What Do You Think of Del Taco's New Color Scheme?

Back in February, Del Taco “rebranded” itself by freshening up its menu and its look; but in San Juan Capistrano, the Lake Forest-based company forgot to ask the city for permission.

What resulted is a new paint job and green roof tiles in what one city planner called “bold colors.”

Local resident and gadfly Clint Worthington called the tiles’ color “low-rider green” in comments at Patch. Not only did he complain to the city, he also wrote a letter to Del Taco headquarters.

This is how Del Taco describes its new image in a press release: “a new logo and a re-imaged restaurant design program using contemporary colors, freshness cues and updated interiors – all to modernize the look and feel of Del Taco making it more inviting and comfortable for customers.”

This is how Worthington described it to the powers that be at Del Taco: “Green tile roofs do not represent what was approved by the city, nor is this what we want to see future buildings to look like in the city,” he told Patch, recounting his letter. “After 43 years of being a customer of Del Taco and two younger sisters who worked there, I can no longer be a customer if they cannot follow the rules of our city.”

Once alerted, city code enforcement officials began a case against Del Taco, Bill Ramsey, acting head of the planning department, told the Planning Commission last week.

The company was “unilaterally moving forward with a new color palette on the building, which I would characterize as incorporating bold, a bold, basic color palette,” Ramsey said.

Del Taco officials have since started the process of getting permission for their color scheme. The Design Review Committee meets tonight to discuss the aesthetics.

Ramsey told planning commissioners that with a combination of staff effort and input from the Design Review Committee and Planning Commission, he was positive they could come to a “resolution.”

As for Worthington, Del Taco sent him a “ nice letter” and a $25 gift card. He said he hasn’t redeemed it.

The Design Review Committee meets at 4:30 p.m. today at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto in San Juan Capistrano.

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