Taco Tico — Restaurant in Derby

What is the criteria for an exceptional quick serve Mexican restaurant? Great taste, good value and consistent quality. Taco Tico Derby checks all those boxes.

Picture this, if you will. You’re headed south from Wichita on your way to the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas, for your annual spring pilgrimage to float the beautiful Buffalo River. You’re hungry, but you’re also excited to get to your destination so you’re looking for somewhere to eat that is quick and delicious and offers a great value in a comfortable setting.

What’s this up ahead on the right? Why it’s the Taco Tico. A longtime Derby fixture. You roll in to the parking lot and slide in to a spot. Next thing you know you’re seated and enjoying all of your favorite Mexican fast food guilty pleasures.

Arranged on the table before you is a smorgasbord of delights. A taco burger, crunchy beef tacos, a deluxe sancho and beef enchiladas, swimming in their savory red enchilada sauce and melted cheese.

Before you know it, everything has made it to your stomach and you’re full and very satisfied. But wait, what’s keeping you from ordering a couple of bean and cheese burritos for the road? That’s right, nothing.

Next thing you know you’re back on your journey, headed to your destination. Beautiful southeast Kansas is gliding by through your windshield as you’re reflecting on the amazing experience you just had at the Taco Tico, while happily munching on your bean and cheese burritos.

Feeling rather pleased with yourself for making such a wise decision, you’re certain you’ll be back. This is my experience every April and has been for the...

Edit - July 1, 2022 ... I'll never be back. Got an order to go and after driving 20 minutes home, I found out they forgot part of the order. Drove 20 minutes back to get the forgotten food and asked for them to remake the 3 tacos that I had to leave at home to go get the forgotten food. The lady manager on duty insisted I bring back the 3 tacos ... yes, she wanted me to make a 40 minute round trip over 3 tacos. That was it - I can no longer support this local taco place. They will do fine without my patronage, but I won't support this manager any longer.

Love the food at Taco Tico. Unfortunately, the Derby location is becoming hard to support. The food is always good, but the wait is too long for what is supposed to be a fast food restaurant. It was taking an average of 8 minutes at the window per car at the drive thru. If you're 5 cars back, that's a 40 minute wait. I thought they were understaffed but when I finally got to the window, there were plenty of staff in there. The people that were making the food looked like they were working as fast as they could. However, there were 3 people that were standing around talking and they would only walk the food to the window or counter after it was in the bag or on the tray. The food makers were having to wrap the food and bag the food as well. Not sure if that is a food handling policy, but it was really slowing down the process. I hope they get this figured out before people stop going there and they are forced to close because I really...

Update 2022: decided to give them another chance and was surprised. The line is still super long but the staff now is much better and WAY more polite. The food is worth the long wait. Haven’t messed up my order once and I’ve been back several times. Love this place.

(2020) Kind of the worst. I had to wait 20 minutes for my food and there was only one person in line ahead of me and I know the dining room is closed so there was no one inside. Finally got my food and it was completely the wrong order so I had to drive all the way back. The line was wrapped around the building by that point so when I finally got my actual order I only had 5 minutes left of my lunch break. When I got my corrected order, they had only put half of it in the bag. (my fault, I should have learned my lesson and checked before I left). I didnt have time to drive back. So not only did I not get my full order of food I didnt even get to eat lunch because it took so long. I was polite to them because I know mistakes happen. I’ve worked in a fast paced drive thru so I get it. But the staff was super rude to me even though they mentioned they knew they had given me the wrong...