LeBron James, the Philadelphia 76ers superstar, just dropped a bombshell: he’s gone all-in with Mike’s Red Tacos! This isn’t just some casual endorsement deal, either. King James is throwing down a major investment in the franchise, signaling he’s ready to seriously expand his business empire in the food world.
The King’s New Taco Empire
You know LeBron loves his Taco Tuesday, right? He basically made it a national holiday. So when he dropped a video on Instagram, starting with him looking super down saying he “wasn’t having a good day” and then BAM! He pulls a “Sike, it’s Taco Tuesday!” with trays of tacos laid out in front of him, you knew something big was up. He wasn’t just celebrating, he was announcing a whole new venture.
“Man, it feels good to say IT’S TACOOOOOO TUESSDAAAAAAYYYYY!!!” James wrote in the caption, adding how proud he was to be part of the Mike’s Red Tacos family. He even put out a statement talking about his love for tacos, how they bring people together, and how Mike’s Red Tacos perfectly captures those values. He sees a leadership team with an “authentic” vision and wanted “to be part of helping bring that experience to more communities.” This isn’t his first rodeo either. Back in 2012, he made a landmark investment in Blaze Pizza, even ditching McDonald’s for it, and he owns rights to locations in Chicago and South Florida. Plus, he opened Buckets, a fried chicken spot, in his home city of Akron, Ohio, inside his foundation’s House Three Thirty community space. The guy knows his way around a restaurant investment, for real.
From Food Truck to National Powerhouse
Mike’s Red Tacos isn’t just some flash in the pan. CEO Andrew Feghali isn’t looking for “trend-chasing brands.” He wants “founders building something enduring,” and that’s exactly what Mike Touma did. Touma started this whole thing as a food truck in 2020, riding the birria taco wave, and two years later, he opened the first brick-and-mortar spot in San Diego, California. Now they’ve got three locations in Touma’s hometown, and here’s the kicker: there are 300 franchise locations currently in development nationwide! That’s insane growth.
Feghali said adding LeBron gives Mike’s Red Tacos the “megaphone it deserves,” plus the “resources to scale what’s already working,” and a “platform to become a category-defining brand.” Touma himself called LeBron’s belief in their vision an “incredible honor and a powerful validation.” This partnership isn’t just about a celebrity face, it’s about serious expansion and taking a beloved taco spot from local sensation to a national name.
So, what’s next? With LeBron’s business savvy and Mike’s Red Tacos’ proven track record and huge expansion plans, expect to see that famous Taco Tuesday spirit popping up in a neighborhood near you. This is a game-changer for the fast casual scene, and it looks like LeBron is set to dominate another court, one delicious taco at a time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
Leave a Reply