in the U.S. by Mega 99, 2018 Rankings. Mr. Perales has developed a portfolio that operates over 1,000 locations in 12 states creating more than 22,000 jobs. He has also developed over 200 new stores, and completed 200 store remodels in the last 3 years. Today, the organization manages Burger King, Popeyes, Arby's, T-Mobile, Taco Bueno, McAlister’s, IHOP, Cici’s, Golden Corral, GNC, Applebee’s, Papa John’s, and several airport restaurant locations including Cantina Laredo.
Guillermo Perales, President and CEO of Sun Holdings, added, “Since its founding, Sun Holdings has taken a long-term, disciplined approach when making growth investments. RMH and Applebee’s not only fits our criteria perfectly but allows us to break into the full service, casual dine vertical.”
Tex-Mex flavors, ingredients, and offerings offered by modernized restaurants and frequent menu changes continue to fuel growth in 2021.
“Papa John’s development flywheel has started to take off,” said Amanda Clark, Papa John’s chief development officer, in a statement. “With industry-leading paybacks and our key strategy of making it easy for franchisees to say yes to developing, we can attract great new partners to our brand. We’re excited to launch this milestone partnership with Guillermo and his team at Sun Holdings in Texas. Sun Holdings is a successful and well-financed operator who understands the Texas market and brings deep expertise within the quick-service restaurant space that will benefit the entire Papa John’s system.”
Dallas, TX, September 22, 2021 – Taco Bueno continues to expand in the South Plains with a new location at 3612 Olton Rd. in Plainview, TX. This location features a fresh new look featuring vibrant and bold color schemes. A commitment to "Always Fresh, Always Bueno" has been incorporated into the design of the interior that emphasizes the freshness and quality of the Tex-Mex that is made on a daily basis.
The numerous locations under development will be incorporating many of these new features which were introduced at the newly remodeled location in Addison, Texas. The space features fresh and vibrant color palettes, bright and energy-efficient led lighting, Mexican-inspired tilework and colorful accent lighting, high-top bar seating, designed for laptop and tablet use, digital menu boards, promotional signage, and stylish, modern seating. Modernized restaurant facilities and frequent menu LTOs, promoting today's modern and fresh Tex-Mex flavors, ingredients, and offerings continue to spark growth in 2021.
Founded in 1967, the brand began with one location in Abilene, Texas, and has expanded to a portfolio of 140 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Taco Bueno is known for its unique items such as the “Muchaco” which are tacos made with a softer pita-like shell. They also offer a wide variety of “Big Freakin” items, which are all of the menu favorites, doubled in size. It is no surprise the chain was named Best Tex-Mex Restaurant in the US by Business Insider and People Magazine, beating out top competitors such as Chipotle and Qdoba, Taco Bueno is firmly established as a leading regional chain.
In 2019, Taco Bueno was purchased by Dallas restaurant franchise leader, Guillermo Perales. The CEO is ranked the 3rd largest franchisee in the US and has been awarded the MUFSO Golden Chain Award and Nation’s Restaurant News’ Top 10 Power List. Perales was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008, IFA’s Entrepreneur of the Year, as well as Latino Leaders Magazine’s 101 Most Influential Latinos for several consecutive years. With the acquisition of the brand, he plans to turn Taco Bueno around using his own expertise to drive the change. Taco Bueno will continue to grow and thrive with over 20 locations opening within the next year.
ABOUT SUN HOLDINGS, INC.
Sun Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1997 by Guillermo Perales, funded by an SBA loan. Sun’s portfolio has been ranked as the 3rd largest franchisee group in the U.S. by Mega 99, 2018 Rankings. Mr. Perales has developed a portfolio that operates over 1,000 locations in 12 states creating more than 22,000 jobs. He has also developed over 200 new stores, and completed 200 store remodels in the last 3 years. Today, the organization manages Burger King, Popeyes, Arby's, T-Mobile, Taco Bueno, McAlister’s, IHOP, Cici’s, Golden Corral, GNC, and several airport restaurant locations including Cantina Laredo.
