TACO BELL IN DEL RIO
By oldeagle - Posted on March 1st, 2008
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DEL RIO TACO BELL RESTAURANT? READ ON THE DRNH TH AT IT HAD SHUT DOWN? IS THIS TRUE?
For more stories like this, see these categories:
You must be registered and logged in to post comments
- Login or register to post comments
- Email this page
To answer your question
To answer your question about what happened to Taco Bell, from what I have heard the owner was up for renewal of the franchise. In order for the owner to renew they had to make changes to the existing building, they did not want to do this so Taco Bell would not let them renew. So this is why it closed. i do wish that someone would open it again though. Just because it was fast and cheap.
These days I find myself
These days I find myself driving to Uvalde more and more to patronize Oasis Outback for hunting gear. For what it's worth, I get what I can at True Value, but will make the hour drive east before giving Wally World my money. Whenever I go there, I stop at Taco Bell for lunch, because I wholeheartedly agree with RobertCF; Taco Bell is just more my taste. Not that I don't like Mexican food (A friend just introduced me to Chintos, and it was great!) but sometimes I just prefer the cheap stuff.
As far as people looking to start another franchise here, has anyone looked into Arby's? We need something fast that isn't swimming in grease, although I'm more than happy to be "next in line" at Rudy's for a turkey sandwich any day of the week.
As far as Waypoint Cantina, I've been a few times now and while I seem to hear nothing but rave reviews from others, my experiences have thus far been, well, not so great. Put it this way: I was willing to make the drive (and take the hit to the wallet) to go to Caruso's, but not W.C.
Bill, your experiences at Taco Bell are similar to when I called around town trying to find a place to buy an elliptical machine. At Wal-Mart, I was transferred to electronics from sporting goods, and when I asked to be transferred back, I asked the guy why he sent me to electronics. His answer?
"Well, you said you were looking for an electronical machine." No, I'm pretty sure I didn't.
The story goes longer, and gets funnier, but that's for another time and place. By the way, when I finally described what I was talking about, he informed me they didn't have one. When I went in later that afternoon, I walked out with one.
I also try to shop Del Rio
I also try to shop Del Rio first but in some cases you just limit yourself too much and you don't have much of a choice to be honest with you. I too was looking for an elliptical several months back,try asking people in this town what that is and you get a look of deer in the headlight. I finally went ahead and ordered mine online from Sole fitness, a little more than what I really wanted to pay but well worth it in quality.I have had two before and they both broke at the frame, but this bastard is so heavy I believe the weight capacity of it. :)
The first step to overcoming
The first step to overcoming addiction is admitting the problem, so here it is: My name is Diablo and I am addicted to Arby's. Before I moved here, it was a once-a-week lunch stop for me. Mmmmm....curly fries....
A franchise could probably be had for this area. All one needs is a cool million in the bank plus start-up expenses. I did some quick and dirty math and came up with a figure of 1.75 million in start-up. That doesn't include construction costs for the building.
But upon deeper reflection, I realized that owning a franchise would be like an alcoholic owning a bar. They would find my corpse one day, surrounded by Horsey sauce and empty fry containers. The undertaker would not be able to remove the grin from my face, and he couldn't embalm my corpse because the needle couldn't penetrate all the plaque in my areries.
Veni, Vidi, Velcro ---- I came, I saw, I stuck around......
mongolian grill after
mongolian grill after working in kansas city and eugene oregon i wish we had a mongolian grillhere now thats eating fresh
as for seafood i really like
as for seafood i really like sea island or barnicle bills but i doubt b bills would come now that we have rudys they are the same company of bill millers
will someone looking for a
will someone looking for a franchise go to taco cabana website and look into bringing them to town
We should pray for a Taco
We should pray for a Taco Cabana, they are so great. We eat there when we go to San Antonio and have a breakfast taco also. I have just seen the post and wish so for one here. I like having the fresh different sauces available, the prices and swift service, it has it all.
Well, not meaning any
Well, not meaning any offense to anyone, particularly owners/operators of the myriad of Mexican restaurants here, but I really don't care all that much for what people usually refer to as "authentic Mexican food". I actually preferred the taste of the food at Taco bell, for a number of different reasons. It doesn't really matter to me that we "live on the border" or in a "heavily Hispanic town". Food is what it is, and personal taste in food is what it is. I've lived here half my life and I have to admit I rarely go to Mexican restaurants. My preferred tastes weigh heavily toward Asian, seafood, Cajun and other more cuisine more typically referred to as American. To be honest, if we had a real seafood place here (LJS does not qualify, in my book) you'd probably rarely see me eat elsewhere. I most frequently visit Chili's, Wright's, China Buffet and, of course, the various hamburger joints. When I wanted what would losely be called Mexican food I invariably went to Taco Bell.
The bottom line is, no matter what you may call "authentic" this or that makes absolutely zero difference. If a person doesn't like the taste of something but does like the taste of a competing "immitation", it's their personal taste. And, personally, I could do without "authentic" Mexican food in favor of other types. I'm sorry Taco Bell is gone....it's sad when any decent business goes away. I do wish the owners the best and I'm sure the employees will find opportunities elsewhere, perhaps in any of the many food establishments we have here.
