Capital Tacos Announces Expansion Plans, to Enter Five New Markets

The announcement by Capital Tacos comes just two months after the Tex Mex restaurant chain announced plans to start a franchise program. This initiative could be a game changer.

Capital Tacos plans expansion into South East

Capital Tacos, Tampa Bay's nationally awarded Tex Mex chain, recently announced plans to expand its reach beyond the Tampa Bay area. The restaurant chain has plans to enter five markets Orlando, Atlanta, Miami, Nashville, and Charlottein the Southeast.
Speaking about the expansion plans, Josh Luger, co-owner and operator partner, said that the goal to build the Capital Tacos brand is to create a company that rewards hard work, is based on inclusivity, and remembers to have fun. He added, Now, we are excited to bring that experience to as many people as possible, starting with these five markets.
The Tex Mex chain is known for its "scratch-made and innovative Tex-Mex flavors" and now, through the expansion, wants to make it available across the country. The news of expansion comes just two months after the chain announced plans for launching a franchise program.

Capital Tacos' partnership with CloudKitchens

Capital Tacos has signed a deal with virtual restaurant company, CloudKitchens, to facilitate its expansion into five markets. As per the agreement, CloudKitchens will operate out of its own space as a digital-only restaurant. It will prepare food for Capital Tacos and deliver it. The decision to partner with CloudKitchens was taken as there has been a boom in the growth of ghost kitchens in the recent time, especially since the pandemic.
Justifying the decision for the partnership, Conner Gossel, a public relations rep for Capital Tacos, said that it is now easier for brands to venture into new markets (with ghost kitchens). The brands can be made available to the public without having to invest in real estate, he said.

Capital Tacos' unique approach

Josh Luger and James Marcus, the owners of Capital Tacos, took a distinctive approach to starting a business. They chose to purchase an existing restaurant and make it truly exceptional rather than starting a brand-new company from scratch. In 2016, they chose Capital Tacos and acquired it from its owners, Bobby and Kristel Heskett. The shop had already garnered a reputation as the second best place to eat in Tampa and one of the three best spots to eat in the United States.
Even the recently announced expansion strategy will work on a similar tenet. The chain intends to renovate second-generation eateries and will introduce a number of ways for customers to access its extensive menu options. The plans for expansion are intended to establish a strong presence in various markets.
The restaurant chain is well-known throughout the Tampa Bay area for its welcoming atmosphere for families, distinctive cuisine, and genuine culture. The restaurant chain intends to keep up with that as well as its distinctive practice, whereby its team of culinary experts will try to develop a new taco flavor. The franchise claims it is their way of saying thank you to the community for accepting them into their lives.

Capital Tacos announces franchise program

When Capital Tacos announced its franchise program, the company's objective was to make the brand a go-to spot for families, foodies, and fans of Tex-Mex in all the new markets it planned to enter.
The store's co-owners, Luger and Marcus, prefer operators who spend time there because they think their franchisees will most likely become their employees. The chain has kept the initial investment low and offers options in the franchise program to help franchisees who are unable to raise the necessary investment capital. According to Luger, the employees are ideal candidates because they already have a working understanding of the operations and a love for the brand.
But the Restaurant Chains not limiting themselves; the owners are also looking outside for candidates, as they believe it is a unique opportunity that can transform the financial lives of franchisees. Luger stated that although they are looking for franchisees from various backgrounds, they must have previous experience running restaurants.
A $30,000 franchise fee will be included in the startup costs, which will range from $195,000 to $382,000 overall. A "professional team of marketing and franchise specialists" will support the franchisees, though. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, and Louisiana will be the first states to implement the franchise program.
According to Luger, the chain made the decision to enter the franchise market despite the fact that they had received countless inquiries about it over the years. The business decided that the time was right to start franchising. Marcus said they opted to start franchising now as they want our stores to be run by hard-working owner-operators.

Capital Tacos' upgrade technology

To support its expansion plans, Capital Tacos is making sure it has the Restaurant Management technology required. The restaurant chain has upgraded its technology to include the most cutting-edge private, bespoke kitchen display systems, and third-party platforms.
Years were spent designing and building the fully specialized kitchen system, which had its own operations and menu. Capital Tacos' technology upgrade also includes the best third-party platforms to drive the Capital Rewards loyalty program, direct online ordering, and a mobile app system. The restaurant chain is accessible through all significant third-party delivery services. To introduce new store-specific incentives and programs, it has also teamed up with DoorDash and Uber Eats.
The upgrade has made sure that the chain has the highest average revenue and operating margins among its peer group. The majority of the stores have experienced double-digit revenue growth, with the majority of that growth coming from online ordering. According to co-owner Marcus, the company has noticed a discernible increase in overall business as a result of offering customers fully customizable orders and special rewards through the loyalty program.

Restaurant Management

Capital Tacos' food success story

According to Marcus, the secret to Capital Tacos' success is staying true to our origins and history. The customers value the fact that we are just like them and know they can trust us to be genuine, he continued. According to Luger, the Tex Mex chain's Restaurant Management strategy makes sure that it is a "foodie paradise" rather than just a scratch kitchen.
Every dish on the menu has been created by a chef, and there are many choices that have been carefully balanced between savory, sweet, and spicy flavors to produce a Tex-Mex burst of flavor. The chain is constantly experimenting with new concepts and traveling across states, the nation, and even the world in search of incredible cuisines and dishes. The chefs simply show up at the locations to test the recipes, and every employee is welcome to contribute to creating the next special or flavor profile, which are then sampled by paying customers.
Capital Tacos offers a variety of mouthwatering appetizers and sides, fresh rice bowls, enormous burritos and quesadillas, hand-cut nachos, spiced-to-order crispy fries, and more in addition to its 13 core signature tacos.
They frequently run seasonal and limited-time specials as well. As evidenced by Taco partnerships with NHL players Victor Hedman and Ryan Callahan, or WWE stars Baron Corbin and Jinder Mahal, where a portion of the proceeds are donated to the celebrity's preferred charity, their food is also used to support good causes.


Restaurant Management

Know more about Capital Tacos

Capital Tacos is a fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant chain based in Tampa known across the United States for scratch-made and innovative Tex-Mex flavors. The brand has a cult-like' following due to its quirky authenticities like the chalk walls or old-fashioned pinball machine decor to the hanging chairs in the bathrooms. The food is prepared without any shortcuts and hence stands out from the competition.

Become a member of the Restaurant Association!

Unlock exclusive access to webinars, events, and the latest news for FREE!

Sign up