Coast Mexican chain trains sights on Central Ohio

Taco Del Mar opens in Maryland

11-09-2007

A growing quick-service Mexican food chain is finding success in recruiting established sandwich shop owners into its business. The trend is holding true in Central Ohio, where two Subway operators are joining Seattle-based Taco Del Mar Franchising Corp.'s expanding reach. Area developers Tarek Monowar-Jones and Greg Walker would like to open 55 to 70 Taco Del Mar shops in the coming years in Columbus and southeast Ohio. The first two stores, in New Albany and Canal Winchester, are scheduled to open by March 2008. Monowar-Jones and Walker, like Taco Del Mar developers in Cincinnati, Indiana and NewYork state, own Subway shops. The similar operating model of the franchises was the selling point, said Monowar-Jones.

Taco Del Mar and its 260 shops might not have the recognition of the quick-service Mexican market's larger players - such as Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., with 670 shops, and Jack in the Box Inc-owned Qdoba Inc., with more than 300 restaurants - but Monowar-Jones said there is one advantage for the chain. "The initial investment is much lower than the competitors," he said.

The average restaurant in Central Ohio is projected to cost $170,000 to $190,000 including franchise fees. Stores average around 1,500 square feet in size and, like Subways, often are found in shopping centers. The restaurants, with their beachside surf shack design, are best known for fish tacos and burritos. Monowar-Jones said the menu includes quesadillas and rice and-bean dishes, in addition to a range of burritos and tacos. Taco Del Mar's burritos go for between $2.99 and $5.65. Monowar-Jones declined to detail annual sales projections.