Mike's Red Tacos Taps 'Dream Team' for National Birria Expansion

SAN DIEGO, CA – February 17, 2026 – Mike's Red Tacos, a San Diego-based birria brand that transformed from a single food truck into a Yelp-acclaimed culinary destination, is preparing for a massive nationwide expansion. The company today announced the launch of a national franchising initiative, entering the market with staggering momentum: development agreements for over 200 locations are already secured with seasoned multi-unit operators across the United States.

This aggressive push into the national fast-casual scene is not a speculative leap but a calculated move to dominate a burgeoning food trend. The brand, celebrated for its authentic beef birria and signature consome, is betting big that its cult following in Southern California can be replicated on a national scale, turning a regional favorite into the next major player in American dining.

The Birria Boom and a Brand Ready to Capitalize

Mike's Red Tacos is launching its expansion at a pivotal moment. The brand is surfing the crest of the “birria boom,” a culinary wave that has seen the savory, slow-braised meat stew from Jalisco, Mexico, capture the American palate. According to food industry analytics firm Datassential, birria is the fastest-growing segment within the Mexican food category, having grown 350% on U.S. menus over the past four years. The firm projects it will appear on more than 5% of all U.S. menus by 2028—a tenfold increase from just 0.5% in 2020.

While awareness of birria is growing, particularly among Hispanic and Gen Z consumers, market data suggests significant untapped potential, with only 13% of the U.S. population having tried it. This gap between awareness and trial represents a massive opportunity for an authentic, accessible brand to become the category leader.

Since its start as a food truck in 2021, Mike's Red Tacos has built a brand that resonates deeply with modern consumers, especially Millennials and Gen Z. Its recognition as a Yelp Top 100 U.S. Restaurant in 2023 was a testament to its quality, but its cultural currency is built on social media. With a bold visual identity and the catchy tagline, “the dip is worth the drip,” the brand has cultivated an organic following that values authenticity and shareable experiences. This digital-native appeal, combined with a product praised in countless online reviews for its craveable flavor and crispy-yet-tender tacos, positions the company perfectly to meet the rising demand.

A 'Dream Team' with a Proven Playbook

The confidence behind this rapid expansion stems directly from the executive team assembled to lead it. The brand is backed by a group of industry veterans renowned for scaling restaurant concepts from local gems to national powerhouses. Leading the charge is newly appointed company president Vincent Montanelli, a long-time restaurant executive who spent nearly two decades in leadership at Wetzel's Pretzels.

Advising and investing in the concept are Bill Phelps and Andrew Feghali, the strategic minds who architected one of the most explosive growth stories in recent fast-casual history: Dave's Hot Chicken. Phelps, who co-founded Wetzel's Pretzels and was an early investor in Blaze Pizza, took the helm as CEO of Dave's Hot Chicken in 2019. He transformed it from a Los Angeles pop-up into a global phenomenon with over 400 locations and a valuation approaching $1 billion before its acquisition by Roark Capital. Feghali, the very first franchisee of Dave's Hot Chicken, was instrumental in its operational expansion and holds a vast portfolio of franchise concepts, including over 100 Little Caesars locations.

This leadership team is not just investing capital; they are implementing a familiar playbook. They specialize in identifying concepts with authentic roots, intense local followings, and a simple, high-quality menu—the same formula that fueled the ascent of Dave's Hot Chicken.

"The strength of Mike's Red Tacos is a combination of its authentic and craveable Birria, a strong business model, incredible partners and positioning to capitalize on a market demand that Birria is experiencing," said Montanelli in a statement. "With a team that has a proven track record in multi-unit franchising and restaurant leadership, we are set up to scale Mike's Red Tacos and share The Birria Experience with communities throughout the country."

An Aggressive, Calculated National Rollout

The 200-plus location pipeline is not just a number on a press release; it represents concrete agreements with experienced multi-unit franchisees from formidable brands like Dave's Hot Chicken, Jersey Mike's, Blaze Pizza, and Dunkin'. These deals will bring Mike's Red Tacos to markets across California, Michigan, Minnesota, New England, Nevada, Texas, Virginia, Arizona, Indiana, and Illinois. The initial focus will be on top-tier markets including Seattle, Phoenix, Austin, Dallas, Chicago, and Miami.

Construction on the first wave of franchise locations is set to begin in the coming months, with the first restaurants slated to open their doors before the end of 2026. To ensure consistency and quality control during this rapid scaling, the company is opening a new corporate-run location in Pasadena, California, this spring. This restaurant will serve as the prototype for future builds and function as the brand's primary training center for new franchisees.

Franchisees are being offered a small-footprint model with strong average unit volumes (AUVs). The initial investment for a franchise ranges from $619,800 to $1,953,000, which includes a $40,000 franchise fee. In return, the leadership team is promising a robust support system, including an established national distribution network, to preserve the brand's quality while enabling scalable growth.

"There is tremendous energy enveloping the brand right now, and we're embracing it to provide a restaurant franchise investment unlike anything else," said Kayla Edidin, Vice President of Franchise Development. "We are extremely excited about growing the brand nationally with highly qualified multi-unit franchisees that will champion The Birria Experience at Mike's Red Tacos."

While the powerhouse team executes the national strategy, the brand's founder and namesake, Mike Touma, remains a core part of the leadership, ensuring the original vision stays intact. He is set to open his third personal location in San Diego this March, reinforcing the brand's foundation even as it reaches for national acclaim. By combining a product that defines a booming culinary trend with a leadership team that has mastered the art of the franchise rollout, Mike's Red Tacos is poised to make its signature red-stained tacos a staple for diners across America.