Tortilla Mexican Grill PLC (branded as Tortilla) is a Mexican fast-food restaurant chain based in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, founded by Brandon and Jennifer Stephens in London, 2007. As of October 2022, it has 84 branches in the UK. Internationally, Tortilla operates in the Middle East, with 10 stores in

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

and

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

through an exclusive franchise partnership with Eathos.

History

The first Tortilla restaurant opened in Islington in 2007, Tortilla became the UK’s largest fast-food Mexican brand. Tortilla offers dine in, self-serve, take away, click and collect, and delivery. This was supported by a steady expansion across the UK, 10 sites in

and

, cloud kitchen estate and exclusive delivery partnership with

Deliveroo Deliveroo is a British online food delivery company founded by Will Shu and Greg Orlowski in 2013 in London, England. It operates in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait ...

. In 2019, Tortilla expanded its footprint to include some of the UK’s most prominent travel hubs, including the Euston railway station, through a partnership with

SSP Group SSP is a British multinational contract foodservice company, with headquarters in London, England. It operates more than 2,800 branded catering and retail units at over 180 airports and 300 railway stations across 35 countries as a concessionaire ...

. In October 2021, Tortilla announced the launch of two new sites in Gatwick Airport and Leeds Skelton Lake Services. In May 2021, Tortilla opened a site in Chessington World of Adventures Resort, through a partnership with

Merlin Entertainments Merlin Entertainments Limited is a British entertainment company based at Poole in Dorset, England. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange until November 2019, when it was acquired by a consortium that includes Kirkbi A/S (the investme ...

. Over the years, Tortilla won several industry awards, including: * QSR Media UK Centegra Awards 2020 - Best Marketing Campaign * Restaurant Marketer & Innovator 2020 - 30 under 30 * R200: Best Value Restaurant Chain Over 20 Sites 2018 * FEJ Awards 2018 Operator of the year, best new kitchen concept In May 2022, Tortilla announced it has acquired the Mexican restaurant chain Chilango Ltd from the investment company RDCP Group Ltd., for £2.8 million.

Values

The brand only uses grass-fed British Isle brisket in its slow-cooked

Barbacoa Barbacoa () is a form of cooking meat that originated in the Caribbean with the Taíno people, who called it by the Arawak word ''barbaca'', from which the term "barbacoa" derives, and ultimately, the word ' barbecue". In contemporary Mexico, i ...

, as well as Red Tractor approved pork, and is a signatory of the Better Chicken Commitment. Meanwhile all vegetarian and vegan dishes are Vegan & Vegetarian Society approved. In January 2021, to aid youth employment, Tortilla has offered 50 new placements as part of the Government’s Kickstart Scheme.

References

2007 establishments in England British brands Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange Fast-food chains of the United Kingdom British companies established in 2007 Restaurants established in 2007 {{UK-restaurant-stub