Taco John's Seeks to Grow via C-stores, Travel Plazas

CHEYENNE, Wy. — Taco John's plans to expand its operations by adding more units in convenience stores and travel plazas. The Mexican food chain most recently partnered with Stinker Stores, a 65-unit convenience store chain based in Boise, Idaho.

The first Taco John's location inside a Stinker Store opened September 2016 in Meridian, Idaho, and more are expected to come.

"It was important to find an organization that was highly professional, had its processes buttoned up and had a tight training plan and strong operational procedures," said Steve Watts, chief operating officer of Stinker Stores. "Company culture was a big thing. Stinker Stores is defined by its company culture, and we wanted a company that had similar corporate values."

The Stinker Stores location marks Taco John's 13th unit inside a c-store or travel plaza. Two others are currently under construction, and commitments are in place for 10 more in the coming years, the company said. The company stated it has tailored an approach specifically to work with experienced convenience retail operations.

To continue its growth in c-stores and travel plazas, the Taco John's development team plans to exhibit its plans for such locations at 2017 trade shows hosted by NACS, NATSO and M-Pact.