Ghost Taco

What Ghost Taco does

Ghost Taco is a Canadian fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2020 by co-founders Sam and Grant Buckley as a pandemic pivot from a shuttered events business. The company operates five locations across Ontario — Newmarket, Peterborough, Whitby, Kingston (co-located within Something in the Water Brewery), and Barrie — and is positioned as an "unapologetically unauthentic" Mexican-inspired concept built around a 12-variety taco menu, family/party packs, proprietary Ghost Margarita and Ghost Cerveza beverages, and a sides-and-extras menu. The brand targets individual casual diners, group occasions, corporate and private-event catering, and franchise partners for national expansion across Canada.

The technology stack is intentionally lean and third-party: ToastTab powers online ordering and gift card sales across all five locations, Squarespace hosts the corporate website, and Shopify runs the merchandise storefront (ghost-taco-shop.myshopify.com). The loyalty rewards program (1 point per dollar in-store, 2x points for direct online orders) is designed to drive direct ordering and bypass third-party delivery aggregator commissions. The company does not employ proprietary AI/ML, does not have a mobile app, and operates with a corporate headcount of approximately 9 employees.

Ghost Taco generates revenue from six distinct streams: dine-in and takeout restaurant sales at owned and franchise locations, direct online ordering via ToastTab, catering services (minimum 48-hour advance notice), gift card sales, merchandise, and franchise fees plus royalties. Franchise economics are $35,000 initial fee per location, 6% ongoing royalty, 2% brand fund contribution, with a total per-unit investment range of $425,000–$680,000 and a minimum $150,000 liquid capital requirement. The company is privately held, founder-owned, and has received no disclosed institutional investment.

Name

Ghost Taco

Legal name

Ghost Taco

Website

https://ghosttaco.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ghost Taco is a Canadian fast-casual Mexican-inspired restaurant chain founded in 2020, operating five Ontario locations and franchising nationally with a 12-variety taco menu, loyalty program, catering, and proprietary beverages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast Casual Restaurant (Mexican-Inspired)

akta.pro primary industry

Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual (THAFABAC)

Keywords

• Fast casual restaurant
• Mexican-inspired cuisine
• Taco franchise
• Catering services
• QSR food service

Headquarters

HQ city

Newmarket

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and takeout restaurant sales: Revenue from customers ordering at or picking up from five Ghost Taco restaurant locations across Ontario. Core revenue stream for the business.
2. Online ordering (direct): Online orders placed through ToastTab platform directly with Ghost Taco for takeout or delivery, earning 2x loyalty points vs. third-party apps.
3. Catering services: Catering orders including pre-built taco platters, build-your-own spreads, and optional house margaritas and cervezas for corporate events, parties, and gatherings.
4. Gift cards: Gift cards sold in-store and online, generating revenue when purchased and redeemed at restaurant locations.
5. Merchandise: Merch sold through their Shopify storefront (ghost-taco-shop.myshopify.com).
6. Franchise fees and royalties: Initial franchise fee of $35,000 per location, ongoing royalty fees of 6% of sales, and brand fund contributions of 2%. Multi-unit franchise options available for expansion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ghost Taco is a fast-casual Mexican-inspired restaurant chain selling dine-in, takeout, and delivery tacos, combos, sides, and house beverages across five Ontario locations, complemented by catering, gift cards, branded merchandise, and a Canadian franchise opportunity. The menu features 12 signature taco varieties, 2- and 3-taco combos, family and party packs, plus proprietary Ghost Margarita and Ghost Cerveza beverages. The brand extends its offering through a points-based loyalty program, a Shopify-powered merchandise store, and a franchise model targeting national Canadian expansion.

