Taco Bueno Celebrating 52 Years by Reinvesting in Quality Tex-Mex Flavor

DALLAS, Aug. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This Summer, Taco Bueno, the popular quick-service Tex-Mex chain, will celebrate 52 years of serving up delicious, quality Mexican-inspired classics by doubling down on quality and made-by-hand preparation. "When we acquired the Taco Bueno brand earlier this year, we saw a real opportunity to bring fresh, authentic Tex-Mex food back to the forefront of the category. The whole menu went through a complete upgrade to fresher, higher quality ingredients and original recipes from the 1967 kitchen everywhere possible. It's a difference you can see, smell, and most importantly, taste," said Guillermo Perales, CEO and President for Sun Holdings Inc., which owns the Taco Bueno brand and recently opened its 1,000^th restaurant location as the country's third largest franchise group. Perales did not disclose the exact financial figures behind the shift in Taco Bueno's operations, but estimates that the re-investment totals millions of dollars. 

While other chains in the category are looking to cut food costs and augment their menus with cross-over LTOs and fusion offerings, Taco Bueno is reinvesting in top-grade proteins, such as fresh-never-frozen ground beef, chicken and brisket, as well as salsas, guacamole, and beans made fresh, from scratch, in house daily. The brand also fries its tortilla chips and taco shells in restaurants each day. Two exciting new returns to the menu are the original Taco Bueno queso recipe as well as Coca-Cola® products – two top requests from Taco Bueno fans. The brand's recommitment to made-in-house preparation is a strategic shift; one they believe will become a hallmark for the brand as hand-made preparation gets increasingly rare in the quick service market.

To highlight both the menu improvements and a renewed focus on quality flavor, the brand has engaged a new creative and media agency – Plein Air – out of Dallas. The agency team handles both the creative development for the brand, as seen in its latest ad campaign, as well as media buying. The campaign gives a vibrant new look to the Taco Bueno brand, making certain to show hand preparation in restaurant kitchens with real food ingredients while Mariachi musicians sing the praises of the fresh recipes for salsa, tender grilled steak, and more. The ads all end with the tagline "It's Tex-Mex, Mi Amor" to reinforce that Taco Bueno makes food with love and care – a nod to the way it did when it first opened 52 years ago, and a promise about how the brand is moving forward.

"Today's restaurant guests are realizing that the classic way of doing things simply tastes better," adds Paul McEnany, CEO at Plein Air, the creative agency partner for Taco Bueno. "It is a message that all lovers of Tex-Mex food need to know - that Taco Bueno is back to creating great food the right way." Perales for the brand, agrees. "At Taco Bueno, we wanted to get back to our roots," he says. "We chop veggies daily to make our sauces and salsas. We make our guacamole in small batches and from scratch throughout the day. Our beans are famous because we actually simmer them from whole pintos and refry them for 35 hours. We sauté our 100 percent fresh ground beef to be juicy and full of flavor. And, most importantly, we assemble tacos, burritos, and other menu items to order – so guests can customize their food exactly the way they like."

"To make it 52 years in this business, quality has to be a part of every guest experience – regardless of whether they order from our Bueno Under a Buck menu or choose any other of our tacos, burritos, nachos, platters, or more," finished Perales. "We invite every Tex-Mex fan to indulge in their favorite flavors knowing they're getting excellent taste at an unbeatable value."

About Taco Bueno Restaurants MP
Taco Bueno is committed to providing an authentic, better-tasting Tex-Mex experience through made-fresh-daily preparations, hand-selected ingredients and genuine friendly hospitality. Founded in 1967 in Abilene, TX, Taco Bueno is a privately held company that operates nearly 120 restaurants throughout the American South and Southwest – including Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. To learn more about Taco Bueno, please visit www.TacoBueno.com or www.facebook.com/BuenoHeadquarters.

About Plein Air
Plein Air is a marketing consultancy built for restaurant and hospitality brands. We are full service in ways that you wouldn't expect from your typical agency. We'll elevate your brand, develop your ads, and connect in social media, but we'll also do what your agency can't. We'll design a loyalty program that drives action. We'll build your dashboards so you'll know how your business is performing. We'll develop your online ordering interfaces, and design and manage your overall marketing ecosystem so your customers get a more cohesive experience. If you need someone to develop a modern, data-forward marketing infrastructure, we'll be the best fit for you. Our team has worked with some of the world's greatest food brands including Burger King, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, McAlister's Deli, Fogo de Chão, Huddle House, The Greene Turtle, Taco Bueno, Cotton Patch Cafe, and more. We'd love you to be next. Visit us at http://itspleinair.com.

About Sun Holdings, Inc.
Sun Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1997 by Guillermo Perales, starting with one Golden Corral unit, and funded by an SBA loan. The company has been ranked as the 3rd largest franchisee in the U.S. by Mega 99 2018 Rankings. We have developed a portfolio that operates 1,000 locations in 8 states creating more than 15,000 jobs. Today, the organization operates 293 Burger King, 150 Popeyes, 94 Arby's, 20 Golden Corral, 31 Cici's Pizza, 18 Krispy Kreme, 160 T-Mobile, 148 Taco Bueno, and 80 GNC locations, as well as several airport locations.

Sun Holdings, Inc. is a developing company that is always seeking new opportunities and is currently considering potential shopping centers. For more information about Sun Holdings, visit www.sunholdings.net.

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SOURCE Taco Bueno