November 11, 2020 // Franchising.com // ORLANDO, Fla. - Tijuana Flats is back in franchising for the first time in 13 years and has awarded its first franchise territory to Bob Amin in Panama City, Florida. Amin has years of experience running franchise restaurants and is excited to add Tijuana Flats to his portfolio.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Amin. “I’ve had my eye on Tijuana Flats for a long time and I was so pleased to hear they were returning to franchising and chose me as their first franchisee.”
Over the past 25 years, Tijuana Flats has established itself as one of the most popular fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurants in the Southeast. With locations in Florida, North Carolina, Indiana and Virginia, the brand is now making a move targeting the eastern part of the country and Texas.
“Bob Amin has a lot of experience, and that is exactly what we are looking for as we begin our expansion,” said Eric Taylor, Tijuana Flats Vice President, Development. “He’s a great fit for our brand, and we are looking forward to seeing what he can do with the new panhandle location.”
Amin knew when he was in college that he wanted to be his own boss and was able to invest in convenience stores across the state of Florida. He then moved into the restaurant business, purchasing franchises with Marco’s Pizza and Checkers.
He likes the Tijuana Flats model and thinks it will be a great addition to the Panama City restaurant scene.
“The area is full of traditional concepts,” said Amin. “Tijuana Flats is unique and will really stand out. The food is just phenomenal.”
Amin is also impressed by the process of becoming a Tijuana Flats franchisee. He is hoping others will join the company because of its uncommon approach to finding the best people.
“It’s been really fun,” he said. “Everyone there is so friendly, and it’s like a family environment.”
The Panama City Tijuana Flats is currently in the planning stages and is set to open in 2021.
SOURCE Tijuana Flats
With an "anything goes" approach to food, hot sauce and life in general Tijuana Flats has been providing over-the-top service and fresh, made-to-order Tex-Mex to guests for over 20 years.