Product overview

Ghost Taco is a fast-casual Mexican-inspired restaurant chain operating on a single unified brand. The core product is a diverse taco menu featuring 12 unique varieties (Birria, Alabama, Poblan0, El Burgaco, Vampire, Crispy Korean, Hot Honey, Charred Brussels, Carnitas, Baja Fish, and Chicken TingA), offered individually or in 2-taco and 3-taco combo meals that include fries or chips and dip plus a drink. The product line extends to family-style dining via the Family Pack (12 tacos) and Party Pack (20 tacos), with a bowl conversion option for any taco. Beverages include proprietary Ghost Cerveza beer and Ghost Margarita. The business also operates complementary services including catering (with pre-built platters and build-your-own spreads), a loyalty rewards program (earning 2x points for direct orders), gift cards, and branded merchandise. A franchise model is offered for expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Taco Menu and Combos Core menu offering featuring 12 signature taco varieties (Birria, Alabama, Poblan, El Burgaco, Vampire, Crispy Korean, Hot Honey, Charred Brussels, Carnitas, Baja Fish, Chicken Ting) plus 2- and 3-taco combo meals that include fries or chips and dip and a drink. Customers can mix-and-match across taco varieties, convert any taco into a bowl, and add sides (chips, guac, pico, queso, ancho fries, birria fries, queso fries, Spanish rice, churros) and beverages (Jarritos, pop, water, Ghost Cerveza 4% ABV, Ghost Margarita 6% ABV). Designed for dine-in, takeout, delivery, and sharing occasions.
• Group Meal Packs Shareable group-format meal packs: the Family Pack (12 tacos plus XL rice and XL chips with guac, pico, and queso) and the Party Pack (20 tacos across 2 flavor choices), designed for family-style dining, larger gatherings, and event occasions.
• Catering Service Full-service catering offering pre-built taco platters and build-your-own spreads for corporate lunches, family gatherings, dinner parties, weddings, game nights, and special events. Includes optional house Ghost Margaritas and Ghost Cervezas. Accommodates dietary needs and requires a minimum of 48 hours advance notice. Orders are submitted via the website or by calling the local Ghost Taco location directly.
• Ghost Taco Franchise Program Franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs to open a Ghost Taco restaurant in Canada, requiring minimum $150,000 liquid capital and personal net worth above $1M. Includes a $35,000 initial franchise fee, 6% ongoing royalty, 2% brand fund contribution, with total investment range $425,000–$680,000. Franchisees receive training, site selection assistance, marketing support, and operational technology. Multi-unit franchise options are available, and prospective franchisees progress through a 5-step discovery process from info kit to launch.
• Gift Cards Digital and physical Ghost Taco gift cards available for purchase in-store and online, redeemable at restaurant locations for the full menu, beverages, catering, and merchandise.
• Ghost Taco Branded Merchandise Branded apparel and accessories sold through the Ghost Taco Shopify storefront (ghost-taco-shop.myshopify.com), enabling fans to purchase Ghost Taco merchandise outside the restaurant channel.
• Ghost Taco Rewards Loyalty Program Points-based customer loyalty program where members earn 1 point per dollar spent in-store and 2x points on direct online orders via ToastTab. Includes birthday rewards, exclusive offers, and early access to new menu drops. The program is designed to incentivize direct ordering, saving customers approximately 10% versus ordering through third-party delivery aggregators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50% of Canadians use meal delivery services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Something in the Water BrewerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhost Taco's Kingston location operates within Something in the Water Brewery at 275 Princess St, Kingston, ON. This co-location strategy enables Ghost Taco to serve food within a brewery environment, creating a unique dining and social experience for customers.
• ToastTabcoreTechnology or IntegrationToastTab is the online ordering platform powering Ghost Taco's direct ordering website. Each location has a dedicated ToastTab ordering page for takeout and delivery. The platform also handles Ghost Taco's e-gift card sales.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Burrito Boyz: Toronto-based fast-casual Mexican chain known for handheld burritos, tacos, and combination platters with strong direct-ordering and delivery presence. Comparable to Ghost Taco on category, Ontario concentration, and DTC + delivery ordering mix.
• Dos Toros Taqueria: New York-based fast-casual Mexican chain with a streamlined taco/burrito menu and strong urban dine-in + delivery presence. Comparable on flavour-forward menu, combo format, and direct-ordering emphasis.
• Taco Del Mar: Franchise-focused Mexican fast-casual chain with a Baja-inspired menu and a primarily franchise-led growth model. Comparable on franchise-heavy expansion strategy and Mexican fast-casual positioning.
• Mucho Burrito: Canadian fast-casual Mexican chain operating a franchise model with dine-in, takeout, and delivery across multiple provinces. Directly comparable to Ghost Taco on category (Mexican fast-casual), geography (Canada), and growth model (franchise-led expansion).
• Qdoba Mexican Eats: US-focused fast-casual Mexican chain offering tacos, burritos, and customised bowls via company-owned and franchised locations. Comparable on category, menu structure (tacos/combos/sides), and franchise growth model.
• Mad Mex: Fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain operating in the US and Canada with bold, flavour-forward menu items and franchise growth. Comparable on flavour-forward positioning, combo/side menu structure, and franchise expansion playbook.

Broad incumbents

• Chipotle Mexican Grill: The dominant North American fast-casual Mexican chain with thousands of locations, an owned digital/app platform, and Chipotle Rewards loyalty. Comparable as the category-defining incumbent that sets the bar on fast-casual Mexican unit economics and digital ordering.
• Taco Bell: Mass-market Mexican-inspired QSR chain with thousands of locations, a flagship loyalty program, and aggressive value-menu positioning. Comparable as the broader Mexican QSR category leader that competes for the same occasion-driven customer.

Emerging players

• Freshii: Canadian fast-casual health-focused chain operating a franchise model across Canada and internationally. Comparable as a Canadian fast-casual franchise concept at similar stage, though positioned in the health/healthy-eating niche rather than Mexican.
• Sweetgreen: US fast-casual chain with strong direct-ordering/loyalty infrastructure (owned app, Sweetpass loyalty) and category-defining brand. Comparable on direct-channel economics, loyalty program maturity, and the playbook for scaling a flavour-forward fast-casual brand.

Market position

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ghost-taco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ghost Taco