Tijuana Flats
Tijuana Flats is a 95-location fast-casual Tex-Mex chain in the Southeast US offering made-to-order burritos, tacos, and bowls via company-owned and franchised units. Revenue spans dine-in sales, digital ordering, loyalty, catering, and franchise fees. Now owned by Latitude Food Group following its 2025 acquisition by &pizza.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersMaitland, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Tijuana Flats does
Tijuana Flats operates a 95-location fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant chain concentrated in the Southeast US, with a heavy Florida footprint. The company generates revenue through company-owned and franchised restaurant sales (dine-in, takeout, direct digital ordering), franchise fees ($35,000 per unit with a 5-unit development commitment), catering services (minimum ~15 headcount, with taco and bowl bars, burritos by the dozen, boxed meals, and party packs), gift card sales, and a Spirit Nights community fundraising program that returns 20% of sales to participating organizations. Its product platform centers on made-to-order burritos, tacos, and bowls built around house-made queso, guacamole, and salsa, paired with a proprietary Hot Bar sauce customization station as a signature in-store differentiator.
The company operates an integrated digital stack including a proprietary online ordering platform (order.tijuanaflats.com), iOS and Android mobile applications, and the Flathead Rewards loyalty program (powered by Punchh) that issues one point per dollar spent with tiered redemptions from 20 to 100 points. Distribution spans dine-in, takeout, direct digital ordering, and third-party delivery partnerships with DoorDash, GrubHub, Uber Eats, Postmates, and Bite Squad. Back-office integrations include OLO for online ordering, EZ Cater for catering fulfillment, Card Market (CardFoundry) for gift cards, PlanSource for HR and benefits, and DonationScout for fundraising program management. Marketing channels include SMS (Flathead Texts), email (E-Club), social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok), and content marketing via a corporate blog.
Following a 2024 Chapter 11 filing driven by market oversaturation, rising costs, and reduced consumer spending, Tijuana Flats emerged from restructuring in January 2025 and was acquired by &pizza in November 2025. The transaction formed Latitude Food Group, a multi-brand holding company led by CEO Mike Burns that shares administrative services (HR, finance, supply chain, IT, marketing) across its restaurant brands and has publicly indicated intent to pursue additional acquisitions of regional restaurant brands with strong local followings, modeled after the Savory Fund and Kahala Brands platform approach.
Tijuana Flats firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tijuana Flats
- Legal name
- Tijuana Flats Restaurants, LLC
- Website
- https://tijuanaflats.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Tijuana Flats is a 95-location fast-casual Tex-Mex chain in the Southeast US offering made-to-order burritos, tacos, and bowls via company-owned and franchised units. Revenue spans dine-in sales, digital ordering, loyalty, catering, and franchise fees. Now owned by Latitude Food Group following its 2025 acquisition by &pizza.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tijuana Flats industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fast-Casual Restaurants
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual (THAFABAC)
Keywords
Where Tijuana Flats is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Maitland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tijuana Flats business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Sales: Revenue from dine-in, takeout, and delivery orders at company-owned and franchised locations. Customers purchase made-to-order Tex-Mex items including burritos, tacos, bowls, and other menu items.
- Franchise Fees and Royalties: Initial franchise fee of $35,000 per unit with a 5-unit development commitment. Franchisees pay ongoing royalty and marketing fees as outlined in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
- Catering Services: Catering orders for events including taco & bowl bars, burritos by the dozen, boxed meals, and party packs. Delivery and setup services available for additional fees.
- Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards through online portal and in-restaurant locations, generating float revenue and encouraging repeat visits.
- Fundraising Program: Spirit Night fundraising events where organizations receive 20% back on sales during scheduled events. Organizations promote events and customers use special codes at checkout.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Franchise Development |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Catering Services |
| Subscription | Monthly | Flathead Rewards Redemption |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Tijuana Flats product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tijuana Flats operates a fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant chain offering made-to-order burritos, tacos, bowls, and other Mexican-inspired dishes prepared fresh daily with house-made queso, guacamole, and salsa. The company runs approximately 95 dine-in locations (primarily in Florida and the Southeast US) supplemented by takeout, online ordering, mobile app, third-party delivery, catering, gift card, and franchise program offerings.
Product overview
Tijuana Flats is a fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant chain operating approximately 95 locations across the United States, offering made-to-order burritos, tacos, and Mexican-inspired dishes prepared fresh daily. The company's product portfolio centers on its restaurant brand but extends into digital services (online ordering platform, mobile app with Flathead Rewards loyalty program, and Flathead Texts SMS marketing), catering services for events, a Spirit Nights fundraising program for community organizations, gift cards, and a franchise program for multi-unit operators. As of November 2025, Tijuana Flats became part of Latitude Food Group following its acquisition by &pizza, joining administrative services with the pizza brand under a multi-brand holding company structure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Flathead Rewards: The company's loyalty/rewards program offering free food, exclusive offers, and birthday rewards for members.
