Courtesy of Taco Time NW

Courtesy of Taco Time NW

Taco Time Northwest tries raising wages to $20 hours

Local fast-food chain will pilot the new wage increase at three King County locations.

Taco Time Northwest, a local business that runs 79 restaurants around the Puget Sound region, announced a test program that will pay entry level crew members a $20 hourly wage within a limited number of its locations.

This test program, with a possibility to expand throughout the company if successful, is exclusive to its two restaurants in Issaquah, and one in North Bend. These three locations, which are currently in most need of staff support, are currently looking to fill nearly 30 positions. Taco Time also has two locations in Kent.

The company hired 300 employees to meet customer demand by this past summer yet lost 250 with the back-to-school season. Region-wide, Taco Time Northwest employs 950 people, and is seeking to hire 300 more employees to meet the current customer demands.

Taco Time says “It’s no secret” that food service and hospitality workers are in high demand. As the restaurant industry enjoyed a return to dine-in, and increased customer volume this summer, many business owners struggled to find employees to serve them. They are also concerned that the return to in-person school for college and high school students may affect a already scarce workforce.

Robby Tonkin, co-president of Taco Time Northwest believes Taco Time can flourish in this environment, and notes that “when conditions in the employment market are challenging, the best employers thrive. Organizations that understand the importance of mutual respect and appreciation will be most successful in attracting and retaining new talent in this challenging market.”

Taco Time Northwest claims it is committed to long term success for its employees offering $18 hour entry level to start, aside from the Issaquah and North Bend restaurants which are currently offering $20 per hour. All positions include a competitive benefits package with paid vacation, medical and dental insurance, 401k and more.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Business

t
Rite Aid expands Des Moines distribution center despite store closures

Company closing distribution center in Oregon; shifting operations to Washington

Anne Smith of Retro Emporium in Kent with an alien invader from "Mars Attacks!". Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.
Ack ack ack! Retro Emporium attacks with four Best of Kent awards

Since opening in 2019, Retro Emporium in Kent has been a favorite… Continue reading

Reber Ranch has been open in Kent since 1984. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.
Reber Ranch gets the blue ribbon

A pet store, feed store, grooming salon and veterinary office all rolled… Continue reading

Photo courtesy of Big Chicken:
The first Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken to open in Washington state is at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, with the new Renton location being the second.
Shaq’s Big Chicken partners with Kent’s Blue Origin for space postcards

Big Chicken postcards will be placed aboard an upcoming Blue Origin space mission

Courtesy Image, Better Business Bureau
Better Business Bureau issues warning about Kent construction company

DJE Concrete & Construction receives F rating from agency after failing to complete jobs

t
AWB manufacturing week tour makes stops in Kent, Auburn

Tour highlights Motors and Controls; Boeing Additive Manufacturing plant

Photos by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing
June Paik (left) and her employees at Master Hair Care can work with clients for hours to find the perfect wig or hair piece.
Master Hair Care offers quality wigs, warm service for cancer patients

Located in Federal Way, this woman-owned small business is one of the most recommended in the area for people experiencing hair loss.

t
FAA closes Kent-based Blue Origin flight mishap investigation

Agency requires company to implement 21 corrective actions before next launch

t
Simpson Strong-Tie opens new Kent distribution center

Company makes structural connectors for construction industry; facility on former Boeing property

t
Kent salon owner bounces back from shop’s building fire

Wilder and Free Beauty Company sustains damage in Sept. 2 fire; seeks temporary location

t
Seattle Children’s to close downtown Kent thrift store

Kent Bargain Boutique opened 28 years ago

Dante is from the Netherlands and currently lives at Serenity Equine. He is a therapy horse who works with veterans from the Odyssey Project for Wounded Warriors. (Photos by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing)
King County horse rescue organization falls on hard times

The Serenity Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation in Maple Valley is one of the top local horse rescues, but it’s struggling amid the aftermath of the pandemic and the increasing cost of hay. The rescue will hold a fundraising benefit Sept. 9.