7 Best Taco Franchises to Open in Illinois
Are you looking for a list of the best taco franchises to open in the state of Illinois? At Del Taco, we understand it...
Fresh For Over 50 Years
Since 1964, Del Taco has been serving freshly prepared, craveable food at an unbeatable value. This rare combination is one of the many reasons we are the second largest brand in the fast-growing Mexican quick-service restaurant (QSR) category.
Del Taco Territories
Available Markets
Future Growth Opportunity
Sold Out
Defining the QSR+ Category
Del Taco occupies the space between a traditional QSR and a Fast Casual atmosphere, by offering delicious quality food, prepared with fresh ingredients, and served with the value and convenience of a drive-thru. We're at the forefront of the QSR+ category.
Guests love Del Taco's Mexican-inspired favorites and American classics, prepared with fresh ingredients, hand-chopped, slow-cooked, and grilled in each restaurant's working kitchen. As much as our customers love our food, they also appreciate the convenience our restaurants and drive-thru lanes provide for their busy lives.
A Better Taco Franchise
The Del Taco is inspired by the original and loaded with more of everything you love, like more seasoned beef, more fresh house-grated cheddar cheese, crisp shredded lettuce and fresh diced tomatoes in a bigger, crunchy corn shell. Additional taco favorites:
- The Del Taco (Crunchy & Soft)
- Crunchtada Tostada®
- Guac'd Up Tacos
- Stuffed Quesadilla Tacos (Crispy Chicken, Grilled Chicken or Carne Asada Steak)
- Crispy Chicken Tacos (Ranch, Chipotle or Habanero)
- Beer Battered Crispy Fish Taco
- Taco Del Carbon (Grilled Chicken or Carne Asada Steak)
A Better Burrito Franchise
Our Epic Fresh Guacamole Burrito is loaded with your choice of freshly grilled, marinated chicken or grilled carne asada steak, slow-cooked beans made from scratch, cilantro lime rice, fresh house-made guacamole, and fresh house-made pico de gallo, all in a warm, oversized flour tortilla. Check out our other burrito menu items:
- Epic Fresh Guacamole Burrito (Grilled Chicken or Carne Asada Steak)
- Epic Loaded Queso Burrito (Grilled Chicken or Carne Asada Steak)
- Epic Cali Bacon Burrito (Grilled Chicken or Carne Asada Steak)
- Epic Crispy Chicken & Guac Burrito
- Epic Combo Beef & Beef Burrito
- Del Combo™ Beef & Beef Burrito
- Del Beef Burrito™
- 8 Layer Veggie Burrito
A Better Quesadilla & Nacho Franchise
Our quesadillas and nachos are loaded with your choice of seasoned beef, freshly grilled chicken or carne asada steak with plenty of fresh house-grated grated cheese. Take a look at all the ways you can get our mouthwatering quesadillas:
- Chicken Cheddar Quesadilla
- Carne Asada Cheddar Quesadilla
- Snack Queso Quesadilla
- Queso Loaded Nachos (Seasoned Beef, Grilled Chicken or Carne Asada Steak)
- Chips & Queso Dip
- 3 Layer Queso Nachos
A Better Burger & Fries Franchise
At Del Taco, our 100% beef patties are grilled to order and served with fresh tomato slices, burger sauce, crisp shredded lettuce, and diced onions on a grilled sesame seed bun. Don't forget to add a side of our famous Crinkle Cut Fries. Craving a burger?
- Double Del® Cheeseburger
- Bacon Double Del® Cheeseburger
- Del Cheeseburger
- Crinkle Cut Fries
- Carne Asada Steak Fries
- Deluxe Chili Cheddar Fries™
- Chili Cheddar Fries
- Queso Loaded Fries
A Better Chicken Franchise
Our crispy chicken strips can be served as a taco, burrito, or basket layered on top of fries with a side of creamy ranch, creamy habanero, or chipotle dipping sauce. How do you like to eat your chicken at Del Taco?
