To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily QSR AM Jolt. Mike's Red Tacos, the celebrated San Diego-born beef Birria brand named a Yelp Top 100 U.S. Restaurant (2023), has bolstered its executive team, bringing veteran business leaders onboard to lead the brand's growth.
Founder Mike Touma, who grew the brand from a San Diego food truck into two brick-and-mortar restaurants before the launch of its franchise strategy, has been announced as the company's Chief Brand Officer. Joining Touma is Andrew Feghali as its Chief Executive Officer. Feghali, the first Dave's Hot Chicken franchisee, initially became involved with Mike's Red Tacos as an early investor and Board Member before taking on the CEO role and helping guide the brand's national growth trajectory.
Stephen Jennings, who has been named Chief Financial Officer brings decades of financial leadership experience, working within the restaurant and franchise industries, having served as CFO of a number of brands, including Marie Callendar's and Ruby's Diner. In addition, Mike's Red Tacos President and Chief Operations Officer Vincent Montanelli and Chief Development Officer Patrick Cunningham bring decades of experience to the appointed leadership team in building, operating and scaling restaurant brands including Wetzel's Pretzels, Dunkin & Baskin Robbins, Little Caesars and Bobby's Burgers by Bobby Flay. Nate Zelazoski also joins the team as Vice President of Real Estate, bringing expertise from Five Guys and Smashburger, while Lance Salsman serves as Senior Vice President of Operations, drawing on experience from Blaze Pizza, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.
"We've assembled a leadership team that understands what it takes to build, operate and scale restaurant brands," said Andrew Feghali, CEO. "Our responsibility is to preserve the authenticity and energy that made Mike's Red Tacos stand out in the fast-casual Mexican segment, while establishing the systems, infrastructure and support needed to grow strategically. Each member of this team brings a distinct area of expertise that will be critical as we welcome new franchise owners, support restaurant openings and break into new U.S. markets." Since announcing its franchise strategy in the first quarter of 2026, Mike's Red Tacos has signed agreements to develop in LA and Orange County, Temecula, Michigan, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Las Vegas and Texas.
The company is also targeting top-tier U.S. markets for future growth, including Seattle, Dallas, Houston and New York City, awarding franchises to experienced restaurant owners and operators with strong business backgrounds and the infrastructure in place to support multi-unit development. For more information about Mike's Red Tacos, visit www.mikesredtacos.com. Connect with the brand's pages for more details by visiting LinkedIn and Instagram.
To learn more about opening a Mike's Red Tacos franchise, fill out the form here under the Get Started tab: https://www.mikesredtacos.com/franchising. The post Mike's Red Tacos Announces Andrew Feghali as CEO appeared first on QSR Magazine.
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