Big News, Flatheads! Tijuana Flats Joins the Latitude Food Group Family
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Hey Flatheads! We’re coming to you today with some incredibly bold, exciting news that’s going to shake up the fast-casual world—in the best way possible. Tijuana Flats, the home of your favorite made-to-order Mexican cuisine and our legendary Hot Bar, has been acquired by the mission-driven, culture-focused concept, &pizza!
This acquisition is much more than a business deal; it’s the start of a fantastic new chapter for us. It officially marks the launch of Latitude Food Group, a brand-new holding company designed to guide both Tijuana Flats and &pizza into a future of accelerated growth and even more vibrant guest experiences.
We are officially part of a group that shares our spirit: bold, unconventional, and guest-first. This is the perfect move to ensure the future of those fresh, scratch-made chips and queso you love, plus all the unique flair you expect from your favorite Tex-Mex spot!
A New Era Under Latitude Food Group
The new holding company, Latitude Food Group, is built on the shared values that make both brands special: vibrant brand identities, daring marketing, a guest-first approach, and deep community engagement.
This unified vision means we get to harness the strengths and efficiencies of both brands to build an even stronger foundation for future growth. Think bold flavors, electric vibes, and an even better guest experience!
To learn more about this exciting new endeavor, you can visit the Latitude Food Group website.
Official Press Release
For all the details straight from the source, we’ve included the full press release below, announced earlier today.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
&PIZZA ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF LATITUDE FOOD GROUP AND ACQUIRES FAST-CASUAL TEX-MEX CONCEPT TIJUANA FLATS
New Holding Entity, Latitude Food Group, Will Oversee Both &pizza and Tijuana Flats as it Positions Each for Accelerated Growth
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 6, 2025) – &pizza, a mission-driven, culture focused pizza concept dedicated to better flavor and quality ingredients has acquired Tijuana Flats, a fast-casual Tex-Mex chain established in 1995 and renowned for its energetic ambiance and standout guest experience.
The acquisition encompasses all 95 of Tijuana Flats corporate and franchised locations throughout the southeastern U.S., along with its headquarters in Maitland, Florida.
As part of a larger strategic vision by &pizza, the acquisition also marks the launch of Latitude Food Group, a newly formed holding company designed to oversee and guide both &pizza and Tijuana Flats.
Under the leadership of &pizza CEO Mike Burns, Latitude Food Group will unite fast-casual and quick-service concepts that share a bold, unconventional spirit.
With a focus on vibrant brand identities, daring marketing, and a guest-first approach rooted in community engagement, Latitude Food Group aims to drive growth through multi-unit franchising, partnering with entrepreneurs ready to scale dynamic, multi-brand portfolios.
“This is an exciting milestone for us,” said Mike Burns, CEO of Latitude Food Group. “&pizza and Tijuana Flats are a natural fit. Step into either location and you’ll immediately feel the energy. These aren’t your average concepts. From their innovative use of technology and bold design to their shared commitment to community and purpose, the alignment is clear. We’re excited to harness the unique strengths of both brands and apply proven strategies and efficiencies to build a strong foundation for future growth. We’re incredibly thankful to our investors, who are fully committed and share our vision for &pizza and Tijuana Flats under the Latitude Food Group banner.”
&pizza’s acquisition comes at an exciting time for the brand, which just deployed its franchising strategy earlier this year and recently announced expansion outside of the mid-Atlantic with four new franchise agreements that will bring the concept to four new markets across Orlando, Atlanta, Charleston, and Raleigh.
Undeniable synergies exist between both brands, from the bold flavors, guest experience, community focused values and electric vibe that each brings to the fast-casual sector.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Tijuana Flats has a strong established presence across the southeast, with nearly 100 corporate and franchised owned locations in Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. The fast-casual Tex-Mex brand prides itself on serving made-to-order meals with fresh ingredients, never using microwaves, and is known for its creative, hand-crafted dishes, freshly made chips, signature made-daily queso and an expansive hot sauce bar which adds fiery flavors and customization options for guests who have come to love its bold flavors.
For more information about franchising with &pizza, please visit andpizza.com/franchising or find us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or X.
For more information about Tijuana Flats, please visit tijuanaflats.com.
ABOUT &PIZZA Founded in 2012, &pizza is a mission-driven, culture carrying community dedicated to better flavor, quality ingredients, and community betterment. Proud to differentiate themselves, &pizza is doing more for their workers by providing a livable wage, a socially conscious vision, and real action to help advance real social progress. &pizza has locations across the East Coast in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, and will soon be entering Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
ABOUT TIJUANA FLATS Tijuana Flats, a fast-casual Mexican restaurant founded in 1995 in Winter Park, Fla., operates nearly 100 company-owned and franchised restaurants across Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. With bold flavors and colorful experiences piled high with big-hearted, over-the-top service, Tijuana Flats boasts a menu consisting of fresh, made-to-order tacos, burritos and other Mexican appetizers, entres and desserts. For more information or to locate a Tijuana Flats near you, visit www.tijuanaflats.com.
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A Strong Future is Being Built
We want to assure our loyal Flatheads: this is a huge step toward making the Tijuana Flats you love even better. The new Latitude Food Group is all about building a strong foundation for future growth, and we’re excited to be part of a team that shares our commitment to fresh food, bold flavors, and that electric vibe you can’t find anywhere else.
We’re confident that by leveraging the combined strengths of both Tijuana Flats and &pizza, Latitude Food Group will be able to expand our reach and continue to deliver the big-hearted, over-the-top service you deserve.
Come on down and celebrate this exciting news with a fresh, made-to-order meal and a trip to the Hot Bar!
See you soon, Flatheads!