- Crispy Chicken Taco (Ranch, Chipotle or Habanero)
- Epic Crispy Chicken & Guac Burrito
- Crispy Chicken Guac'd Up Taco (Ranch, Chipotle or Habanero)
- Crispy Chicken & Fries Box
A Better Breakfast Franchise
At Del Taco, our guests can get their morning started with a delicious breakfast taco, wrap, burrito, or roller served with a side of hashbrown sticks or donut bites. Is breakfast your favorite daypart? Check out our breakfast menu items:
- Double Cheese Breakfast Tacos (Egg & Cheese, Hashbrowns & Bacon, or Hashbrowns & Seasoned Beef)
- Breakfast Toasted Wrap (Egg & Cheese, Bacon, or Carne Asada Steak)
- Breakfast Burrito (Egg & Cheese, Bacon, or Carne Asada Steak)
- Breakfast Roller (Egg & Cheese or Bacon)
- Hashbrown Sticks
- Simply Orange® Juice
- Café Del Olla Coffee
- Café Del Olla Iced Coffee
- Donut Bites
Del Taco 20 Under $2 Menu
The 20 Under $2 Menu at Del Taco is one of the last great value menus in the QSR and QSR+ Industry. It offers a wide variety of items at an unbeatable price point. Which two are your go-to favorites on the 20 Under $2 Menu? Who says you have to stop at two?
- Chicken Taco Del Carbon (Regular or Guac'd Up)
- Crispy Chicken Taco (Regular or Guac'd Up)
- Bean & Cheese Burrito (Red or Green Sauce)
- Chicken Cheddar Rollers (Original, Rancho, or Chipotle)
- Crunchtada Tostada®
- Snack Taco
- Snack Queso Quesadilla
- 3 Layer Queso Nachos
- Mini Cinnamon Churros
- Donut Bites
- Mini Shakes (Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry)
- Real Strawberry Sprite® or Lemonade
- Café Del Olla Iced Coffee
- Gold Peak® Real Brewed Tea
A Better Salad Franchise
If you're in the mood for something light, our taco salads served with a side of our signature salsa casera are a great option! We have three delicious salads you can choose from:
- Taco Salad with Seasoned Beef
- Taco Salad with Grilled Chicken
- Taco Salad with Carne Asada Steak
A Better Vegetarian Friendly Franchise
Del Taco has a wide variety of vegetarian options like our 8 Layer Veggie Burrito with slow-cooked beans made from scratch, cilantro lime rice, fresh house-made guacamole, fresh house-grated cheddar cheese, crisp shredded lettuce, fresh diced tomatoes, zesty red sauce, and cool sour cream wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. Our vegetarian items include:
- 8 Layer Veggie Burrito
- Bean & Cheese Burrito (Red or Green Sauce)
- Crunchtada Tostada®
- Cheddar Quesadilla
- Snack Queso Quesadilla
Don't Forget About Dessert
Top your meal off with one of our rich and creamy hand-blended shakes available in your choice of classic vanilla, sweet chocolate, or real strawberry.
- Classic Vanilla Shake
- Sweet Chocolate Shake
- Real Strawberry Shake
- Donut Bites
- Mini Cinnamon Churros
- Caramel Cheesecake Bites
1960's
A BRAVE NEW FUTUREEd Hackbarth and David Jameson opened the first Del Taco in Yermo, CA in 1964. With a menu of 19¢ tacos, tostadas, fries and 24¢ cheeseburgers, Del Taco brought in $169 in sales on its first day in business - the equivalent of 900 tacos. Things were off to a bold start.
1970's
GROWING RAPIDLYDel Taco thrived during the 1970s. By 1977 there were 50 restaurants and by 1978 there were 100. The menu also grew, expanding to include items like the bun taco, quesadilla, and ice cream sundaes.
1980's
DEL ACQUISITIONSIn 1988, Del Taco greatly increased in size and geographic reach by merging with Naugles restaurant chain. Del Taco also began to stay open all night to serve the growing needs of the new 24/7 lifestyle.
1990's
DARING TRANSITIONSIn the 90s Del Taco set the stage for extreme growth by launching a series of initiatives to improve the total customer experience and grow the brand's image, including a new logo design.
2000's
GOING BOLDBy 2006, Del Taco nearly doubled in size and opened the 500th restaurant in 2008. An exciting new dessert was also introduced to the menu that has since become a fan favorite: Caramel Cheesecake Bites. Additionally, the Del Taco Super Special Show launched, treating our fans to a humorous take on our brand.
2010's
A FRESH APPROACHBy introducing the Buck & Under Menu, Epic Burritos, and Handcrafted Ensaladas, Del Taco has continued to demonstrate that you can still get delicious food made with fresh ingredients for an UnFreshing Believable price. In 2016, Del Taco launched THE Del Taco, inspired by the original and loaded with more of everything you love. Everything Del Taco stands for is represented by this new signature taco.
Corporate HQ & RSC
Our Corporate Headquarters / Restaurant Support Center is located at: 25521 Commercenter Dr, #200, Lake Forest, CA 92630
