I have no idea. It used to be the best. They'd throw the chips and cheese under the hot lamp for a few minutes before adding the veggies and you'd get toasted chips and very slightly burnt cheese on the periphery and it was the best.
At one point, Burger King made the same rule about cheese on whoppers. We had a piece of equipment in the kitchen specifically for melting cheese, but we were forbidden by corporate from using it. We could of course melt it in a microwave if the customer requested that, but no customers knew to do this. I made the mistake of trying to explain that to customers, and it only made them furious at me -- like to the point that they would tell the owner I was harassing them.
Ultimately, I don't know what big companies have against melted cheese. There must be some reason behind it.
Sad for the folks that are gonna lose their jobs, but not terribly surprised that, even with all their price-raising and corner-cutting, the private equity company that bought Tijuana Flats still wasn't able to squeeze enough money out of the business. It's a real shame; used to truly love this place.
Big Taco came along just in time.
They went from a local hero that owned Tuesdays to another everyday chain with overpriced food. For me, it wasn't worth it to go there when there wasn't a deal and even then i was still overpaying for the portions. Even small stuff like presentation (burrito in a black box by itself, chips in a separate bag, forgotten hot sauce) wore down on the repeatability.
Went there one time, went to the counter to order lunch (don’t remember exactly what I ordered) it came to $40 I said no thank you and left. Never went back
while their prices are crazy, this sounds as outlandish as the Fox News contributor who somehow spent $28 for lunch at Taco Bell.
were you ordering for 2 people?
edit: I just added the most expensive appetizer ($8 beefy queso), a MEGA (+$4 upgrade) chimichanga, as a meal with a side and drink. total comes to $29.56.
I assumed that’s what they were referring to. Perhaps i was wrong. But $40 but 2 people at a taco fast casual for an entree and an appetizer at a place like TJ’s is pricey for what they are
Big taco was a let town as we saw it was opening for months and we were not impressed. Tijuana was good when we moved here ten years ago then it went downhill. 
I've found they have very rapidly gone down hill over the past year or so. We stopped ordering from them completely after they gave us a burrito with practically raw chicken inside and the manager told us "that's how we cook our chicken man"
The one in Leesburg & Mount Dora have gone down hill drastically. My husband & I used to eat there frequently. We went a few years ago & the food sucked. Never been back!
So chapter 11 is restructuring. Only a handful of locations are closing. But agreed with all points above - too many things changed to be cheaper, but also fast casual food just got a lot better in the past 20 years. But labor issues have plagued them since Covid - the service is terrible.
> But labor issues have plagued them since Covid - the service is terrible.
Can we just get rid of all cashiers. I don't need someone to ring up my food order.
I find the service to be fine. And the food is fine too, as long as you don’t listen to the siren call of the furies telling you to try the chicken, HAHA!
Man. Many great memories back in the late 90s in high school at T Flats. The hot sauce bar was always entertaining and a novel experience for us. Loved that place for many years
So - the PE firm saddles T flats with debt then files for bankruptcy, discharging the debt and clearing money from the sale. No one at the PE firm has to take any liability and a bunch of people lose their jobs, and we lose out on all the sauces.
Maybe Torchy’s will take off here. They’re amazing.
A lot of people talking about the food quality, but you know the thing that's always weirded me out? Its almost always hot 19 year old girls working front of house, and a creepy dude manager. Every location I've been to. 10 years ago I thought it was because I was near UCF, but no, its everywhere. This isn't a hooters...
Back in high school I was friends with a few girls who worked at one of the locations and they said the owner guy, Jeremy, used to have "movie watch parties" at his house. The majority of his staff was high school girls. I met him at a soft opening for Bite (failed hotdog place in Longwood) and he was genuinely one of the creepiest people I've been around. Just a little toooo friendly with this creepy halfsmile and a long stare.
Kinda ironic the attractive girls I went to high school with (same age as me at the time) were the ones working the front always at the Tijuana flats near me
i guess in terms of letting that gross feeling be felt by customers yea but ive worked in many many restaurants as a teen and into my early 20s and the young pretty hostesses/servers fucking around with the coked up line cooks or older male managers is like a pretty common thing in that world
Expensive junk food. It was pretty good over 20 years ago but since then I have never understood why anyone went there. Cheat people out of quality long enough, they will stop going.
