Birria now appears on 3.7% of U.S. restaurant menus, more than four times its 2022 share. Riding that momentum, Mike’s Red Tacos has signed a 36-unit development agreement to expand into Tampa, Orlando, and Florida’s East Coast, with a veteran multi-brand operator committing to one of the country’s fastest-growing restaurant markets.
Mike’s Red Tacos launched as a San Diego food truck in 2021. Its first brick-and-mortar restaurant opened in August 2022. In the four years since, the franchise brand has accumulated more than 350 committed locations nationwide, earned a spot on Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. Restaurants list in 2023, and received Nation’s Restaurant News’ Hot Concept designation in 2026. The Florida agreement is among the largest single-market commitments the brand has announced to date.
Mike’s Red Tacos
The Birria Experience
- Restaurant
- Liquid capital: $
A 36-Unit Florida Deal Led by a Veteran Multi-Brand Operator
The franchisee behind the Florida expansion is Built Different Brands, a multi-brand operator led by CEO Kal Gullapalli. The company currently operates more than 80 restaurants across concepts including Dave’s Hot Chicken, Marco’s Pizza, and PopUp Bagels.
Under the development agreement, Built Different Brands will open 36 Mike’s Red Tacos locations across greater Tampa, greater Orlando, and the Florida East Coast. The first restaurant under the deal is expected to open in 2027, with the remaining units to follow over several years. Gullapalli cited the authenticity of the concept as a key driver of the decision.
Florida’s Fast-Casual Market and the Birria Trend
Florida is among the most active states for new franchise development in the United States. Population growth, year-round tourism, and dense urban corridors in the Tampa-Orlando-Miami triangle have made the state a consistent target for emerging restaurant brands.
Mike’s Red Tacos enters that environment as birria gains significant traction nationally. According to Datassential, birria now appears on 3.7% of U.S. menus, a figure that represents more than four times its penetration in 2022. Vincent Montanelli, president of Mike’s Red Tacos, noted that the company is focused on placing the brand with experienced operators in high-potential markets.
Birria’s share of U.S. restaurant menus in 2026, up from under 1% in 2022. (Source: Datassential)
From Food Truck to 350 Committed Locations in Four Years
The pace of Mike’s Red Tacos’ national rollout is notable even within a fast-casual sector accustomed to rapid scaling. Investors Vincent Montanelli and Bill Phelps, who previously helped grow Dave’s Hot Chicken and Wetzel’s Pretzels into national brands, are guiding the expansion.
The strategy centers on selling development rights to already-established multi-unit operators, reducing the execution risk that typically accompanies emerging brand growth. The Florida deal with Built Different Brands fits that pattern: Gullapalli’s group enters with a proven track record across multiple quick-service and fast-casual concepts.
What the Florida Pipeline Signals for the Brand’s Expansion
With more than 350 units committed from California to New England and now into Florida, Mike’s Red Tacos is transitioning from an emerging brand to a mid-scale national chain. The Florida development agreement follows earlier deals covering markets including Chicago, Detroit, the Twin Cities, Austin, and Boston, as well as a 22-unit agreement for Texas and Northern California announced in August 2026.
Whether the system can sustain its development velocity while maintaining the consistency that earned its early critical recognition remains an open question as build-outs begin across multiple markets simultaneously.
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