Wyoming
Jack In The Box, Del Taco To Open Soon In Wyoming
That ooey-gooey deep-fried envelop of beef that has made Jack in the Box tacos famous with many fans — or infamous with others — could soon be showing up in a Wyoming drive-thru near you.
Jack in the Box has announced the signing of 123 new restaurant commitments, which will include entry into four new markets — Wyoming, Arkansas, Florida and Montana — as well as 22 new restaurants in Mexico.
Jack in the Box has also announced 138 new restaurant commitments for a sister franchise, Del Taco, that will include entry into three new states. Those include Wyoming, Texas and Montana, as well as 52 new stores in Florida.
The expansions are riding on the coattails of what Jack in the Box says have been record profits in 2023.
“The response in new markets, for both brands, has continued to exceed our expectations,” Jack in the Box Chief Development Officer Tim Linderman said in a media release. “We have developed a strong playbook for how to best open and sustain new market entry.
“We’ve been on an incredible roll since our development program started in 2021, and our 2023 results demonstrated that our momentum has continued.”
Locations for the state’s first Jack in the Box and Del Taco franchises haven’t been announced.
What A Difference A Couple Decades Make
Jack in the Box was not always doing as well as it is today.
There was a tragic outbreak of E. coli in 1993, traced to contaminated burgers at 73 restaurants in California, Idaho, Washington and Nevada. Several hundred people became ill in those states, many of them children younger than 10.
Some 178 children were left with permanent injuries like kidney and brain damage, and four children died, including 16-month-old Riley Detwiler.
Detwiler’s parents made a public plea during an electronic town hall held by then-President Bill Clinton to make changes to the U.S. meat inspection system.
As a result of the outbreak, federal standards were eventually changed to require all hamburgers to be cooked to 155 degrees, instead of 140.
Sales at Jack in the Box cratered, leading to hundreds of layoffs and delayed store openings.
To recover, the restaurant hired a leading food safety expert and enacted a much stricter food safety protocol. It also offered steep discounts and employed an aggressive marketing and public relations strategy, including changing the name to try to win back customers.
The name change didn’t stick, and company officials quickly changed it back. But the aggressive marketing continued with the hiring of Dick Sittig’s Secret Weapon Marketing to help remake the restaurant’s image.
He developed a series of advertising campaigns with oddball humor targeting a young male demographic. The ads featured a fictional company CEO named Jack Box — human from the neck down, but topped by a huge cartoon-clown head.
By 1995, Jack in the Box was rebounding, growing its revenue to $1 billion from a near complete death.
Here Comes Del Taco
Jack in the Box first started diversifying its fast-food chains in 2003 by purchasing the fast-casual Mexican chain Qdoba for $45 million.
When traffic at those stores fell abruptly in the wake of pricy avocados, Jack in the Box unloaded Qdoba quickly, selling it to Apollo Global Management for $305 million.
But in 2022, just five years after ditching Qdoba, it bought 600 Del Taco joints for $585 million. Del Taco had made a name for itself in the 1960s with fast, fresh food prepared at really low prices.
It launched a dollar menu in 2020, although these days, that menu has transitioned to a value meal approach that lists 20 items less than $2.
The chain offers a range of Mexican food, as well as burgers and fries. It even has vegetarian options.
What it’s really well-known for in Reddit chat rooms and other social media platforms, though, are its secret menu items. For example, using the code words “go bold” will add fries to any menu item for a small upcharge.
To be clear, the fries aren’t served on the side. They’re tucked inside whatever was ordered, be that a taco, a burrito, a burger or even a milkshake.
Del Taco is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and has already announced some new items in celebration of that, among them a beer-battered crispy fish taco and a new Double Strawberry Lemonade Popper beverage that comes with boba pearls.
The fish taco was the product of a collaboration with Stone Brewing, using the brewer’s Stone Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager.
Del Taco Senior Vice President of Marketing Sarah McAloon said the company plans more products to celebrate the anniversary.
“Del Taco is the first Mexican QSR brand to partner with Stone Brewing to up level our popular fish tacos to please new and old fans alike,” she said in a media release. “As we are in our 60th year in business, Del Taco is committed to continuing our legacy of serving fresh flavors and high-quality ingredients.”
Renée Jean can be reached at Renee@CowboyStateDaily.com.
CASPER, Wyo. — There was magic, or something like it, in the air on Saturday as the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds presented the 2026 Casper Holistic Expo, Casper’s longest running holistic expo and a hallmark of the beginning of spring in Natrona County.
Countless vendors from Casper and beyond gathered with their goodies to present them to eager customers searching for something a little different.
The holistic expo featured crystal and metaphysical shops, tattoo and body piercing studios, henna and glitter tattoo studios, holistic shops, tarot readings, fortune tellers, magic and so much more. There was truly something for everyone, and Christina Kuhn, the lead organizer, said that nobody who came to the expo would leave disappointed.
“This actually started over 20 years ago,” Kuhn said. “I’ve been doing it for years. My mom did it for seven years before me. And Judy Ick, who actually does our photography, she did it before that. So it’s been a very long, very longstanding and growing event.”
Kuhn said that the Holistic Expo has grown exponentially over the years.
