Shellmageddon
Excited fans create long lines for much-anticipated taste of Taco Tico
Taco Tico fanatics waited in line for hours on Thursday to be among the first served at the popular chain’s newest location on the Texas side.
Some customers got in line as early as 9 a.m. for the restaurant’s 11 a.m. grand opening, and dozens were waiting when franchise owners Jerry and Kim Gill opened the doors. Some wore Taco Tico T-shirts, and many took selfies or broadcast live video of the scene on social media.
The line of cars at the drive-thru spilled out of the restaurant’s parking lot onto Texas Boulevard, prompting Texarkana, Texas, Police Department to provide traffic control officers and warn drivers of the situation via Facebook.
Two Taco Tico locations in Texarkana closed five years ago, leaving devotees pining for their favorite Tex-Mex fast food until Thursday.
First in line was Jade Fite, who said she had taken off work for the occasion. Why was she willing to spend a rainy morning in line?
“Have you ever tried it? There’s your answer,” she said. Checking a list she had saved on her smartphone, Fite said she was looking forward to ordering beef enchiladas, taco burgers and burritos.
Fite said co-workers were expecting her to bring them something from the restaurant.
“They’re not letting me pick up my check until I bring food,” she said.
Also at the head of the line, Chris Kessell said he has been a Taco Tico fan since he was 3 or 4 years old. He tried to explain the restaurant’s appeal.
“The only way I can explain it to them is it’s the same type of restaurant as a Taco Bell in concept, but it has a flavor all its own. I’ve never had anything that’s comparable. If you ain’t had it, you’ve got to try it,” he said.
Bridget Monroe is from Texarkana and now lives in Atlanta, Ga. She happened to be in town Thursday and could not resist attending the opening.
“I remember Taco Tico over on East Ninth Street, and the taste is what made me be here at 9 o’clock this morning. I remember it from the days of old. It’ll have you out here two hours before it opens,” she said.
Kim McElroy traveled from Camden, Ark., more than 80 miles away, to be among the first in line. She had five orders to fill and take back home.
The Gills also are fans of Taco Tico food, which was the main reason they decided two years ago to open the franchise. A lot of hard work, including hours of fresh food preparation early Thursday morning, led to the opening.
A Taco Tico corporate executive from Wichita, Kan., was on hand to help the 25 staff working in the restaurant Thursday, as was a manager of the chain’s highest-grossing location, which is in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
The staff have been training for two weeks, including a couple of soft openings with invited guests for practice.
“It’s the biggest thing we’ve ever done,” Jerry Gill said. “It’s madness here.” Kim Gill agreed. “This is crazy. We’re just trying to get ready for everybody, and hopefully it will be just like they remember. Obviously, it looks different, but the taste is still here. I’m ready for some right now. …
“We’ve just been trying to seize every opportunity we have to feed the public because we know they’ve waited so long for it, and we feel so blessed that they’re here,” she said.
Taco Tico is at 4833 Texas Blvd. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.