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Del Taco opens first new Fresh Flex store prototype in Orlando, Fla.Del Taco opens first new Fresh Flex store prototype in Orlando, Fla.

Del Taco unveils walkthrough of new prototype that emphasizes customer flexibility, including double drive-thru lanes and pickup lockers

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

January 20, 2022

Last January, quick-service Mexican brand, Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. announced the creation of a new “Fresh Flex” prototype to emphasize customer convenience and service flexibility, and now the first Fresh Flex store has opened in Orlando, Fla.

The Fresh Flex prototype is so-named to emphasize accommodating customers that want to be able to use the drive-thru, pick up their food, get orders delivered or eat on-location. Therefore, the new store includes features like mobile app and third-party pick-up lockers with QR code capabilities, double drive-thru lanes with dedicated lanes for mobile orders and third-party delivery drivers, and designated parking lot areas for customers to be able to park and eat.

“Flexibility is a big driver for accelerating growth at Del Taco through franchising,” John Cappasola, CEO and president of Del Taco said in a video interview with Nation’s Restaurant News. “Fresh Flex can enable our brand positioning to […] better address consumer needs. […] I think it really sets up the brand for success in the long-run.”

With the launch of the new Fresh Flex prototype, Del Taco has signed nine new multi-unit franchise deals for 68 new restaurants across 10 states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, while also infilling western geography in California and Nevada. The company will also be introducing a drive-thru-only prototype, with the first opening in New Mexico soon.

Related:Del Taco CEO John Cappasola: ‘Our business has recovered and is now stable’

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Find her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

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About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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