Dallas, TX, August 9, 2021 – Taco Bueno continues to expand in the South, with a new location in Brownsville, TX at 4385 South Frontage Rd. This location includes a fresh new look with vibrant and bold colors. The interior has been designed to reflect the “Always Fresh, Always Bueno” commitment for Tex-Mex that is made fresh daily and to order. Many of these new features began with the newly remodeled location in Addison, Texas and will be carried forward in the numerous locations under development. These features include: fresh lightly shaded but vibrant color palates, bright and energy-efficient led lighting, Mexican-inspired tilework and colorful accent lighting, oak and weathered latticework, high-top bar seating, designed for laptop and tablet use, digital menu boards, promotional signage, stylish and modern seating. Changes to the restaurant facilities and the addition of frequent menu LTOs, highlighting today’s modern and fresh Tex-Mex ingredients, flavors and offerings, continue to fuel growth in 2021.
Founded in 1967, the brand began with one location in Abilene, Texas, and has expanded to a portfolio of 135 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Taco Bueno is known for their unique items such as the “Muchaco” which are tacos made with a softer pita-like shell. They also offer a wide variety of “Big Freakin” items, which are all of the menu favorites, doubled in size. It is no surprise the chain was named Best Tex-Mex Restaurant in the US by Business Insider and People Magazine, beating out top competitors such as Chipotle and Qdoba, Taco Bueno is firmly established as a leading regional chain.
In 2019, Taco Bueno was purchased by Dallas restaurant franchise leader, Guillermo Perales. The CEO is ranked the 3rd largest franchisee in the US, and has been awarded the MUFSO Golden Chain Award and Nation’s Restaurant News’ Top 10 Power List. Perales was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008, IFA’s Entrepreneur of the Year, as well as Latino Leaders Magazine’s 101 Most Influential Latinos for several consecutive years. With the acquisition of the brand, he plans to turn Taco Bueno around using his own expertise to drive the change. Taco Bueno will continue to grow and thrive with over 20 locations opening within the next year.
ABOUT SUN HOLDINGS, INC.
Sun Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1997 by Guillermo Perales, funded by an SBA loan. Sun’s portfolio has been ranked as the 3rd largest franchisee group in the U.S. by Mega 99, 2018 Rankings. Mr. Perales has developed a portfolio that operates 1,000 locations in 12 states creating more than 22,000 jobs. He has also developed over 200 new stores, and completed 200 store remodels in the last 3 years. Today, the organization manages Burger King, Popeyes, Arby's, T-Mobile, Taco Bueno, McAlister’s, IHOP, GNC locations, and several airport restaurant locations.
“On May 1st, Spark Wireless joins the GP Mobile team, combining two AWESOME T-Mobile Premium Retailer service providers. Alone we were powerful, but TOGETHER we are even STRONGER! We are proud to join this valued and respected partner representing T-Mobile across 11 states. We couldn’t be more excited about the bright future in store for our team members AND our customers!”
-Spark Wireless
When we set out to create the Ultimate Texas Tacopedia, we meant it. That includes sampling fast-food tacos at regional and national chains across the state. While there are dozens of tacos that might be categorized as fast food, we focused on drive-through options for this story. That’s fitting, since drive-throughs have been busier than ever during the pandemic.
If you’re going to idle at the ordering board and shout your taco picks into a microphone, you might as well do so confidently. That’s where this roundup comes in. I’ve grouped and ranked the chains and their menu options into three categories, with number one being the best: breakfast tacos, hard tacos, and soft tacos. My tasting companion and I ordered our tacos via drive-through to limit contact and tried an average of three tacos at each joint. We ate on the trunk of the car in every business’s parking lot to give each taco its best chance to remain hot and retain structural integrity. (Unless you want to risk your crunchy taco going soggy, I suggest you do the same.) Every taco was judged on taste, preparation, and texture.
Breakfast Tacos
1. Taco Cabana
Taco Cabana has had a rough year. Its Dallas-based parent company had to close nineteen Texas stores even before the pandemic of 2020 hit, and it’s since sold nine locations. None of that diminishes the fact that Taco Cabana makes the best fast-food drive-through breakfast tacos in Texas. The flavorful flour tortillas especially stand out; they’re made on-site at each location. In the chorizo, egg, and cheese taco, the chorizo is mixed with the eggs as they cook, leaving tasty patches of orange oil on the inside of the tortillas. Taco Cabana also passes the breakfast taco litmus test with its potatoes. They are well seasoned, browned on the corners, and have fluffy interiors. Served all day, the breakfast tacos are available in assorted boxes of one dozen—a rare option perfect for road-trip meals.
2. Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q
Founded in 1989 in Leon Springs outside San Antonio, Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q operates 46 locations across Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Oklahoma (a forty-seventh store is planned for Panama City, Florida). You’re likely to see the words “Breakfast Tacos” blazoned somewhere on the building’s exterior. These tacos are easily ordered via drive-through, and they’re solid. On a busy morning, sometimes you just want a quick, simple taco with a little flavor, and Rudy’s fits the bill. The brisket in the brisket, egg, and cheese isn’t overly smoky. Then again, none of the components are overly anything. The chorizo, egg, and cheese is a little better because the kitchen staff at Rudy’s mixes the chorizo and egg into one filling. Chorizo and eggs should always be served mixed in a breakfast taco.
3. Carl’s Jr.
Carl’s Jr. goes all in on its breakfast burritos. Most of them are wrapped in extra-chewy flour tortillas. We ordered a bacon and egg burrito, a Beyond Sausage Burrito, and the Big Country Burrito. The latter was the standout: a super-cheesy salt bomb pleasantly bursting with crispy hash browns, bacon, and ham, lathered in country sausage gravy. It’s perfect for noshing on the go.
Pass on: The breakfast taquitos at Whataburger might be famous, but they’re also underwhelming, with bland fillings in overly chewy tortillas. The best of them is the peppy breakfast sausage with American cheese. The seed-flecked salsa verde does a decent job of salvaging the taco. I also wasn’t a fan of the breakfast tacos I sampled at the Frisco location of Austin-based Taco Shack. The flavorful chorizo wasn’t enough to overcome the cold, white flour tortillas and soggy cubed potatoes.
Soft Tacos
1. Taco Palenque
I stumbled accidentally across the original Taco Palenque in Laredo. I knew the regional chain, established in 1987 and with locations that form an arch from the Lower Rio Grande upriver to San Antonio and into Houston, was cherished by South Texans. What I didn’t know was the comforting power of Taco Palenque’s signature taco, the northern Mexican pirata. It’s a swath of refried beans and heavy-handed dashes of shredded cheddar cheese capped with tender fajitas in two—two!—fresh flour tortillas. To allow the taco time to steam, order the pirate to go. This allows for the cheese to melt and bind with the other components, making for a dream of a fast-food taco.
2. Rosa’s Café and Tortilla Factory
For years, I’ve heard about the amazing tortilla chips at Rosa’s Café and Tortilla Factory, but I hadn’t tried them until this assignment. They were as flavorful and crunchy as promised, and so were the soft tacos. The thick, browned flour tortillas wrapped in slicked wrappers make for a wonderful side to the Mexican taco plate. The order of three tacos—you decide how many crispy and how many soft—is a solid deal for about $10. The hard shells have a good snap, don’t fall apart, and are fresh. The lettuce was room temperature and not dripping wet, the tomatoes were solid, and the beef didn’t gush grease.
3. Taco Bueno
Founded in Abilene in 1967, Taco Bueno has more than 180 locations across Texas and the Southwest. My favorite of its tacos is the Muchaco, which has a hefty wrapper more akin to a pita than a flour tortilla. This soft, stretchy bread is firmly stuffed with the classic elements of ground beef, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and shredded cheese. It was much better than chain’s soft flour taco.
Pass on: Rudy’s brisket and pulled pork tacos were oversauced, and the flavor was mediocre. Stick to the breakfast tacos there. The fish tacos at Long John Silver’s also fell far, far short of expectations.
Hard Tacos
1. Jack in the Box
Of all the hard-shell tacos available at fast-food drive-through chains, Jack in the Box tacos are the most similar to the filled, sealed, and fried tacos dorados you’ll find in Mexico. They’re nowhere near as fresh, but they still have an uncanny resemblance to their Mexican analogs. The tacos are also hot, greasy, and filled with lettuce and a slice of cheese, giving them a familiar Americanized edge. Nevertheless, these are the benchmark. Even better are the tiny tacos, cheeseless bantam versions of the signature tacos served fifteen to a box. They make for easy front-seat snacking.
