Taco Bill is an Australian restaurant chain serving traditional Mexican cuisine. It is the longest founded Mexican franchise in Australia.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
 | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Genre | Mexican food |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Bill Chilcote |
| Headquarters | Melbourne |
Number of locations | 28 (2021) |
Key people | Tom Kartel (CEO) Stan Teschke Vicki Teschke |
| Members | 70,000 (2021) |
| Website | tacobill |
History
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The restaurant was established in 1967 by Bill Chilcote (16 October 1925 - 11 December 2011) who was married to a Mexican woman from a family who was in the business themselves, owning several cantinas. He came to Australia from the border of Mexico and California and decided to introduce Mexican food to Australia. The first Taco Bill outlet was opened on the Gold Coast and provided take-away food. Other outlets were opened firstly in Bondi, Sydney and next in Armadale, Melbourne. Currently it has 27 stores in Victoria. Club Taco has over 70.000 active members.[7][8][9][10][11][12]
A legal dispute with Taco Bell over the American fast-food chain's planned Australian expansion was resolved in February 2020.[13]
Management
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Taco Bill is managed by Tom Kartel, an Iranian native, who arrived in Australia in 1987. He started work as a kitchen hand at Taco Bill's South Melbourne outlet and opened his own restaurant in Springvale in 1994 and secured another two outlets in Clifton Hill and Camberwell over the next four years. Tom bought a 50 percent share of Taco Bill from its owner Stan Teschke in 2002. He received a master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Swinburne University.[14][15][16]
Food and drink
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Taco Bill offers a wide range of traditional Mexican food including tacos, nachos, tortillas, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas and burritos. Taco Bill was the first to introduce nachos, tacos, and enchiladas to Australia. It was also the first to introduce the frozen margarita to Australia. The materials are sourced locally from local suppliers (including Aztec Mexican Products and Liquor, Bidfood, G&T Chickens, Merchant Australia, Marino Bros, and Ixom) and many of the spices are imported directly from Mexico. Taco Bill offers Gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan food and provides dietary or allergen options. It bottles its own trademarked hot sauce, and has previously sold its own tequila and beer. A wide range of beverages is offered including the Pancho Villa Margarita which is sold with a free sombrero.[7]
Awards
edit- Savour Australia Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence (2016, 2020)[17][18]
- Lifestyle FOOD Awards (2007, 2009, 2010)[19]
Charity
editThe Citizen of the Month is held by Taco Bill every month.[20][21] It also sponsors several local institutions including schools, colleges and clubs. Among them are:[7]
- Ashwood School
- Aurora School
- Belgrave Heights Christian School
- Box Hill Institute
- Carrington Primary School
- Loyola College, Watsonia
- Middle Park Primary School
- Presentation College, Windsor
- Trinity Catholic Primary School
- Upper Ferntree Gully Primary School
- Whitehorse Mustangs Basketball Club
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- Operation Smile Australia
See also
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References
edit- ^ "Taco Bill gives its website and brand a Mexican makeover | Australian Food News". Australian Food News.
- ^ "Taco Bill Celebrates Selling 50 Million Tacos by Giving Them Away Free!". Business Franchise Australia.
- ^ "Taco Bill Mexican Restaurant - What's On". whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au.
- ^ "Taco Bill Mexican Restaurants Franchise Overview". Franchising.com.
- ^ Cody, Gemima (28 May 2018). "Taco Bill, the authentically Australian Tex-Mex experience". Good Food.
- ^ "Review: Taco Bill, Collins St, Melbourne – Gourmanda". gourmanda.me.
- ^ a b c "What's the Real Story Behind Taco Bill?".
- ^ "Taco Bill". Australian food history timeline. 20 September 1960.
- ^ "Mexican standoff; Taco Bill takes Taco Bell to court". Inside Franchise Business. 5 November 2019.
- ^ "Taco Bell vs Taco Bill in Mexican fast-food standoff". 9NEWS. 4 November 2019.
- ^ "A Tale of Two Tacos: Taco Bill vs Taco Bell". Michael Buck IP. 28 November 2019.
- ^ "Taco Bell v Taco Bill in Mexican standoff". Australian Financial Review. 11 November 2019.
- ^ Cease-fire; Taco Bell and Taco Bill reach settlement, Nick Hall, Inside Retail, 14 February 2020
- ^ "Tom Kartel climbs Taco Bill ladder - Dynamic Business". Dynamic Business.
- ^ "Taco Bell wins Victorian expansion rights as independent Taco Bills settles intellectual property case". SmartCompany. 13 February 2020.
- ^ Atkinson, Jordy (18 April 2017). "Taco the trip of a lifetime". Heraldsun.
- ^ "Savour Australia Excellence Award 2016". Indian Tandoori Restaurant Albury Wodonga. 15 September 2016.
- ^ Bruton, Jodie (13 December 2020). "State awards raise spirits for Albury restaurants after a year like no other". The Border Mail.
- ^ "Taco Bill takes top spot in Lifestyle FOOD Awards". Australian Food News. 8 September 2010.
- ^ "MARCH 2015 'TACO BILL' CITIZEN OF THE MONTH". Middle Park Primary School.
- ^ "Citizen of the Month -October". Middle Park Primary School.