Almost as many Americans live near a Mexican restaurant as those who live near a Walmart.
The ubiquitous retail chain makes a bold claim on its website.
“Approximately 90% of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart or Sam’s Club,” the retailer shared on its website.
Mexican restaurants aren’t quite as common, but it’s actually close.
“Mexican culture is widely established in America’s restaurants. Some 11% of restaurants in the United States serve Mexican food, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from SafeGraph, which curates information about millions of places of interest around the globe, and the user review site Yelp,” Pew Research reported.
For context, Walmart’s reach is based on the company’s own disclosure, while Pew’s estimate relies on independent location data to measure where Mexican restaurants operate.
The actual number of Americans with easy access to a Mexican restaurant, however, might be bigger than Walmart’s reach.
“This analysis finds that 85% of U.S. counties have at least one Mexican restaurant. In turn, the counties that don’t have Mexican restaurants tend to have small populations. The 15% of counties without any Mexican restaurants have about 4 million people living in them. That is just 1% of the total U.S. population,” Pew added.
That level of penetration, however, also means that competition is intense, and after a year of sales struggles, a popular Mexican restaurant chain, Tito’s Burritos & Wings, has decided to close all its remaining locations.
Tito’s Burritos & Wings sets a shutdown date
The past few years have hit Mexican chains especially hard. Abuelo’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October and closed multiple locations. That followed Chapter 11 filings by On the Border, which was purchased by Pappas Restaurant Group, and Tijuana Flats, which has emerged from bankruptcy and has continued operations.
Tito’s Burritos & Wings won’t be filing for bankruptcy, but it will be closing all its remaining locations after dinner service on March 1. The chain’s owners shared the news on their website.
The chain currently has three locations. Its menu includes Mexican classics, burritos and tacos, as well as wings and chicken strips.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being part of this journey — whether you came to know Tito’s recently or have been with us since the beginning in May of 2005 — your support, stories, celebrations, and countless shared meals have meant more to us than we can ever fully express,” the owners shared.
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The owners did not share why they planned to close.
“Tito’s owners could not be reached for comment on Wednesday (Feb. 18), but one store manager said the owners decided to close because business was not as good in the last few years as it had been,” local newspaper, The Village Green shared.
Tito’s Burritos & Wings closing facts:
- All remaining locations (Summit, Ridgewood & South Orange) are closing permanently on Sunday, March 1, 2026 after 21 years in operation, according to the Daily Voice.
- The chain first opened in May 2005 and built a loyal local following in North Jersey over two decades, added the Daily Voice.
- Owners shared a farewell message on their website, thanking customers for their support and community memories.
- The closure affects all corporate-operated stores at once. Earlier closures (Tenafly and Morristown) had already occurred in previous years, according to New Jersey Monthly.
- The shutdown has drawn local reaction and nostalgia from longtime patrons online, with many mourning the loss of a neighborhood staple, reported WhatNow.
- The announcement encouraged customers to visit one last time before the final closing date, according to The Village Green.
Mexican restaurants continue to grow
While there have been some high-profile bankruptcies and closures in the Mexican restaurant space, the overall industry has thrived.
“There are 52,024 Mexican Restaurants in the U.S. as of 2025, an increase of 2.2% from 2024,” according to data from IBIS World.
That’s a number that has steadily grown.
“The number of Mexican Restaurants in the U.S. has grown 3.0% per year on average over the five years between 2020 and 2025,” the data company added.
Mexican restaurants, however, do face some headwinds.
“Rising labor and food costs continue to pressure profit margins. Notably, labor costs now consume 40% to 45% of gross sales, up from 30% to 35%,” Philadelphia-based restaurateur Aaron Anderson shared.
When it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, On the Border’s owners cited broad economic factors as leading to the filing.
“The company cited a number of macroeconomic factors as reasons for its financial distress, including rising labor costs and increasing competition within the fast-casual Mexican dining sector. Additionally, inflation and changing consumer preferences have contributed to a noticeable decline in restaurant visits,” Mundo Deportivo shared.
When it filed, Abuelo’s cited similar factors, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.
“Abuelo’s, now at 16 units, cited sales declines, rising costs, and staffing challenges. Technomic figures indicated sales were down 15.4% between 2023 and 2024,” the industry publication shared.
Related: 22-year-old fast-food burger chain closes locations in bankruptcy
