If pizza is the most democratic of foods, then its evolution has always mirrored the way we live, work, and eat. The latest signpost? &pizza’s acquisition of Tijuana Flats—and the creation of Latitude Food Group, a new fast-casual powerhouse that could quietly redraw the map of American quick dining.
At first glance, it’s just another merger: &pizza absorbs Tijuana Flats’ 95-unit Tex-Mex empire, bundles the back office, and gets to work. But zoom in, and something more ambitious emerges. Latitude Food Group is not a consolidation play; it’s a scaling philosophy—an experiment in what happens when distinct brands share DNA, data, and dough.
“From their innovative use of technology and bold design to their shared commitment to community and purpose, the alignment is clear,” said Mike Burns, now CEO of both &pizza and Latitude Food Group. “We’re excited to harness the unique strengths of both brands and apply proven strategies and efficiencies to build a strong foundation for future growth.”
In a landscape where restaurant groups are either ballooning or burning out, Latitude is betting on a middle path: small-company soul, big-company systems.
The New Rules of the Fast-Casual Game
Fast-casual once meant Chipotle-style efficiency and Subway-style customization. Today, it means frictionless tech, aesthetic storytelling, and an increasingly blurred line between restaurant and retail. Latitude’s approach—shared HR, finance, and most importantly, supply chain—might be the blueprint for a sector hungry for scale but allergic to sameness.
&pizza, known for its oblong pies, tattoo-inspired branding, and activist messaging, brings operational discipline and digital savvy. Tijuana Flats, long a cult favorite in Florida, emerges from bankruptcy leaner and ready to grow. The brands share little geography but plenty of ethos—making cross-pollination inevitable and cannibalization unlikely.
Burns put it plainly: “We can take the operational and marketing models that worked for &pizza and replicate that playbook.” Behind the understatement lies a revolution in restaurant logic—one where playbooks, not pizzas, are the main export.
What It Means for Pizza Lovers
The ripple effects stretch beyond the boardroom. When big players improve systems and sourcing, home bakers feel it too. The trickle-down effect of better dough recipes, cleaner ingredients, and smarter ovens is real—and measurable.
To ride the wave, home pizzaiolos should focus on fundamentals:
- A heat-retaining pizza stone or steel (preheat for at least 45 minutes)
- High-hydration dough made with Italian 00 flour and Sicilian sea salt
- A compact pizza oven that hits 800–900°F
- And a touch of curiosity—because the next innovation might start in your kitchen.
For technical deep dives, dough theory, and hydration calculators, Pizzaiolo.ai remains the best lab on the internet.
What It Means for Suppliers
Latitude’s shared supply chain isn’t just a logistical note—it’s a signal flare for suppliers. Expect bigger orders, tighter specs, and a hunger for sustainable, traceable sourcing.
If you’re in flour milling, dairy, or tomato processing, now’s the moment to pitch value-engineered SKUs that can feed both pizza and Tex-Mex systems. And if you’re not thinking about sustainability—regenerative wheat, lower-impact packaging, transparent logistics—you’re already behind.
For those ready to scale with modern operators, The Pizza Weekly Suppliers Directory is becoming an essential roadmap.
What It Means for Pizza Shop Owners
Independent operators can steal from Latitude’s playbook without selling their soul.
Operationally:
- Use spec sheets and photos to standardize prep.
- Cross-utilize ingredients to reduce waste.
- Build weekly dashboards that track PMIX, voids, yields, and labor.
Technologically:
- Choose a flexible POS that supports modifiers, curbside, and loyalty.
- Layer in smart delivery software for batching and driver tracking.
- Sync your kitchen display, inventory, and front-of-house to shave minutes off ticket times.
Marketing-wise:
- Run context-aware promos—based on weather, time of day, or local events.
- Automate SMS campaigns for bouncebacks and reheat tips.
- Tell your origin story often. Authenticity sells; repetition cements it.
Growth doesn’t have to mean generic. The independents who thrive will be those who scale their systems without diluting their story.
The Brand Behind the Brand
&pizza made its name on design and purpose; Tijuana Flats on flavor and flair. Latitude’s task is to combine those legacies without sanding off the edges. In the “purpose era,” brand identity is a competitive moat.
Smart operators will follow suit:
Codify your dough process. Protect your sourcing relationships. Keep a short “pizza history” section on your menu to remind customers that every pie is part of a lineage.
Because when purpose and process align, you don’t just sell pizza—you sell belonging.
Bulk Ingredients and Equipment Trends
In the next 12 months, watch for:
- High-protein flours for elastic, open-crumb doughs
- Shredded mozzarella blends with perfect melt
- Commercial ovens with even deck temps and reduced energy draw
- Dough room automation—presses, dividers, blast chillers
- Eco-forward cleaning systems that balance QA with sustainability
Find vetted suppliers in The Pizza Weekly Directory; the future belongs to those who source as smartly as they serve.
The Bigger Picture: Consolidation Without Compromise
The restaurant M&A market is on fire: Potbelly’s going private, Denny’s exploring a sale, Yum Brands reassessing Pizza Hut’s future. Amid that turbulence, Latitude stands out for one reason—it’s an operator-led consolidation, not a financial engineering exercise.
It’s growth from the inside out, powered by people who actually understand food, not just balance sheets.
That’s why it matters. Latitude is betting that the future of fast casual belongs to those who marry heart and head—craft and scale.
The Final Slice
&pizza’s acquisition of Tijuana Flats isn’t just about expanding a portfolio—it’s about redefining what scale means in an era obsessed with authenticity. Latitude Food Group is proving that operational excellence and soulful branding can coexist—and that efficiency doesn’t have to taste like compromise.
For home bakers, it’s motivation to master your next pie.
For suppliers, a call to modernize.
For operators, a reminder: build systems that protect your soul, not replace it.
The next era of pizza will be written by those who think like Latitude—ambitious, efficient, and unapologetically human.
Affiliate Picks: best home pizza oven, pizza stone, cookbook, dough press, commercial mixer, POS system, delivery software.
Explore Further: Pizzaiolo.ai for recipes and dough science.
Find Partners: The Pizza Weekly Suppliers Directory.
Bold takeaway: The future of pizza isn’t just about what’s on the table. It’s about the systems, stories, and souls that make it worth sitting down for.
Source Credit: Reporting inspired by Julie Littman, Restaurant Dive
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