(Lake Forest, CA) November 5, 2004 - Marc Mushkin, Del Taco's Senior Director of Franchise Sales, was in Detroit for the Michigan Restaurant Show on October 19 - 20, and at the show he finalized the deal with Mark Schostak, eight months after the first contact between the two companies.

The agreement calls for the first Del Taco Franchise to open in mid-2005 at a site already under development in Dearborn Heights, MI.  Nine other units are included in this first agreement over the following five years.

"We are very pleased to have reached agreement with such a solid group to open this important new market for our brand," Ron Petty, Del Taco's president, said.  "Our strategy is to penetrate the upper-midwest with the very best multi-unit franchisees, and Mark Schostak and his outstanding team are exactly what we were looking for to be the first in Michigan," according to Mushkin.

Mark Schostak said: "We are thrilled to be part of the Del Taco restaurant franchise family.  It was only after a few initial meetings that we realized it was a great fit for our two organizations because we quickly realized we shared the same operating, growth and real estate philosophies."

TEAM Schostak is a 66-unit Burger King franchisee in several Michigan markets, and they have a Joint Venture agreement with the popular Michigan restaurant chain Olga's Kitchen. Schostak Bros. & Co has been a major shopping center developer for over 80 years and apart from their restaurant business has diversified holdings in real estate and banking.


ABOUT DEL TACO
Del Taco is a privately held company that operates, or franchises, more than 430 Mexican quick service restaurants throughout the United States. Del Taco franchise is the second largest fast food Mexican franchise restaurant chain in the United States with individual restaurant sales volumes that exceed all other Mexican quick service competitors. Del Taco features fresh ingredients, made-to-order food, unique Mexican entrées, and an American menu that includes double cheeseburgers, shakes and crinkle cut fries. Del Taco franchise restaurants are designed with a festive interior and drive-thru. For more information, visit www.deltaco.com.
 
Contacts: 
Marc Mushkin
Sr. Director, Franchise Sales / Del Taco, Inc.
mmushkin@deltaco.com
949 / 462-7320

Barbara Caruso
carusocom@aol.com
714 / 841-6777