The Foundation donated $46,000 to remodel the home of a handicapped war vet and started donating profits from the Just in Queso hot sauce to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. That same year Tijuana Flats created its non-profit arm, the Just in Queso Foundation. Today, the restaurant support and training center is located at the Tijuana Flats HQ in Maitland, FL In 2007, Tijuana Flats shifted from a franchise model to corporate-owned stores. In 2005, Tijuana Flats built its training center for restaurant managers in Winter Park.

Tijuana Flats had six locations by 2001, which grew to 18 locations in 2004 and 65 by 2009.

When the fourth location opened, the founder's dad, Chester Wheeler, was reimbursed for his $20,000 loan used to start the company and joined as the CFO. In 1999, Fitch invested in the company and was appointed its CEO to expand the company. Students from Wheeler's former college made up some of the restaurant's early customers.Īfter the third location was opened, a semi-retired restaurant executive, Camp Fitch, was invited to Tijuana Flats by his golf partner. It was modeled after Burrito Brothers, a Mexican restaurant in Gainesville, Florida and funded with $20,000 in borrowed money from Wheeler's family. Tijuana Flats was started in Winter Park, Florida.

Tijuana flat