Chronic Tacos began when Randall Wyner and his friend Daniel Biello came up with an idea for a made-to-order Mexican food restaurant that specialized in making authentic Mexican tacos. The first location opened in Newport Beach in 2002 and later expanded throughout California four years later. To date, Chronic Tacos now operate 37 store locations (with 5 corporate stores) across the United States. Chronic Tacos’ headquarters is based in Orange County, California, and is the prime location for franchisee training.
The training process for Chronic Tacos’ franchisees is a rigorous and highly organized six- to eight-week program. Chronic Tacos believes in a tailored approach for training franchisees so that each employee, whether it be managers or cooks, can receive individualized attention for the specific needs. Wyner commented, “There’s the management level where we’ll go over the management style, and then there’s the cooks and the front of the line, so it’s different levels. It’s a tailored training program.”
Franchisees are trained at one of the corporate locations for four weeks followed by three weeks of on-site training with training staff at the actual franchisee location. High-level management are typically flown out to the initial training location, but other employees have the opportunity to travel to the same training session, if necessary. In fact, the entire staff can attend the initial training sessions. Typically, only the higher management or owners will come to the classroom-based training program, which usually consists of only about two to three people.
Both classroom and manual training comprises the program at Chronic Tacos. The director of operations spends around three days in the classroom training each franchisee. According to Wyner, this is a “hands-on” program that has been developed over the course of time and the utilization of many resources. “You only get once to train, and when you open a new store it’s got to be perfect, so we really put a lot time and money into a training program, making sure that it’s done right.” Chronic Tacos even has an advisor council that goes through the training program as a means of finding ways in which it can be improved.
Even after the training program, franchisees are still offered support if they need it. According to Wyner, “The director of operations follows up about a week to two weeks after, and then we analyze the situation to see if they need more help, or if they need more training. Usually, after three weeks the crew has got it.” He adds, “Usually the first week we’re on it, but then we step back and let them do it themselves and jump back in if needed.”
About Chronic Tacos
Chronic Tacos is a California-inspired Mexican grill that celebrates authenticity and the individuality of its customers. The fast-casual franchise is known for its fresh Mexican cuisine that is customized for each guest’s distinctive taste. Founded in 2002, the Aliso Viejo, California-based company has more than 30 locations operating across North America and is committed to serving only the highest quality with locally sourced ingredients. Chronic Tacos offers traditional Mexican items such as tortas, taquitos, flautas and tacos as well as burritos, tostada bowls and salads, including a breakfast menu all day. Customers can choose from vegetarian and gluten-free options, as well as carne asada (steak), pollo asado (chicken), carnitas (slow-cooked pork) and al pastor (spicy marinated pork). Seafood lovers can also order grilled, beer-battered or baja-style fish and shrimp. Each restaurant incorporates original art designs inspired by traditional “Day of The Dead” art, creating a unique experience at each location.
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