Mike’s Red Tacos turns to an experienced operator for 36 Florida stores

Mike’s Red Tacos has signed a 36-store Florida development agreement with Built Different Brands, led by CEO Kal Gullapalli. The October 21 announcement covers greater Tampa, Orlando and Florida’s East Coast, with the first opening planned for 2027.

Mike’s described three restaurants opened over four years and more than 350 nationwide development commitments. Its Florida partner already operates more than 80 locations across brands including Dave’s Hot Chicken, Marco’s Pizza and PopUp Bagels, according to the announcement. Gullapalli said his organization can handle site selection and real estate for the rollout.

The people behind the plan#

Mike’s recruitment criteria call for applicants already operating at least five QSR or fast-casual franchise restaurants in the intended market, with strong operating metrics and references from their existing system. Applicants cannot currently own another Mexican restaurant concept.

Built Different’s team directory lists Michael Ghrist as chief operating officer and Leslie Rate as construction manager, alongside facilities, human-resources and finance staff. It also names separate operating partners for Dave’s, Marco’s and PopUp. The directory shows an existing development and support organization; it does not say which employees will work on Mike’s restaurants.

The franchisor has been building its own side of the relationship. Mike’s August 18 leadership announcement named Andrew Feghali CEO and founder Mike Touma chief brand officer, alongside real-estate vice president Nate Zelazoski and operations senior vice president Lance Salsman. Feghali, an early investor in Mike’s, was the first Dave’s Hot Chicken franchisee. He said the team’s job was to build support for new owners, openings and markets.

Turning a territory into restaurants#

The current franchise site describes 2,200–2,400-square-foot restaurants in inline, endcap and freestanding formats. Mike’s offers real-estate, construction and architectural guidance, plus pre-portioned ingredients and equipment intended to shorten cooking time. That gives the operator a site and food-production playbook, alongside its own construction team.

Mike’s describes a million-dollar opening commitment including build-out, equipment and working capital, and refers prospects to its disclosure document for full details. That is a general opening requirement, not a disclosed price for the Florida agreement.

The brand says a typical first opening takes nine to twelve months from signing, depending on site selection, permitting and build-out. Florida’s first restaurant is planned for 2027.