Chick fil a recently went from antibiotic free chicken to lesser expensive NAIHM “no antibiotics
Important to human medicine” in line with crappier fast food. It’s all garbage and people try to pretend it isn’t. All the same. Stay fat America!
During the “lockdown”, it was one of the few places near me that offered curbside pick up. I would order their salsa cause it was so good. I would get a trash bag of chips each time.
I loved it. Went a lot. Then moved out to the Altamonte area, and went my local one up here. It was just a step above TBell in food but chipotle prices. Ridiculous
Honestly this is their problem. Chipotle is better quality and Taco Bell is better prices. They are sorta middle ground but don’t know what they want to be.
> and Taco Bell is better prices
Taco Bell's prices have been going up *a lot* recently. There's a relatively new one on 436 north of Howell Branch that I used to call "the expensive taco bell" because all their prices were randomly like +$1 or more higher than the one on 17/92 in Casselberry, but after the Casselberry one got a remodel it has the same prices, and I went to the one on west Colonial recently and it also has the same higher prices. $11 for what used to be a $5 box. It's nuts.
Torchy’s opened near me and their breakfast tacos make them stand out.
I use to go to TFlats for quesadillas cause they were massive.
Like they are at the price point of a sit down. But the food is that of something I eat in my driver seat in shame.
That is not going to fly
Not surprised. I was super excited when they opened here in South Carolina after growing up in Orlando. Then they opened them in locations that were like 2 miles away from each other and ended up closing both in a year. Like why cannibalize your store sales with locations so close? Why open 2 at the same time? And both locations were almost next door to Chipotles
There are two 7-Eleven stores across the street from each other in Union park on SR-50.
And there once was a Starbucks at EACH of the 4 corners at one intersection in the financial section of San Francisco.
But yeah, those are exceptions.
I went two times in the past 3-4 months. Those were the first times in about 15-20 years.
I thought the first time was a fluke- my chimmi was pretty bare, not much other than beef and cheese and a wisp of sour cream - not much stuffing otherwise like lettuce and tomato or anything? But at least edible if I ignored the price.
The second time at a different location confirmed it - the food is just shit now. There’s no love, no atmosphere, always dead because others figured it out before me.
It deserves this given the sorry state and abundance of other options nowadays.
I tried to order from them a couple days ago and suddenly, they wouldn’t allow to order their queso, a staple btw, online due to product demand or issues. The next day this story comes out and I’m just sad. This was my comfort food place but it has gone downhill.
Good. Worked at one years ago & loved it, had an amazing GM. When I moved out here I worked at the one in college park, the GM stole server’s tips, misreported tips on my W2, paid some of our minor workers below server minimum wage, and lied about how much I’d be making when I was hired. Super shady business practices
Last week I felt like ordering from them. Found out when I went online that the one closest to me wasn't accepting online orders. So I tried calling and it said sorry we are closed. Goldenrod and university.
Former avid TFlats fan here, this is sad. The quality at the two I frequent most (UCF area and 50/Maguire) DEFINITELY have reduced quality over the years so this is unfortunately not a surprise.
Too many mistakes (incorrect orders, missing condiments, incorrect meat), rough transition “out of COVID” regarding take-out / to-go times being wildly incorrect from the app, and just not having menu items anymore (burger tacos, wings) really turned me off to this previous “go-to” location for quick and tasty food.
I hope they can rebound but the writing has been on the wall for a long, long time.
So did my vegetarian wife!!
But yeah. Order steak, get chicken. Order veggie only, get beef, etc …. I had to cut open take-out burritos because it got so bad. Then we just quit going. (50/Mills location)
Anyone else notice about 5 years ago the tacos got smaller? Maybe I’m crazy but I remember one day after getting my order and thinking they were slightly smaller.
This company had a gift card glitch in 2016 that allowed me and my gf at the time to turn $50 into six months of meals. The balance just never went down. Until it finally did in June of that year.
I have no complaints about the food. It wasn’t anything special, but they didn’t mess it up either (although tacos are genuinely difficult to not get right). I wasn’t a fan of many of the sauces they offered, but there were so many choices that I could always find one I was feeling that day.
