Chronic Tacos Franchisee Doubles Down with Second California Location

Chronic Tacos franchisee Kalpesh Vaidya is opening a second location, this one in Danville, California, after launching a Redondo Beach store earlier. The expansion, set for an Aug. 1 grand opening, brings the California-inspired chain to 26 locations across the U.S. and Canada.

Vaidya and his wife Pinal own both stores. They chose to invest additional capital in a second unit.

Chronic Tacos competes in the fast-casual Mexican segment, a space dominated by Chipotle but fragmented with regional players. The brand's differentiation includes custom murals from street artists, a prep line for customization, and a Southern California vibe. Chronic Tacos is smaller and private, limiting direct financial comparisons.

The Danville location includes artwork by Dehmq, a muralist whose large-scale installations appear in Dave's Hot Chicken restaurants. Chronic Tacos is using a similar visual-identity approach as Dave's Hot Chicken, whose founders worked with the same art group.

Founder Randy Wyner said in a statement that each location has its own personality. For a franchisee, local customization can drive traffic but also adds operational complexity. The Vaidya's two stores – one coastal, one inland – will test whether the brand model scales beyond Southern California.

The brand runs 25 locations across the U.S. and Canada. The Danville store opens Aug. 1.