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.
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