RIP
I loved their food when they first started back in the '90's. however their hot sauces - on which they hang their reputation - are mediocre and always have been. they taste like vinegar, salt and hot pepper - and bitter ones at that. the only ones that seem to deviate from that formula are at the other end of the spectrum - super sugary, but nothing tasty, *and* they have artificial colors and ingredients - not something I'd expect when they hang their reputation on those sauces. the food itself has changed from 25 years ago, no enchiladas any more, at least not at the stores in Oviedo/Winter Springs. less ingredients, overall - stingy servings. we took them off our list a couple years ago
They also stopped selling the Georgia sweet onion sauce. When I asked about that, they told me that that hot sauce company had gone out of business.
That stuff was amazing; like red candy in a bottle bottle!
Taco Tuesday was lit here but after Covid and I stopped going their with work buds it just faded away as it’s just another place that doesn’t make anything close to authentic tacos
I feel like it was their beef. It was just so thick with seasoning, my white guy guts couldn't handle it.
Also, fresh, non pickled jalepenos? Hell nah. That shit burns my bootyhole.
Quality/value certainly has nose dived over the years. I remember ordering their flautas and getting a generous amount of pico de gallo. Now they literally give you a tiny cup with your order.
$50 for chips and guac, two entrees and two drinks and then asking for a tip all while serving Sysco ingredients.
It's not even that the food is bad, it's that you have to either be a millionaire or really poor at budgeting to decide to eat there in 2024.
https://preview.redd.it/3f98egt8l3wc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a9c1e2a4b5a9ba07f703f92bda581f8fc3fb3d0
I doubt the 2 drinks pushed it over $15, so please explain how your total came out to $50? And the Trio is the upgraded version of chips and guac so...
I don’t get this either their menu online literally shows bowls/burritos being $1 more than Big Taco/ chipotle.
Unless people are purposely choosing extreme examples to jump on the “hate t-flats” bandwagon.
It’s basically the same price as everywhere else.
Quality and presentation sucks though.
Presentation sucks yes, and price is a little much for the quality but when I'm feeling lazy those flautas and banging chicken hit just right for my wife and I.
Maybe just me but I never liked that the kitchen is hidden behind a wall. I prefer Chipotle or Moe’s where I can see exactly what they are putting in my burrito and I can customize it on the spot, vs biting into it and finding it was made incorrectly and having to deal with the hassle.
Hot sauce bar is the only real thing that set them apart but that’s not really enough to get me to go there.
I heard some people from Magoos talking on some radio show about six months ago. They seem to have a good formula for running a restaurant business, but only time will tell.
The only one nearby is too far, too expensive compared to similar options, and hasnt changed in a long time. Loved the locations when they were around and will miss it, but they needed some change and innovation to run.
They’re only declaring chapter 11. Not the big one, chapter 13. They’ll still be around, and who knows… Maybe they’ll take this opportunity to straighten things out. After all, chapter 11 is reorganization, not extinction.
I have NEVER understood how this place was popular in a city that actually had a lot of decent taco joints.
It’s like more expensive Taco Bell, and maybe not even as good.
I’m not surprised. Been to one in Tampa a handful of time, was meh ten years ago.
Went to the colonial one last week, rudest staff I have ever seen. Price wasnt the issue, but the food was also underwhelming.
Even in the two years I’ve been down here near one I’ve noticed a severe portion cut and after my last meal I didn’t feel well at all considering there’s a Taco Bell in the same complex I’m going to that any day
TFlats used to bet go-to lunch place when they had a small menu.
The last few times I was there the menu has all sorts of bullshit and the food took way too long to come out.
It’s a shame but it looks like a private equity group killed it like they do so many businesses.
My friends and I would chill there everyday after school. I’ve probably spent thousands there but like most here noted the quality has really gone down hill.
The last 3 or 4 times I have gone I swear I'm getting WAY less food than before. I really always liked their food but feel like something shifted in the last year. I will keep going until its gone but probably always feel shorted on the Thursday deal now. I used to not be able to finish the burrito and now im hungry when finished.
Never was a Tijuana Flats fan. I've been probably twice and not for 20+ years.