- SMACK WINGS
Products and services
- Tijuana Flats Restaurant
- Flathead Rewards
- Catering Services
- Tijuana Flats Gift Cards
- Franchise Program
Companies that use Tijuana Flats
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tijuana Flats technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
Feature3 records
Tijuana Flats partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- DoorDashminorThird-party delivery partner enabling customers to order Tijuana Flats for delivery through the DoorDash platform.
- GrubHubminorThird-party delivery partner enabling customers to order Tijuana Flats for delivery through the GrubHub platform.
- Uber EatsminorThird-party delivery partner enabling customers to order Tijuana Flats for delivery through the Uber Eats platform.
- PostmatesminorThird-party delivery partner enabling customers to order Tijuana Flats for delivery through the Postmates platform.
- Bite SquadminorThird-party delivery partner enabling customers to order Tijuana Flats for delivery through the Bite Squad platform.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tijuana Flats competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pancheros Mexican Grill: Mid-sized Mexican fast-casual franchise chain (~70 locations) focused on fresh-pressed tortillas and customizable burritos/bowls/tacos. Closely comparable scale, menu, and franchise model to Tijuana Flats.
- Barberitos Southwestern Grille: Regional Mexican fast-casual franchise chain with ~50 locations across the Southeast US. Strong geographic overlap with Tijuana Flats' core Southeast/Florida footprint and directly comparable menu and price-point.
- &pizza: Washington D.C.-based fast-casual pizza chain with ~45 locations that acquired Tijuana Flats in November 2025 to form Latitude Food Group. Sister brand within the same holding company, sharing administrative services.
- Salsarita's Mexican Grill: Mexican fast-casual franchise chain with ~100+ locations, focused on fresh, made-to-order burritos, tacos, salads, and queso. Comparable franchise-heavy operating model and menu to Tijuana Flats.
- Moe's Southwest Grill: Focal Group-owned Mexican fast-casual chain (~700+ US locations). Closely comparable menu (burritos, tacos, bowls, queso), customer demographic, and franchise-heavy operating model to Tijuana Flats.
- Qdoba Mexican Eats: Mexican fast-casual chain with ~750+ locations owned by Apollo Global Management. Directly comparable product offering, customization model, and franchise/company mix to Tijuana Flats.
- Baja Fresh: Mexican fast-casual chain (~200 locations) emphasizing fresh, made-to-order grilled Mexican food. Comparable menu positioning around freshness and customization to Tijuana Flats.
- Del Taco: Mexican-inspired fast-casual/QSR hybrid with ~600 locations, operating as a public company under Jack in the Box. Comparable menu (tacos, burritos, quesadillas) and price-point positioning to Tijuana Flats.
Broad incumbents
- Taco Bell: Yum! Brands-owned Mexican QSR with ~7,500+ US locations. Mass-market price competitor that anchors the lower end of the Mexican fast-food category against which Tijuana Flats competes.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill: Category-defining Mexican fast-casual chain with ~3,500+ US locations. Directly comparable product (burritos, bowls, tacos) and customer segment; significantly larger scale and brand equity than Tijuana Flats.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights3 records
Customer concentration
Tijuana Flats social profiles
Digital presenceTijuana Flats financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tijuana Flats leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Tijuana Flats funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tijuana Flats M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tijuana Flats
What does Tijuana Flats do?
Tijuana Flats operates a fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant chain offering made-to-order burritos, tacos, bowls, and other Mexican-inspired dishes prepared fresh daily with house-made queso, guacamole, and salsa. The company runs approximately 95 dine-in locations (primarily in Florida and the Southeast US) supplemented by takeout, online ordering, mobile app, third-party delivery, catering, gift card, and franchise program offerings.
Is Tijuana Flats a public or private company?
Tijuana Flats is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Tijuana Flats founded?
Tijuana Flats was founded in 1998. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Tijuana Flats based?
Tijuana Flats is headquartered in Maitland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tijuana Flats make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees and Royalties, catering Services, gift Cards and fundraising Program.
Who are Tijuana Flats's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pancheros Mexican Grill, Barberitos Southwestern Grille, &pizza, Salsarita's Mexican Grill, Moe's Southwest Grill, Qdoba Mexican Eats, Baja Fresh and Del Taco. Broad incumbents are Taco Bell and Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Does Tijuana Flats have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tijuana Flats.
What industry is Tijuana Flats in?
Tijuana Flats's product category is Fast-Casual Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAC, Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual. Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 5812.