Taco Palenque
Taco Palenque is a Mexican cuisine restaurant chain in South Texas and northern Tamaulipas, Mexico. The restaurant is headquartered in Laredo, Texas and was established in 1987. The restaurant's main dishes are the flame-grilled beef or chicken fajita plate, parrillada, pirata taco, panchos (tortilla chips dipped in refried beans, and guacamole), homemade desserts, and breakfast taco (known as Mariachis in South Texas). Taco Palenque's salad bar has more than 7 different homemade salsas (hot sauces).
Type | Privately held company |
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Industry | Fast casual |
Founded | July 1, 1987 in Laredo, Texas, US |
Headquarters | Laredo, Texas |
Number of locations | 19 (2016) |
Area served | South Texas |
Products | Mexican food |
Owner | Juan Francisco Ochoa |
Website | tacopalenque |
History
Taco Palenque was founded by Juan Francisco Ochoa (Don Pancho) from Sinaloa, Mexico.[1] Ochoa was also the creator of the El Pollo Loco secret chicken recipe and founder of the Grilled chicken concept.[1] Don Pancho Ochoa and his brothers and sisters opened several El Pollo Loco franchises in Mexico in the late 1970s and the United States in the 1980s.[1][2]
In 1985, Juan Francisco moved to Monterrey where he planned to create a Mexican fastfood chain in the United States with drive thrus that served authentic Mexican food. In 1987, Ochoa opened Taco Palenque in Laredo, Texas. The chain expanded to McAllen in 1998, Brownsville in 2001, San Antonio in 2007, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico in 2008, Houston, Texas in 2010, Mission, Texas, Cotulla, Texas in 2011 and Weslaco, Texas in 2015. In 2005 Palenque grill was established.[1][3][4]
Subsidiaries
Palenque Grill
Palenque Grill is a subsidiary of Taco Palenque. Palenque Grill was established in 2005 with the opening of its first restaurant in Laredo, Texas. Palenque Grill restaurants feature: premium meats, seafood, margaritas, parrilladas, traditional Mexican appetizers and desserts. These restaurants are higher-end than the regular Taco Palenque. As of 2008 there are two Palenque Grill locations, one in Laredo the other in McAllen. Then near the end of 2011 the Ochoa family opened Palenque Grill in San Antonio, Texas. In 2015 the company built a second Palenque Grill in Mcallen, Texas. The official slogan for Palenque Grill is "Un Rinconcito de Mexico" which means "A little corner of Mexico." A 2012 restaurant review in the San Antonio Express-News gave the Palenque Grill four out of a possible five stars and called the restaurant "a good choice for a visit".[5]
Pollo Palenque
Pollo Palenque (formally named Pollo Tori) is another subsidiary of Taco Palenque. Pollo Palenque is a fast-food restaurant chain specializing in Mexican grilled chicken. The restaurant's main dish is pollo asado, a grilled marinated chicken. The meal is usually served with salsa, totopos and tortillas. The restaurant is currently only located on the border. It is located in Laredo, Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.
References
- Diaz, Francisco (8 July 2011). "Entrepreneur of the Year is Named". Laredo Sun. Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- Mendez, Cruz Alberto (11 November 1993). "El Pollo Loco - expandira su mercado mundial". La Opinion (in Spanish). pp. 27 & 29 (E1 & E4). Retrieved 16 July 2013 – via Google News.
- "Our Story". Palenque Grill.
- Galvani, Paul (December 29, 2010). "Taco Palenque". Houston Press.
- Tijerina, Edmund (February 21, 2012). "Review - Palenque Grill". San Antonio Express-News.