Mike's Red Tacos lands 36-unit Florida agreement

The fast casual brand, specializing in signature birria and red tacos, has reached an agreement with Built Different Brands. Under the terms of the 36-unit agreement, Built Different Brands plans to open locations in the Tampa and Orlando regions, in addition to Florida’s East Coast.

Built Different Brands operates more than 80 franchise locations in five states, including the Dave’s Hot Chicken, Marco’s Pizza, PopUp Bagels, and VIO Med Spa brands, among others.

According to Mike’s Red Hot Chicken, this agreement was spearheaded Kal Gullapalli, CEO of Built Different Brands. An initial opening is planned for 2027.

“Birria and consome offer a craveable, shareable experience with genuine authenticity that has a real draw for consumers,” said Gullapalli. “In addition to the incredible menu, our team has already built the well-oiled machine needed to work through site selection and real estate considerations as we grow Mike’s Red Tacos across Florida. The birria is enough to make this brand stand out, but it’s truly the people behind the company who will drive its success.”

Mike’s Red Tacos was established by Mike Touma in 2021 as a food truck operation. The brand now has three locations in the San Diego market, with a fourth opening soon in Pasadena.

“Kal and the Built Different Brands team lead large-scale restaurant brands and have the industry know-how we look for in franchisees,” said Vincent Montanelli, president of Mike’s Red Tacos. “I’m confident residents across Florida will come to love Mike’s as much as we do. As we advance our nationwide franchise growth strategy, we’re focused on bringing experienced operators like Kal into the system who have the infrastructure and expertise to bring our vision to life. We look forward to seeing what his team accomplishes across Florida.”

Beyond Florida, Mike’s Red Tacos said it has more than 350 units committed nationwide.