What minimum experience is required for a single unit Del Taco franchisee's manager?
Del_Taco Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The Restaurant Manager of each Restaurant must have a minimum of one year of quick service restaurant management experience, spend 240 hours before the Restaurant's opening in this pre-opening job training session, satisfactorily complete the training program, and receive our certification. Any subsequent Restaurant Manager that you may hire also must have the minimum one year of quick service Restaurant management experience, satisfactorily complete the training program, and receive our certification. Restaurants with 24-hour operations must always have a minimum of one certified Restaurant Manager and 5 shift managers, unless the Restaurant is one of your first two Del Taco Restaurants. Restaurants without 24-hour operations must have a minimum of one Restaurant Manager
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISE BUSINESS (FDD page 42)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Del Taco's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a Restaurant Manager must have a minimum of one year of quick service restaurant management experience. This requirement ensures that the manager has a foundational understanding of the fast-food industry's operations and challenges.
In addition to the experience requirement, the Restaurant Manager must also complete 240 hours of pre-opening job training and receive certification from Del Taco. This comprehensive training program is designed to equip the manager with the specific knowledge and skills needed to operate a Del Taco restaurant according to the brand's standards and procedures. Any subsequent Restaurant Manager hired must also meet the one-year experience requirement, complete the training program, and receive certification.
Del Taco requires that at least one certified Restaurant Manager is always present in the restaurant. For restaurants with 24-hour operations, a minimum of one certified Restaurant Manager and five shift managers are required. Restaurants without 24-hour operations must have at least one Restaurant Manager and four shift managers. This staffing requirement ensures adequate supervision and management coverage at all times. However, these minimum staffing requirements are waived for the franchisee's first two Del Taco restaurants.