Will Del Taco inspect the Restaurant prior to opening?
Del_Taco Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
[Item 11: FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING]
ITEM 11 FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING
Except as listed below, we need not provide any assistance to you.
Pre-opening Obligations
Before you open your business, we will provide the following assistance:
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- Provide a copy of the standard construction package, including plans and specifications, site criteria, and sample site plans. We will also provide you a copy of our specifications for the furniture, fixtures, furnishings, kitchen display systems, equipment, signs and all other property that we may specify for use in the Restaurant. You must adapt those plans and specifications, at your expense, for use at the location selected by you. (Development Agreement, Sections 6 and 7; Franchise Agreement, Section 4.1)
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- We will provide pre-opening training in the Del Taco System, including standards, methods, procedures and techniques, at the times and places we designate for our training programs, together with any additional training and assistance we determine necessary in connection with the opening of your Restaurant, including assistance by our personnel. (Franchise Agreement, Section 4.2). A description of that training appears later in this item. We currently charge no additional fees for those services.
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- We will provide you pre-opening assistance, including assisting you to formulate your initial opening orders for inventory and supplies. (Franchise Agreement, Section 4.3).
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 31–38)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Del Taco FDD, Del Taco does not explicitly state that they will inspect the Restaurant prior to opening. However, Del Taco does provide significant pre-opening assistance. This includes providing a copy of the standard construction package with plans and specifications, site criteria, and sample site plans. Del Taco also provides specifications for furniture, fixtures, furnishings, kitchen display systems, equipment, signs, and other property for use in the Restaurant. The franchisee is responsible for adapting these plans and specifications to their chosen location at their own expense.
Del Taco offers a Franchise Management Training Program (FMTP) to qualify the franchisee, their Operating Principal, and the Restaurant's managers to operate the Restaurant according to Del Taco's standards and procedures. This includes pre-opening training where personnel learn the proper preparation and presentation of food products. Del Taco requires that these personnel spend 240 hours in this pre-opening training and receive certification from Del Taco, which is based on satisfactory completion of the FMTP. This training is generally completed at least 3 weeks before the Restaurant opens.
Del Taco also provides pre-opening assistance to help franchisees formulate their initial opening orders for inventory and supplies. Additionally, after the first Restaurant opens, Del Taco will monitor the level of training and assist in maintaining proper training of management and crew to promote the proper use of the Del Taco System. While a pre-opening inspection isn't mentioned, these measures suggest that Del Taco maintains a strong interest in ensuring the Restaurant meets their standards before and after opening.