Buffalo Wild Wings drops "Rusty" from its new taco chain

Rusty Taco will be rechristened “R Taco” as it tries to expand nationally

The chain, majority owned by Buffalo Wild Wings, has three of its nine restaurants in the Twin Cities and is based in Dallas.

“As we grow the business and expand beyond its Dallas roots, we wanted to ensure the concept name had broader appeal while still linking to the brand’s heritage,” Steve Dunn, Rusty Taco’s CEO and co-founder, said in a statement Tuesday.

Rusty Taco is named after co-founder Rusty Fenton. The new name aims to provide a link to Rusty himself, while making “a phonetic play” on the letter “R” that sounds like “our,” which “is friendly and welcoming, like the spirit of the brand,” Dunn said.

Last year, Golden Valley-based Buffalo Wild Wings bought a majority stake in Rusty Taco, part of the chain’s effort to diversify beyond its sports-themed restaurants. It was a small deal for Wild Wings, but one fitting into the company’s search for niche chains with big potential.

Rusty Taco was founded in 2010 and has outlets in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Maple Grove. It also has a presence in Denver.