RETAILING : El Torito Proclaimed Numero Uno Among Nation’s Mexican Chains
How hot is the El Torito restaurant chain?
Well, the Irvine-based group ran off with top honors when U.S. consumers recently voted El Torito numero uno among Mexican restaurants.
The Choice of Chains survey, done by the trade magazine Restaurants & Institutions, asked 2,000 households which of 75 chains listed they visited within the past year and how well they liked them.
El Torito, owned by Restaurant Enterprises Group in Irvine, earned the best ranking overall among Mexican restaurants. The chain, which operates 187 restaurants in 25 states, was especially popular in the Pacific region.
Michael Casey, El Torito president and chief executive, touts quality of service as the reason for the chain’s popularity.
Orange County-based runners-up included Taco Bell, which is headquartered in Irvine, in the Mexican category (showing that “most customers who opt for Mexican food are consciously seeking a special taste, not merely convenience,” the magazine notes).
Anaheim-based Carl’s Jr. was a runner-up in the best burgers category. And Houlihan’s, based in Irvine, placed among the top eight casual dining spots.