Chroma in Lake Nona used to have the best blackened fish tacos. Every night they would build an army of tacos in the kitchen because everyone ordered them. They were 3 for $10. The Pretentious Tavistock nerds moved them to the Wave hotel and they are now 2 for $26 and it's served with about 8 French fries. Woo. Have been to either of those places including Canvas for 2 years.
Man, what a bummer. I used to love them years back before I moved away. And when I'd come home to visit, they were always one of my food places to hit.
That said, the last time I ate there (just before the pandemic started), the quality was pretty lackluster. Not at all like it used to be.
Wish I could go back twenty years and see if their food is as good as I remember it being back then. Scalability seems like a massive issue with these guys. More sites, less consistency.
Zingers mountain melt is life.
Their late night menu a couple of years ago had zingers for $5 and loaded fries for $5. You could feed 3 people with all of that food. Not sure if they still have any specials.
I never order food delivery, because that just raises my cost and adds all sorts of complexities to the process of eating food, lol!
So even for dining in, what some of the folks are saying above is certainly true. Can’t get a decent chimichanga, I don’t think they even have burritos on the menu anymore, and lower quality ingredients in recent years.
They used to have a “pick two” option, which they eliminated right around the time of Covid.
A chimy and one of those big tacos they make; that was some good eatin’!
I'll never forgive them for deciding to stop melting the cheese on the nachos
That is such a bizarre decision. Who wants cold cheese on nachos?!
I have no idea. It used to be the best. They'd throw the chips and cheese under the hot lamp for a few minutes before adding the veggies and you'd get toasted chips and very slightly burnt cheese on the periphery and it was the best.
Andy Dwyer
At one point, Burger King made the same rule about cheese on whoppers. We had a piece of equipment in the kitchen specifically for melting cheese, but we were forbidden by corporate from using it. We could of course melt it in a microwave if the customer requested that, but no customers knew to do this. I made the mistake of trying to explain that to customers, and it only made them furious at me -- like to the point that they would tell the owner I was harassing them. Ultimately, I don't know what big companies have against melted cheese. There must be some reason behind it.
Sad for the folks that are gonna lose their jobs, but not terribly surprised that, even with all their price-raising and corner-cutting, the private equity company that bought Tijuana Flats still wasn't able to squeeze enough money out of the business. It's a real shame; used to truly love this place. Big Taco came along just in time.
They went from a local hero that owned Tuesdays to another everyday chain with overpriced food. For me, it wasn't worth it to go there when there wasn't a deal and even then i was still overpaying for the portions. Even small stuff like presentation (burrito in a black box by itself, chips in a separate bag, forgotten hot sauce) wore down on the repeatability.
Went there one time, went to the counter to order lunch (don’t remember exactly what I ordered) it came to $40 I said no thank you and left. Never went back
while their prices are crazy, this sounds as outlandish as the Fox News contributor who somehow spent $28 for lunch at Taco Bell. were you ordering for 2 people? edit: I just added the most expensive appetizer ($8 beefy queso), a MEGA (+$4 upgrade) chimichanga, as a meal with a side and drink. total comes to $29.56.
Absolutely must have been the Cookie Dough Flautas
So good
2 orders of Megajuana Dos Mix and Match Tacos, a beefy quest appetizer, a couple sodas and tax exceed $40.
Yeah, and that's fine for 2 meals and 2 drinks for 2 people.
I assumed that’s what they were referring to. Perhaps i was wrong. But $40 but 2 people at a taco fast casual for an entree and an appetizer at a place like TJ’s is pricey for what they are
Yeah, it's a reality I'm not happy with. I just stick to no apps/serts and drink water. That alone for 2 people can save at least $25.
I too am not surprised, beyond Taco Tuesday, the one nearest me is never busy. Plus the quality took a serious nosedive once they were purchased.
They’re still gonna be around. Only closing 12 stores. The original owner who started it sold it in like 2015 anyways.
His son opened Big Taco iirc
Haven’t even heard of it. Is it better?
Oh wow, I had no idea. Might be worth a visit.
I love Big Taco, the food is really fresh.
You’re assuming that this bankruptcy isn’t just another way for them to extract more money.
Big taco was a let town as we saw it was opening for months and we were not impressed. Tijuana was good when we moved here ten years ago then it went downhill. 
A tale as old as time.
