Velvet Taco, the Dallas-based fast-casual restaurant chain, has announced its expansion plans with a new location at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, Oklahoma. The new spot, set to open in September, is taking over a 500-square-foot space within the District Food Hall, a bustling food destination.
Velvet Taco’s CEO and president, Clay Dover, shared that the brand has high demand in non-traditional locations such as casinos, airports, sporting venues, and food halls. These locations have always been part of the food chain’s long-term growth plan.
Dover further explained that Velvet Taco’s development team looks for sites two years in advance, paired with a data-driven process including site analytics, customer segmentation, lifestyle data, and mobile traffic data collection.
In a prepared statement, Dover expressed Velvet Taco’s excitement in partnering with Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, saying, “The opportunity to expand, and to break into the casino arena, is exciting for our brand, and we’re thrilled to explore more partnerships like this in the future.”
This partnership with Choctaw Casino & Resort is only the taco spot’s next venture in its ongoing expansion plans.
In the past year, Velvet Taco has established North Texas locations in Grapevine, Rockwall, North Frisco, and Deep Ellum. A Waco location is set to open this spring, and the chain plans to open locations in Allen and North Fort Worth this summer.
Since its establishment in 2011 on Knox-Henderson in Dallas, Velvet Taco has grown tremendously and now has almost 40 locations throughout the United States, including 14 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The restaurant chain’s primary goal is to elevate the taco experience through its globally inspired recipes and the use of the freshest ingredients, resulting in a diverse range of international tastes and unique combinations.
In recognition of its innovative approach to tacos, Velvet Taco was awarded Nation’s Restaurant News “Hot Concept” in 2016. It was named the winner of the MenuMasters Award in the Best Limited Time Offer category for its Weekly Taco Feature by Nation’s Restaurant News in 2020.
Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant is a renowned casino resort, entertainment hub, and convention center situated an hour north of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The casino offers a vast array of gaming options, including over 7,400 slot machines, table games, a poker room, and a large non-smoking casino.
The resort offers 100,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, including the impressive Grand Theater that seats more than 3,000 guests.
In addition to the gaming and convention facilities, Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant features more than 1,600 luxurious rooms and suites and a broad range of dining and entertainment options, including 16 restaurants, 20 bars and lounges, six retail stores, two fitness centers, a spa, two outdoor pools, and a water park.
Guests of all ages will discover plenty to enjoy at the family-friendly District, which includes 20 bowling lanes, a six-screen premier movie theater, 70 arcade games, and multiple dining options.
Moreover, visitors can take advantage of the 30-camper KOA Choctaw RV Park, situated across from the casino, to enhance their stay experience.
