P Terry’s Taco Drive-Thru Is Already Expanding With Second Location

Austin loves P. Terry’s taco drive-thru Taco Ranch, so much that co-owner Patrick Terry is already expanding the taco drive-thru with a second location in downtown Austin. 517 West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, right near both the Capitol and UT Austin’s campus. It’s pegged to open sometime in the summer.

“This was something we’ve never done before,” co-owner Patrick Terry told Eater, “but the opportunity as too difficult to pass up,” referring to the plan to open a second location when the first location just opened. The MLK spot worked out well because the property owner was looking to replace that shuttered Taco Cabana with something local, and Taco Ranch was the best fit.

The menu consists of affordable, well-sourced food: flour/corn/crispy/soft tacos, chalupas, tostadas, burritos, quesadillas, and taco salads all filled with beef, chicken, veggie crumbles, or beans. And yes, there are breakfast tacos with eggs, bacon, chorizo, potatoes, cheese, and more, served until 11 a.m.

“Our breakfast taco competes in a world of breakfast tacos,” Terry said, proud of the fact that they use organic and all-natural ingredients, “that distinguishes us from pretty much everyone else.”

The new location, dubbed Taco Ranch MLK, will resemble the original one since it’s also designed by architect Michael Hsu. This means a drive-thru, patio, and dine-in area. The kitchen design will be revamped based on how the original kitchen is working out.

The demand for Taco Ranch has been relentless since it opened on January 24, so much so that the Oak Hill restaurant sold out of food during its first day and had to reduce its hours in the meantime until everything is running smoothly. Terry shared that the restaurant has sold over 3,000 tacos daily since it opened. Because there are so many orders, the team was forced to outsource its flour tortillas and chips, but Terry said everything is still fried in-house.

For now, Taco Ranch is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekdays, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Expanded hours will be added as the restaurant settles into its groove.

• P. Terry’s Taco-Dedicated Drive-Thru Opens This Week [EATX]
• All Coverage of Taco Ranch [EATX]