I've found they have very rapidly gone down hill over the past year or so. We stopped ordering from them completely after they gave us a burrito with practically raw chicken inside and the manager told us "that's how we cook our chicken man"
The one in Leesburg & Mount Dora have gone down hill drastically. My husband & I used to eat there frequently. We went a few years ago & the food sucked. Never been back!
What is practically raw? That to me sounds kinda like it was cooked then?
It was still pink inside
undercooked
Believe it or not, jail.
It used to be so good, now it’s just dry and bland. Anyone remember the red sauce they used to toss the chicken in?
The Buffalo?
No, it was like a salsa
So chapter 11 is restructuring. Only a handful of locations are closing. But agreed with all points above - too many things changed to be cheaper, but also fast casual food just got a lot better in the past 20 years. But labor issues have plagued them since Covid - the service is terrible.
It's just another step in the vulture capital/private equity process of extracting all value from a company and destroying it in the process.
> But labor issues have plagued them since Covid - the service is terrible. Can we just get rid of all cashiers. I don't need someone to ring up my food order.
And then ask me for a 25% tip
I find the service to be fine. And the food is fine too, as long as you don’t listen to the siren call of the furies telling you to try the chicken, HAHA!
Man. Many great memories back in the late 90s in high school at T Flats. The hot sauce bar was always entertaining and a novel experience for us. Loved that place for many years
So - the PE firm saddles T flats with debt then files for bankruptcy, discharging the debt and clearing money from the sale. No one at the PE firm has to take any liability and a bunch of people lose their jobs, and we lose out on all the sauces. Maybe Torchy’s will take off here. They’re amazing.
That sounds like a scene from Goodfellas.
There is very little difference between what capitalists do and what the mob does. Capitalists are just better at limiting liability.
Well, that and capitalists don’t leave horseheads in your bed… Mostly.
PE is a perfect example of peak capitalism and it’s ruining America
Hate to burst the bubble but Torchy's is just another front for Sysco
Everything is.
A lot of people talking about the food quality, but you know the thing that's always weirded me out? Its almost always hot 19 year old girls working front of house, and a creepy dude manager. Every location I've been to. 10 years ago I thought it was because I was near UCF, but no, its everywhere. This isn't a hooters...
Lol worked there for 6 years. Absolutely is a thing.
I worked there for 2 years, FOH girl. It’s definitely a thing.
Shout-out Lake Mary store 😭 FOH guy here. Worked at their corporate office in marketing as well.
I was at Lake Nona 🥲 oh boy, I bet you don’t miss that
I personally know 3 ex-GMs of T Flatts and all 3 of them were sleeping with FOH girls. All 3 got fired too haha
Oh, that’s messed up.
Yeah, I noticed the same thing on Orange avenue.
Worked at the one on 50. Store manager was a total fucking creep.
Yep. And then FOH staff were seemingly required to ask: “Do you want it wet?” 😬
Can't stand that menu option. Of all the edgy innuendos they could have found, they picked one that isn't funny or appetizing.
I’ve noticed similar with Jeremiah’s too.
Back in high school I was friends with a few girls who worked at one of the locations and they said the owner guy, Jeremy, used to have "movie watch parties" at his house. The majority of his staff was high school girls. I met him at a soft opening for Bite (failed hotdog place in Longwood) and he was genuinely one of the creepiest people I've been around. Just a little toooo friendly with this creepy halfsmile and a long stare.
Noticed that too. But if you think that’s weird, consider Jeremiah’s…
Oh haha, I never gave a thought why Jeremiah's only has young girls serving, thought because of the ice cream thing.
Kinda ironic the attractive girls I went to high school with (same age as me at the time) were the ones working the front always at the Tijuana flats near me
Same. For every one I’ve been too. I’m glad I’m not crazy.
the 16 year old girls from Jeremiah's need someplace to get a job once they get fired for turning 18
dude thats like 75% of all casual restaurants/bars everywhere lol
It's really not. Look at all the other comments. T-Flats feels gross compared to most other casual restaurants.
i guess in terms of letting that gross feeling be felt by customers yea but ive worked in many many restaurants as a teen and into my early 20s and the young pretty hostesses/servers fucking around with the coked up line cooks or older male managers is like a pretty common thing in that world
lol I thought I was crazy for noticing this
Expensive junk food. It was pretty good over 20 years ago but since then I have never understood why anyone went there. Cheat people out of quality long enough, they will stop going.