“When Judy passed it down to mom, there were 38 booths,” she said. “After mom passed it down to me, there were 78. Now I think we’re up to, like, 98.”
The booths are as eclectic as the people who run them. There’s magic, mysticism and moonlight; storytellers and palm readers; conversationalists and creators. There are CBD products, organic teas, energy testing, and even fudge.
“Some of this is kind of a special niche,” Kuhn shared, “but some of it is not. We’ve got a chiropractor. We’ve got people that are working with healing modalities. Some of it’s spiritual stuff. We’ve got crafts, too.”
There’s a wide variety of vendors and customers as the Holistic Expo, and Kuhn said she wouldn’t want it any other way. The most important thing they do, Kuhn said, is donate to local nonprofits.
“People can either pay the $5 door fee — anybody that’s 13 or over — or they can donate five nonperishable goods,” Kuhn said. “We started donating that to poverty resistance, and then we did City Park Church. This year we’re donating to the Wyoming Food for Thought Project.”
Kuhn said this was just a simple way to give back to the community, a community she and her business have been a part of for years. Kuhn owns a store in downtown Casper called A Place for Passion, and the Holistic Expo also allows her to bring some merch from her store and put in on display with a variety of other items. It’s a fun way to spend a weekend, she said, and she’s proud to be a part of it.
“Good lord, I’ve been doing this for a long time,” she said. “I helped my mom with it for ages and she wanted somebody that would carry on and keep expanding and doing well with it. Before I was helping run the show and managing it, I was a booth. I started sharing a booth with my mom because I only had a few things and I wasn’t sure how well they’d sell. But then it just expanded and took off, and now here I am.”
Kuhn said it means a lot that she’s able to continue the Holistic Expo for her mother.
“It’s nice to keep expanding something, especially something that contributes so much to the community,” she said. “There are so many people that come out and enjoy everything that they get here. And it’s a big opportunity for them to connect with others, to connect with people that have stuff they want to offer them.”
That, Kuhn said, is her favorite part of the Holistic Expo — meeting people.
“It’s just nice connecting with people and helping them out in any way that you can,” she said. “Everybody’s got their own knowledge, gifts, products that they’re putting out — services, whatever it is. So being able to share that with others is awesome. You’ve got to come check it out. It’s an awesome experience. There’s a little something for everyone.”
The Casper Holistic Expo is happening Saturday until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Industrial Building at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds.
Photos from the Holistic Expo can be seen below:
Related
A 6-inch megalodon shark tooth was found by a Wyoming teen during a dive trip off Manasota Key, Florida earlier this week.
Sixteen-year-old Aiden Andrews and his father Brian were on a guided dive with Fossil Junkies, a local fossil-hunting tour company.
Captain John Kreatsoulas told FOX 13 Tampa Bay reporter Kimberly Kuizon that while finding small megalodon teeth isn’t uncommon, finding one that size is quite rare.
Video captured the moments when Aiden and his father celebrated underwater after making the remarkable discovery.
Popularized by Hollywood monster movies, the Carcharocles megalodon was the largest shark to have ever lived, according to the Smithsonian Institution.
Scientists believe the largest megalodon reached up to 60 feet in length and weighed up to 50 tons.
And as Andrews can attest — they possessed teeth the size of a human hand.
According to the Smithsonian, megalodon lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago across all of Earth’s oceans.
Wyoming
Outdoor Fun Awaits At Local Parks With Izaak Walton League’s Hiking Series From April To September
Hiking can be an activity that you enjoy doing on your own, but sometimes you need a little extra inspiration, and a group hike is exactly what you need. If you’re looking for a group to explore the outdoors with, the Charles E. Piersall chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America hiking group may be what you’re looking for.
The mission of the IWLA:
To engage the community in the conservation, restoration, and promotion of environmental protection, we focus on the sustainable use and enjoyment of our natural resources, including soil, air, woods, waters, and wildlife. This commitment is essential for a sustainable future, and activities like hiking help foster a connection with nature
The group is open to all ages, and even your pup can join in on the fun if they’re on a leash. There is a series of hikes planned beginning on April 1. Nope, this isn’t a prank; it is a real chance to meet other outdoor lovers and take in some of the area’s best hiking trails. The hikes are scheduled on the odd Wednesdays from April to September, weather permitting.
Join us to connect with others who appreciate the beauty of outdoor hiking and environmental advocacy hiking. Remember to bring drinking water, snacks, good walking shoes or boots, and a jacket. A walking stick or hiking poles can also be helpful.
Here are the hikes they have planned for this summer.
April 2026
- Wednesday, April 1, 6 pm, Morad Park to Paradise Valley:
- Wednesday, April 15, 6 pm, Edness K. Wilkins State Park:
- Wednesday, April 29, 6 pm, Tate Pumphouse, Golf Course loop:
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
- Wednesday, July 1, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, North Face:
- Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, Beaver Ponds:
- Wednesday, July 29, 6 pm, Casper Mountain, Biathlon:
August 2026
September 2026
16 Types Of Hikes Explained
7 Trails To Hike In Central Wyoming
There’s no doubt about it, the entire state of Wyoming is covered in amazing hiking trails. If you’re visiting central Wyoming here are 7 trails that you should check out. I’ve organized them from easier to harder, ending with Laramie Peak.
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