Rusty Taco is taking its made-to-order street-style tacos beyond traditional restaurants, expanding into airports, convenience stores, and other non-traditional spaces. This strategic move matters because it showcases the brand's flexibility and positions it for significant growth in high-traffic environments, potentially reshaping how fast-casual chains approach expansion.
This fall, Rusty Taco will open new locations at Washington Dulles International Airport and Norfolk International Airport, along with an upcoming spot inside Bowlski's in Dallas. The Norfolk location opens in late November, while the Dulles opening marks the brand's second at that airport, following its 2023 debut in Concourse D. The expansion at Dulles, in partnership with foodservice operator Affinity LLC, underscores the brand's popularity and ability to grow in major travel hubs.
"Our growth in airports and other non-traditional venues is a strong example of how we can adapt to different environments while still delivering the same fresh menu guests know and love," said David Gonzalez, VP of Development for Gala Capital Partners, parent company of Rusty Taco. "It's also an opportunity to introduce our brand to travelers from across the country who might be trying us for the first time."
Beyond airports, Rusty Taco's non-traditional strategy includes convenience stores and college campuses. Its partnership with Good 2 Go Eats, a 75-location convenience store chain, brought the first Rusty Taco C-store to Ammon, Idaho, in 2023, with agreements for eight more. Three Denver-area C-stores are open, and four more are set for early 2027, offering a reduced menu focused on grab-and-go burritos.
The brand also has a presence at Salt River Fields, spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, and has served fans at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. This fall, it adds its first bowling alley location at Bowlski's, a fellow Dallas-based brand. These venues demonstrate how Rusty Taco's concept adapts while maintaining the same made-to-order menu and guest experience, supported by a flexible operating model that covers breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner.
"Rusty Taco was built around a simple idea: serve fresh, flavorful ingredients in handcrafted street-style tacos, along with great hospitality," Gonzalez said. "That same approach gives us the flexibility to bring Rusty Taco to places that look very different from a traditional restaurant, and we see significant opportunity to continue growing in new and unexpected places."
With a growing portfolio of traditional and non-traditional locations, Rusty Taco is building its footprint and giving franchisees and partners new ways to reach guests nationwide. For more information, visit www.rustytaco.com/franchise. Learn more at RustyTaco.com.
