Seasoned Restaurant Leader Joins Leading Mexican Quick-Service Concept as Company Bolsters Investment in Franchise Development

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Taco John’s^®, a leading Mexican quick-service restaurant, bolsters its leadership team, naming Ian Poole as VP/Development. An experienced business development and franchising leader, Poole brings nearly 20 years of experience driving growth for leading restaurant and franchise brands.  

A Strategic Appointment to Invest in Development 
Prior to joining Taco John’s, Poole served as Vice President of Development for Subway, where he led the North American development team and oversaw franchise sales, real estate, construction & design, equipment, business operations, and leasing for over 22,000 restaurants. He has also played a key role in expanding brands including Dunkin’ and Planet Fitness. In his role, Poole will focus on supporting Taco John’s expansion and enhancing franchisee success through improvements across onboarding, real estate, and construction.  

“Taco John’s has built a strong foundation with a clear commitment to franchisee support, and I’m eager to help accelerate the brand’s expansion momentum,” said Ian Poole, VP/Development of Taco John’s. “Stepping into this role, my goal is to expand Taco John’s footprint in an intentional, sustainable way, delivering streamlined end-to-end support for every owner in our network. We’re creating a system for both new and existing franchisees to scale with confidence, and looking ahead, I am excited for the growth that’s to come and the opportunities ahead for the brand.”

Bringing previous experience as a franchisee with Burger King, Popeyes, and Arby’s with Ambrosia QSR, Poole is a passionate and collaborative leader, focused on strengthening franchise partnerships across the system.

“Ian’s addition to the team is a landmark appointment as we continue to strengthen our franchisee development systems and path to ownership,” said Heather Neary, President and CEO of Taco John’s. “His perspective as both an executive and franchisee offer invaluable insights into how we can continue to enhance our foundation to ensure each franchisee is set up for success. As we continue to build off the momentum from last year’s operational investments, we are excited to have Ian’s expertise and support on the team.”

Taco John’s Doubles Down on Franchisee Support
After a year of foundational headway, Taco John’s entered 2026 poised for data-driven expansion. With an intentional investment in the brand’s Path to Ownership process, franchisees are gaining access to a network of expanded support, succession planning, and ongoing systemwide communication. The brand has also identified expansion into non-traditional formats as a key growth pillar, with plans to pilot locations alongside experienced operators to validate performance and expand responsibly.

Looking ahead, franchisees will benefit from optimized menus tailored for smaller footprints, simplified labor and production models, performance standards designed for high-traffic environments, and targeted marketing strategies for non-traditional locations. This scaled-footprint strategy opens the door to high-demand locations with lower capital investment while complementing Taco John’s traditional development pipeline.

Taco John’s remains committed to strengthening its development infrastructure and enhancing the systems that support franchisee success, offering a compelling investment for entrepreneurs seeking to diversify their portfolios with a proven business concept.

With more than 325 locations across 21 states, Taco John’s sees strong growth potential in the Upper Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions, providing both new and multi-unit operators with tailored support to scale profitably and sustainably.

Prospective franchisees are taking note of the business opportunity, as the Taco John’s Franchise Disclosure Document reports an AUV of $1,889,495* for the top 25% of freestanding restaurants with drive-thru.  

For more information about Taco John’s franchise opportunities, please visit https://tacojohnsfranchise.com/ or contact Jenna Leichty at jleichty@tacojohns.com.

About Taco John’s^®
Welcome to the Frontier of West-Mex™—a land for wide-open appetites, where classic American comfort meets the bold spice and flavor of Mexican-inspired cuisine. With more than 325 restaurants in 21 states, Taco John’s® has spent more than 55 years crafting made-to-order favorites with quality ingredients, house-made Pico de Gallo, crispy corn shells and tortilla chips fried fresh in-store daily, and originals you won’t find anywhere else—like hot, crispy Potato Olés^® and the award-winning Taco Bravo^®, recently named the best fast food taco in America**. Founded in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Taco John’s has earned recognition from Entrepreneur and QSR Magazine as one of the nation’s top chains to watch. Learn more at TacoJohns.com and follow Taco John’s on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

*Based on the Average Sales Volume of the top 25% of U.S. freestanding restaurants with drive-thru. This information appears in Item 19 of Taco John’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (“FDD”).  

**Based on USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice 2025 Awards for Best Fast Food Taco. (Published July 2025).

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SOURCE Taco John’s®