Lake Forest-based Del Taco Inc. is eyeing Chicago.
The Mexican fast food chain recently signed a franchise deal with Chicago entrepreneurs Mark Kinnare and Patrick Riccobene, owners of Illinois Del Inc.
They plan to open 10 Del Taco restaurants, according to Del Taco. Two restaurants are slated to open within the next six months in Algonquin and Orland Park.
Del Taco plans to sign on about 12 franchise groups to fill out the Chicago area, said Marc Mushkin, the company’s senior director of franchising.
Another franchisee is developing a restaurant in Rockford, Ill., which is expected to open in early 2006, Mushkin said.
The Chicago area has one major player in Mexican fast food,Irvine-based Taco Bell Corp., Illinois Del’s Kinnare said.
“We think there’s a market for another,” he said.
Del Taco is appealing because it has average unit sales volume of about $1.2 million, Kinnare said.
“We found Del Taco to be better and different from anything else out there,” Kinnare said.
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Del Taco fish taco: some 6 million sold since February |
Del Taco’s move into Chicago is part of the company’s bid to grow outside Southern California.
In 2004, Del Taco added six franchise groups, which plan to open 32 restaurants in the next three to five years. It also signed deals this year for another 16 restaurants, which also are slated to debut in the next few years.
Privately held Del Taco has more than 445 restaurants.
Besides Detroit, new markets include Idaho, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico and Colorado.
Del Taco continues to tweak its menu. It recently added a crispy fish taco, a big seller according to Joe Senger, Del Taco’s vice president of marketing.
The chain has sold more than 6 million since the tacos came out in February, he said.
Seeking Product Placements
Aliso Viejo-based Johnny Rockets Group Inc. wants to get its name in movies.
The burger chain recently tapped Los Angeles-based Hero Product Placement Inc. to help market itself through product placements in TV shows and films, the company said.
“Product placement is a natural fit as we can now bring this distinctive and enjoyable Johnny Rockets feeling to life in film and television,” said Mimi Somerman, Johnny Rockets’ senior vice president of marketing in a press release.
Johnny Rockets wants to capitalize on its all-American theme, which is played up in its retro-style diners.
The push coincides with Johnny Rockets’ growth ambitions.
In the next 10 years, Johnny Rockets hopes to more than double its size and add 125 restaurants to the chain. The company has 175 restaurants throughout the U.S., including in Irvine, Orange and Laguna Beach.
PR Fest
Orange County’s public relations executives headed to the Marconi Automotive Museum last month for the 30th annual Protos awards.
There were 70 awards in 29 categories handed out at the event, which was hosted by the Orange County chapters of the Public Relations Society of America.
The top winner: Porter Novelli in Irvine, which won Best of Show for its work on the Monrovia Nursery masterplan. The shop took home five awards in all.
Other winners: Orange County Tra-nsportation Authority in Orange, which took home seven awards; Amies Communications in Irvine, which won four; and Hilary Kaye Associates and Echo Media Group, which each took home two awards. Both shops are in Tustin.
The public relations society also honored Keri Gee Barnett, owner of Pridea and a Chapman University professor, with a distinguished service award. Euro RSCG Magnet also won an honor for its public service.
Three public relations students received $1,000 scholarships.
Upping With 8e6
San Clemente-based Kanatsiz Communications Inc. has picked up more work from 8e6 Technologies in Orange.
The OC shop has been helping with Web work at 8e6, which offers Internet filters and other services.
Now Kanatsiz has added public relations, Internet marketing and trade show support to the mix, according to Sinan Kanatsiz, chief executive.
“It is very validating to our hard work that they have chosen to expand their relationship with us,” he said.