Robert, there were a few
Robert, there were a few items I liked at Taco Bell, too, but let's face it, the main reason folks went there was that it was relatively fast and cheap.
Don't know if you've tried the newer places that advertise "authentic Mexican food," but one of them I've heard from several people is just awful. Another, Waypoint Cantina and Southwest Grill, is just the opposite, in my book. See our review of the place if you haven't been out there, and then give it a try. Chef Chris Piccininni is talented and creative.
The only problem - in the Taco Bell context - is that Waypoint is neither fast nor cheap, but it's still good value.
The last time I went to Taco Bell, a few months before I heard they were closing, they weren't fast either, and they were out of several items, including sugar-free sodas, and had nothing but sweet tea, and when I asked the "manager" if she had any idea how many of their customers are diabetics, all I got were stares of abject confusion.
When I mentioned that a local physician estimates that 30 percent of our population here is diabetic, I might as well have been talking to their refrigerator. Absolutely clueless, and, worse, powerless about what to do with such a complaint.
Moreover, you and I agree on one point. We desperately need really good seafood restaurant. Waypoint has some great items in that genre, but I don't think entrepreneurs here understand how wildly popular a good seafood restaurant would be. When I lived in El Paso, on a Sunday afternoon, for example (and Mothers' Day, forget about it) the only place in town with a long line out the front door was routinely - you guessed it - Red Lobster.
Bill Sontag
Feature Writer
Southwest Texas LIVE!
Uuuummm! It's noon here,
Uuuummm! It's noon here, and you've whetted my appetite, just thinking about FOOD! Red Lobster would be a much-welcomed addition to Del Rio. Wonder what their requirements to come in here are? The fish at Luby's is usually always good, but a Red Lobster would better meet the needs of folks hungry for a variety of and good quality of sea food. Has there been any consideration or even rumors that one might come to DR????
One more comment. I liked Taco Bell's menu. I like Rudy's, but I have to tell everyone that I prefer TB's barbecue. Umm, umm, GOOD!
Well, Taco Bell will be
Well, Taco Bell will be missed by a lot of people...mainly kids who could afford their food. I think for the most part, some are right saying that there are too many fast food places in Del Rio. I think that it is a shame that the owner's didn't want to invest in Del Rio. Where were the City officials to help convince the owner to stay? That is what happens when outsiders come in, buy up property, start a business and then leave it to go belly up while they are gone. I bet you long term Del Rioans can name many, many restaurants that have come & gone in the past few years. What was the last new restaurant to open? Jack in the Box? IHOP? The Herald? And which, of those, are locally owned & operated???
Taco Bell met a need. It's
Taco Bell met a need. It's not our type of Mexican food, granted, but most teenagers loved it. Good service, good food overall, good price.
Actually as far as I know
Actually as far as I know all restaurants that opened [some subsequently closed] in the past year are locally owned and operated including all that you have listed. I might have missed something though I believe Rudy's is as well. As to the Taco Bell Franchise, as you might guess, Taco Bell does not traditionally do well in predominantly Hispanic areas. It's simply not Mexican food to Hispanics. Only tourists think its Mexican food.
The real question that I have is what is going in at the old Alamo Lumber Location. I doubt that they would be tearing it down and hauling off all the metal for no reason since they have had offers for both the land and building in the past.
I was told( take it for what
I was told( take it for what it's worth ) a building with four resturants will be going up there. Don't know the names or styles or if it's even true.Let's just hope :)
ALLEGEDLY, the franchise
ALLEGEDLY, the franchise wanted a new building. The owner who lives in San Angelo said no and it looks like corporate shut them down.
Guess we'll just wait and
Guess we'll just wait and see. Hopefully, someone will pick up the franchise and re-open, if not at the old location, then another. Del Rio seems to be almost on over-load with fast food franchises--I'm surprised any of them are as successful as they'd like to be. LOTS of competition. Maybe the DRNH will give us the "breaking news" soon (yeah, right).
That part of the strip is
That part of the strip is pretty dead.
Taco Bell, Flamingos and Blimpie are like ghost towns now. I know the latter two have been closed awhile (anyone else miss Mr. Jim's pizza?), but there are three back to back just gone. Now Taco Bell is an eye sore.
Good grief! When did
Good grief! When did Flamingo's close? I LOVED their quarter-pounders!
Apparently it closed its
Apparently it closed its doors yesterday. The DRNH had the picture and short blurb, but no way to click onto any story. Perhaps swtexaslive can give us the real story??? I always thought it was a well-run, very clean, and good service facility. Employees were always friendly and helpful and prompt. Help!
Hey Whirlwind, it was a
Hey Whirlwind, it was a pretty decent service facility [at least in my experience] and may have been well run from a management perspective but it had really really declined in the past few years in regards to cleanliness and the condition of the building. I had stopped going because the condition of the building and the equipment was creeping me out. Well that and it wasn't Mexican food. Due to our towns particular economic dynamic, I feel that there is a fair chance that Taco Bell will continue to offer out the franchise and someone with some cash to burn will step in and build a new one.
Agreed I swear I smelled
Agreed
I swear I smelled weed at the drive through one day too.
I guess now I will never know what a fiesta platter tastes like.