(Lake Forest, CA) Jan. 27, 2009 -- Today, Del Taco announced that Paul J.B. Murphy III has been named the new Chairman and CEO of the Mexican quick serve chain. Murphy will take over this new role in mid-February and will report directly to the company’s Board of Directors.



Nick Shepherd, Chairman and CEO of Del Taco’s parent company Sagittarius Brands, will be departing in mid-February to become President and CEO of Carrollton, TX-based Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, Inc., parent company of TGI Friday’s and Pick Up Stix.



“Del Taco is an iconic brand with tremendous potential. I’m excited to join the company and work with the management team and franchisees to continue growing our brand,” said Paul Murphy.



Murphy has more than 30 years of restaurant experience with a focus on limited service chains and a proven track record for brand growth, strategic planning and operations. Most recently, he was president and CEO of publicly held Einstein Noah Restaurant Group that operates more than 600 Einstein Bros. Bagels, Noah’s New York Bagels and Manhattan Bagels in 36 states. He spent more than 11 years at the quick casual chain, serving as President and CEO since 2003. He has also been COO of Gulfstream Bagels, and held operations positions with R&A Food Service, which is a Boston Chicken franchisee, and S & A Restaurants.



In a statement, Del Taco's Board of Directors said the board and the company's management team are delighted to welcome Paul Murphy to the business and thank Nick Shepherd for his leadership.



Murphy holds a bachelors degree from Washington and Lee University.



About Del Taco

Founded in 1961, Del Taco, the Lake Forest, California-based company operates or franchisees more than 510 restaurants in 16 states. Del Taco offers a full range of made-to-order Mexican items such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and American favorites including cooked-to-order burgers, fries and shakes. Del Taco uses fresh ingredients including hand-made salsa, fresh produce, freshly grated cheddar cheese, chicken grilled every hour and lard-free beans made from scratch. Additional information is available at www.deltaco.com.

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