Del Taco Continues Growth in Pacific Northwest

LAKE FOREST, CA--(Marketwired - Dec 21, 2015) - Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ: TACO), a leader in the Mexican Quick Service Restaurant (MQSR) category, announced that two new franchise restaurants, located in Medford, Oregon, and Boise, Idaho, are now open. This continued growth in the Pacific Northwest is in line with Del Taco's ongoing commitment to bring fresh, quality Mexican and American favorites for an unbeatable price to guests across the country.

With his success as an operator of four additional Del Tacos in Oregon, including the first Medford location, Gary Winnen, CEO of Cactus Enterprise LLC, decided to open a second Del Taco, complete with a drive-thru in his hometown of Medford.

"It's exciting to be a part of the growing Del Taco brand," said Winnen. "Our success is a direct reflection of the unparalleled support the company provides to its franchisees, and a result of serving fresh, made-to-order menu items at a fantastic value."

This opening marks the third Boise location for Mark Miller, the CEO of 3 Brothers Restaurants, and the 10^th Del Taco he has grown to own within the last seven years. Miller, whose current Del Taco stores are located in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, has a goal to open one to two locations every year.

"Del Taco is one of the few quick service brands that values food quality and represents a true upgrade to the traditional fast food experience," said Miller. "This brand differentiator along with the potential to grow significantly in a market with limited stores, sets franchisees up for success."

The MQSR category is one of the fastest growing industry segments, and Del Taco attracts a broad customer base across age groups, income levels and demographics. With a menu featuring made-to-order items made with fresh ingredients, Del Taco is focused on product innovation and staying ahead of trends to meet guests' growing demands for quality food served at a great value.

Earlier this year, Del Taco transitioned into a public company, further poising the brand for tremendous growth. As the MQSR category draws success nationwide, Del Taco continues to seek qualified franchise partners.

"Del Taco has experienced solid franchise growth in both existing and brand new markets across the U.S.," said Laura Tanaka, director of franchise development. "We're looking to build upon that national success by partnering with franchisees committed to the Del Taco brand."

Del Taco is continuing to recruit franchise candidates with foodservice operations and real estate experience in the Pacific Northwest region. The company offers extensive training, as well as hands-on operational and marketing support to franchisees. Those interested in learning more about Del Taco's unique franchise opportunities should visit www.deltacofranchise.com.

About Del Taco Restaurants, Inc.
At Del Taco (NASDAQ: TACO) all menu items taste better because they are made to order with fresh ingredients including handmade pico de gallo salsa, fresh sliced avocado, marinated grilled chicken, lard-free beans slow-cooked from scratch, and cheddar cheese grated from 40-pound blocks. Featuring a working kitchen in every restaurant, Del Taco serves breakfast, classic Mexican dishes such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos as well as American favorites including hamburgers, crinkle-cut fries and shakes. Del Taco's UnFreshing Believable campaign communicates the lengths the company goes to in order to deliver quality, made-to-order menu items created with freshly-prepared ingredients at a tremendous value. With nearly 550 restaurants in 16 states, Del Taco serves more than three million guests each week. Like Del Taco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/deltaco or join its Raving Fan eClub at www.DelTaco.com/RavingFan. For more information, please visit www.deltaco.com.