Taco Del Mar was born on the beach, says Brent Phillip, brand manager of the chain with a coastal Mexican menu. The fast casual is inspired by and rooted in Baja California, and “limited-time offers are developed to get guests to experience more of that flavor and vibe, the ‘del mar’ part of our name,” Phillip says. Lobster is not regularly seen on fast-casual menus, but Mike Gieseman, Taco Del Mar’s director of culinary and innovation, was keen on trying it in a taco—part of the chain’s mission to introduce flavors that are hard to get elsewhere. “We tested multiple varieties of tacos filled with a lobster-seafood blend—some hot and some cold,” he says. “We landed on a chilled lobster salad with a simple ingredient list, so lobster is the hero in the taco.” Attention to sourcing and operational efficiencies resulted in a high-margin LTO that didn’t tax the staff.