2. Taco Casa
The ideal fast-food crunchy taco has a snappy, faintly corn-flavored shell. The form must keep its integrity with every bite. Of course, try to bite off more than you can chew, and the taco might just fall apart. That happens. The rest of the components should taste of what they are. The taco meat should taste like ground beef, no matter the grease content. The lettuce should be crisp. The cheese should taste like cheese, whatever the blend. The tomatoes should not be reddish casings of water. The great thing about the crunchy tacos at Taco Casa, a nearly fifty-year-old chain that started in Fort Worth, is that everything tastes exactly how it should. Even the shells taste like corn! I can’t believe I waited until this year to try them.
3. Taco Bueno
If we could forget about Taco Casa and Jack in the Box, Taco Bueno’s long, fin-shaped hard-shell taco would be a solid choice. It’s got the flavor, textures, and structural integrity that make for a good crunchy taco, but this iteration is not as finely tuned as the aforementioned options.
Pass on: Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos. Yes, this famous neon-orange item is a food-science and branding innovation, and it’s a fun novelty to try once. But the tacos are stale and powdery. You aren’t missing much if you skip this one.
Guillermo Perales’ Sun Holdings Inc. has bought 41 locations of IHOP from a franchisee that went bankrupt this spring.The restaurants, which are now owned by Sun Holdings subsidiary Suncakes LLC, are in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina and were previously owned by CFRA Holdings, which filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in May and closed 49 IHOP restaurants
Ownership was transferred in July, according to a statement from IHOP, which is a subsidiary of Glendale, Calif.-based Dine Brands Global.These are the first IHOP restaurants owned by Dallas-based Sun Holdings, which is one of the United States’ largest franchisees with more than 1,000 locations including Burger King, Popeyes, Arby’s, Cicis, Golden Corral and Krispy Kreme restaurants, as well as GNC stores and T-Mobile locations. Most of Sun Holdings’ locations are in Florida and Texas.
IHOP president Jay Johns said Perales’ purchase of IHOP restaurants underscored the brand’s potential.“As the owner and operator of multiple iconic brands, Suncakes’ investment in IHOP reinforces the strength of our franchise opportunity and the future viability of our business,” he said. “We are thrilled to welcome Guillermo and the Suncakes team to the IHOP family and are confident that their immense industry and brand expertise will undoubtedly yield success.”For his part, Perales said IHOP had been enjoying considerable momentum before the family-dining chain was affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.“We take great pride in joining IHOP, an iconic brand that has built significant momentum in the industry in recent years,” Perales said. “Our goal is to ensure that each and every guest that walks into one of our restaurants receives the quality service and familiar experience they’ve come to expect from IHOP for over 60 years.”
McAlister’s Deli®, a fast-casual restaurant chain known for its genuine hospitality, sandwiches, spuds, soups and McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea™, recently announced the signing of a new development deal with Best Choice Restaurants, an affiliate of Sun Holdings, Inc., a franchise organization founded by mega multi-unit operator Guillermo Perales. As part of the deal, Perales acquired 51 existing McAlister’s locations in Texas, Florida, New Mexico and Louisiana, and will develop 47 restaurants over the next seven years. The agreement marks Perales’ entry into the fast-casual restaurant space.
“This particular development deal marks a very significant milestone for our brand, as it is one of the largest number of franchises that we have sold in a single transaction in our company history. This transaction accelerates our nationwide growth plans. Perales is the owner and operator of several iconic brands, and his investment in McAlister’s Deli showcases the strength of our business model and franchise opportunity,” said Joe Guith, president of McAlister’s Deli. “We are thrilled to welcome Guillermo and his team to the McAlister’s Deli family and know that his business acumen and knowledge of the foodservice industry will be invaluable to our brand.”
McAlister’s currently has more than 450 restaurants in 27 states and is part of the Focus Brands family, including Auntie Anne’s®, Carvel®, Cinnabon®, Jamba®, Moe’s Southwest Grill® and Schlotzsky’s® Austin Eatery.
For more information about franchise opportunities, please visit www.mcalistersdelifranchising.com