Anyone attending the MAD Symposium this past week has heard the news that LA’s Roy Choi and SF’s Daniel Patterson have teamed up for a new chain of fast-food restaurants, called LOCO’L (a bit loco, and local). Scoop reports that the new project will start with two locations, one in Los Angeles and the other in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. After the first two open, hopefully in early 2015, they’ll do a round of investment for expansion. The restaurants are all about offering a healthier, more sustainable alternative to the current fast-food choices, while maintaining low prices.
The idea came about after a talk about hunger Choi gave at the MAD Symposium in 2013, and grew from there. They are specifically hoping to appeal to youth in struggling neighborhoods, with a menu of “smashes” (burgers with beef, whole grains, and tofu) served on buns from Chad Robertson of Tartine. They are still looking for a space but we’ll keep you updated on the project’s progress.
Roy Choi backstage at Mad 2013. Photo by Mikkel Heriba via Facebook.
