Forty-four Houston-area Taco Bell restaurants quietly changed hands, landing with a new owner in a deal that shifts a hefty slice of the chain’s local presence. Mas Restaurant Group sold the units to Ghai Restaurant Group as part of what the seller is calling its next phase of growth. For now, no changes to menus or hours have been announced, and locals should still find their late-night tacos and drive-thru routines operating as usual while the paperwork and management details get sorted out.
In a press release via PR Newswire, Bessemer Investors said Mas Restaurant Group, a franchisee that operates 123 Taco Bell locations across the Houston and Columbus metro areas, sold 44 of its Houston stores to Ghai. The two sides kept financial terms under wraps, while Mas and Bessemer used the announcement to thank employees and partners who helped fuel the company’s expansion.
Buyer More Than Doubles Taco Bell Footprint
The deal more than doubled Ghai’s Taco Bell holdings, pushing its count with the brand to roughly 81 locations and enlarging a portfolio that industry watchers put at about 260 restaurants, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. Ghai’s leadership has described the cluster of Houston stores as a “dream portfolio” and has framed the move as part of a broader push to expand outside higher cost California markets and deepen its presence in Texas.
Why Texas, and What It Means Locally
Ghai announced the acquisition on LinkedIn and told local and trade outlets that Texas’ business climate, along with lower operating costs compared with parts of the West Coast, helped drive the decision to invest in Houston, the Houston Chronicle reports. Industry coverage has also pointed out that Taco Bell has been performing solidly in recent years, which makes the brand an appealing target for multi-unit operators that want to strengthen returns.
Background and Next Steps for Mas Restaurant Group
Bessemer Investors said it partnered with Mas Restaurant Group in 2018 and praised the company’s leadership and team, calling the sale “the next step in the company’s progression” in the PR Newswire statement. The release also noted that Piper Sandler and Unbridled Capital served as financial advisors to Mas, and Sidley Austin LLP acted as legal counsel on the deal…