Beloved Southern restaurant chain that began as a food truck is rapidly shutting locations after fans complained it ‘changed for the worse’

It’s crunch time for this Tex-Mex joint – and not because of the taco shells. 

Indeed, another American classic has fallen victim to the demise of fast-casual dining. 

Torchy’s Tacos, a vibrant chain with locations across the United States, closed six of its restaurants last year – and could close another seven by the end of this month. 

The business started in 2006 with nothing more than a humble trailer, a red Vespa, and a chef with a passion for inventive tacos. 

From that scrappy beginning in Austin, Texas, the brand has grown into a beloved fast-casual destination known for creative twists on classic Tex-Mex.

Torchy’s spilled out of Austin and spread across the country, opening over 100 taquerias across the US.

After the impending closures, industry experts say the chain will be left with 120 locations across 16 states – including Florida, Colorado, Arizona, and Virginia.

Torchy’s says the closures are all part of a greater effort to focus on customer service, and zero in on locations in high-performing markets.

‘We’re confident these moves will put us in the strongest position for sustainable growth moving forward,’ the company said in a statement to Restaurant Business.

‘I’ve always had a passion for food, and I knew that when I had my own place, we’d serve the food people deserve,’ said Mike Rypka, owner of Torchy’s. 

‘Made with fresh ingredients, full of curated flavors, we pushed the boundaries of what people thought a taco could be,’ he continued. 

The restaurant releases innovative new taco dishes monthly: February’s special is ‘The Independent’ – hand-battered and fried portobello mushroom strips with refried black beans, roasted corn, escabeche carrots, cotija, cilantro and avocado, with ancho aioli on a flour tortilla. 

Though the chain is downsizing, the Torchy’s Instagram page is more active than ever. 

The account shares multiple posts every day with its 160,000 followers – usually consisting of mouthwatering food pictures or the signature Torchy’s adorable devil mascot. 

While Torchy’s is loved by many for its laid-back, fun atmosphere and fresh ingredients with inventive twists, some customers are not surprised that the chain is facing problems. 

In response to the news of potential Torchy’s closures in Columbus, a Reddit user wrote: ‘That’d be a shame but they changed for the worse too. Took away some of my favorite tacos and they just weren’t such a draw anymore.’

Another customer agreed, responding: ‘Not even sure how they could get worse, was absolute horse s*** tacos the only time I went there a few months after sawmill opened up.’

Someone else on the thread asked: ‘With all the taco trucks and real Mexican joints in town, how could anyone’s favorite tacos have ever been served at a joint like Torchy’s? 

‘Tried them for the first time last week finally…. No bueno. There’s just too many better taco places around,’ another account wrote. 

And another: ‘We fell in love with them when they opened the sawmill location. At some point we were going there twice a week. But they’ve gone downhill fast.’ 

Torchy’s is just one of many restaurants in the fast-casual dining category to be going downhill. 

Bahama Breeze, a sister restaurant of Olive Garden, recently closed all of its remaining locations after struggling to keep its customers coming back for more. 

Noodles & Company has said it will close another 30 to 35 restaurants in 2026, on top of more shutdowns than initially planned last year. Joe’s Crab Shack has been whittled down from about 150 locations to just 14 – a nearly 90 percent collapse that mirrors Red Lobster’s decline.

Even Pizza Hut is struggling, with hundreds of restaurants being sliced as the chain faces stale sales. Fast casual brands like Denny’s, TGI Fridays and Applebee’s also haven’t fared any better.