Food & Beverage

1B served: Why Potato Olé is the side dish that built an empire

Taco John’s corporate Chef Brad Bergaus explores the history, sensory science and enduring cult status of Potato Olés, a signature spiced-potato side dish that appears on 90% of guest checks and has anchored the brand’s "West-Mex" identity since 1979.

Photo: Taco John's

January 30, 2026 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

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While the tacos and burritos at Taco John's certainly carry their weight, the Potato Olés are the undisputed heavyweights that keep the menu in perfect balance. These aren't just a side dish; they are a cult-favorite cornerstone that often overshadows the main course with their signature crunch and bold, proprietary seasoning.

Whether they're dipped in warm nacho cheese or used as a salty "palate cleanser" between bites of a meat & potato Burrito, the Olés provide a textured contrast that turns a standard meal into an event. In the hierarchy of West-Mex flavors, the main menu items might provide the substance, but the Potato Olés provide the soul — proving that in this arena, the crown is made of deep-fried, spiced potato rounds.

One of the company founders, Harold Holmes, let franchisees opt in to selling French fries in the brand's early days. The Potato Olé started as a filled potato with refried beans, and there was a version of sour cream and one with salsa. Those sold well, but there were burns happening as customers bit into them.

Potato Olés came to fruition in 1979 and has been the brand's golden child ever since, selling 1 billion a year.

We talked to Brad Bergaus, corporate chef and director of menu innovation at Taco John's, headquartered in Minnesota, in a phone interview to learn more about the Potato Olés' history, how well they sell and what makes them such a stand-out menu item.

Q: How often do you see Potato Olés appearing on guest checks? Is it even possible to have a typical Taco John's experience without them?

Bergaus: I would say you're highly unlikely going to see a guest not getting them. I don't want to say 100%, but we're extremely high that 90% Potato Oles are going to be on a guest check. That is a lot. You know, we have quite a few combos that automatically include them, but when you talk to people that know and love the brand or you talk with people that grew up on the brand that have moved away and there's not a Taco John's near them, the first thing that comes out of their mouth is I love their Potato Olés. So, it's a staple for us and everybody knows it.

Q: Potato Olés have a very specific crunch-to-salt-to-spice ratio. From a chef's perspective, what's the sensory science behind why they're so addictive?

Bergaus: I think the beauty about it starts with the potato. I want to say it's over 80% of our potatoes are grown in Minnesota, which is quite unique. We leverage over 10 different varieties of potatoes at any given time. The formula might have one to two varieties, but we open up it to have roughly about 10. But it's the kind of blend that we do with it and ensuring that when the product is fried and you bite into it, you're going to get that crispy, crunchy kind of hash brown texture with a soft decadent kind of mashed potato interior that is like no other. I think you look at other potatoes in a similar shape that are out there, they either kind of is too soft to begin with or they're extremely crunchy and they don't have that balance of both in between. And then we're layering it on and finishing it with our signature Potato Olé seasoning that really amplifies the flavor of the potato but the savoriness of the overall experience.

Q: Consistency is the silent killer of many great menu items. What's the biggest operational challenge to ensure that a Potato Olé tastes the same in Kentucky as it does in Wyoming?

Bergaus: We believe in partnering very closely with our suppliers and in ensuring the product that is going into the store is the same product that we are seeing on the manufacturing line and is a part of our specification that we have set forth. Yes, there are parameters within that plus-minus, but I would say quarterly checks if not monthly on one of our highest volume items so that we can ensure it's consistent throughout.

Q: As director of menu innovation, how do you innovate around an icon? How do you decide what to dress up the Potato Olés like doing loaded Potato Olés versus leaving the classic version alone?

Bergaus: That's a fun question. For us and how we think about our Olés is it's the star and it needs to be the star with all of our core ingredients and we don't want to steer too far away from that and really balancing the signature crunch and savoriness with the overall bite. Looking at our meat potato burrito, for instance, that one is a signature item for us that has been with the brand 35, 40-plus years and it's our taco meat with Potato Olés, sour cream, lettuce, tomato and nacho cheese. And most recently we did a line extension off that with a chicken bacon ranch version with our Potato Olés. So, very Midwest, very classic but also easily recognizable from the everyday consumer. And then we did a spicy version utilizing our super-hot and pickled jalapenos, which is another signature flavor profile that our consumers know and love.

Q: When you're developing these new entrees, do you intentionally design them to complement the flavor profile of the Olés or do the Olés stand completely independently?

Bergaus:We try to pair them because where we find the balance is the seasoning that's on the Olés right has that savoriness, has that umami-ness. But we have to pair in fresh-like ingredients so that we're not showcasing to the consumer a heavy amount of salt on the palate that is going to kind of deter them away from the signature Potato Olé.

Q: What's the biggest mistake other restaurant operators make when trying to create their own cult-favorite side dish?

Bergaus: I would say one piece of advice is really identifying and listening to what your consumers' wants and needs are. Like back in 1979, 1980, the founders did with consumers coming to a Mexican restaurant and asking for french fries. And what we did was listen to that and then identify something that was unique to us that consumers had not seen before.

About Mandy Wolf Detwiler

Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.

An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.

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