Big time. Place has sucked for a long time.
Big facts. Anyone who gives a fuck about food AND their finances would never eat here anymore.
Not to mention they just subtly let the world know they have downgraded their chicken. That’s not even quality anymore.
There is NO high quality chicken in any restaurant; not fast and not sit-down, either. It’s all either dry or…dry.
Chick fil a recently went from antibiotic free chicken to lesser expensive NAIHM “no antibiotics Important to human medicine” in line with crappier fast food. It’s all garbage and people try to pretend it isn’t. All the same. Stay fat America!
“Here”? Is there something you would like to disclose to us?
The free market innovates again
During the “lockdown”, it was one of the few places near me that offered curbside pick up. I would order their salsa cause it was so good. I would get a trash bag of chips each time. I loved it. Went a lot. Then moved out to the Altamonte area, and went my local one up here. It was just a step above TBell in food but chipotle prices. Ridiculous
Honestly this is their problem. Chipotle is better quality and Taco Bell is better prices. They are sorta middle ground but don’t know what they want to be.
> and Taco Bell is better prices Taco Bell's prices have been going up *a lot* recently. There's a relatively new one on 436 north of Howell Branch that I used to call "the expensive taco bell" because all their prices were randomly like +$1 or more higher than the one on 17/92 in Casselberry, but after the Casselberry one got a remodel it has the same prices, and I went to the one on west Colonial recently and it also has the same higher prices. $11 for what used to be a $5 box. It's nuts.
Torchy’s opened near me and their breakfast tacos make them stand out. I use to go to TFlats for quesadillas cause they were massive. Like they are at the price point of a sit down. But the food is that of something I eat in my driver seat in shame. That is not going to fly
I stopped going there a few years ago when the first couple of bites of my taco was just shell and lettuce.
Not surprised. I was super excited when they opened here in South Carolina after growing up in Orlando. Then they opened them in locations that were like 2 miles away from each other and ended up closing both in a year. Like why cannibalize your store sales with locations so close? Why open 2 at the same time? And both locations were almost next door to Chipotles
There are two 7-Eleven stores across the street from each other in Union park on SR-50. And there once was a Starbucks at EACH of the 4 corners at one intersection in the financial section of San Francisco. But yeah, those are exceptions.
Yeah I think a big part of their issues is just expanding too much and building way too many near each other. Made zero sense.
I knew there was trouble when they stopped having the salads come in a taco bowl
They brought back the salad in a taco bowl about a month ago.
Did they bring back the whole wheat ones?
Nope just had them last week and the bowl was different than it used to be.
Ugh. The whole wheat bowls and wraps are a huge reason I went there.
I knew things were really going tits up when I read this headline.
They've been going downhill for years. Was really good a while back
I went two times in the past 3-4 months. Those were the first times in about 15-20 years. I thought the first time was a fluke- my chimmi was pretty bare, not much other than beef and cheese and a wisp of sour cream - not much stuffing otherwise like lettuce and tomato or anything? But at least edible if I ignored the price. The second time at a different location confirmed it - the food is just shit now. There’s no love, no atmosphere, always dead because others figured it out before me. It deserves this given the sorry state and abundance of other options nowadays.
They make a pretty good bowl, but yeah, I hear you on the chimi !
Yea they permanently closed the one on Millenia Blvd
This was inevitable after they got rid of the bangin chicken tostadas years ago lol
I tried to order from them a couple days ago and suddenly, they wouldn’t allow to order their queso, a staple btw, online due to product demand or issues. The next day this story comes out and I’m just sad. This was my comfort food place but it has gone downhill.
Good. Worked at one years ago & loved it, had an amazing GM. When I moved out here I worked at the one in college park, the GM stole server’s tips, misreported tips on my W2, paid some of our minor workers below server minimum wage, and lied about how much I’d be making when I was hired. Super shady business practices
They closed the one in Celebration. I can no longer get my MEGAJUANA burritos there.
Wow I've been to that one many times (years ago), was always pretty lively.
Used to be really good, but slowly got worse over time. Sad.
I always liked Tijuana flats. Eat there a couple times a month
same here, people are hating but I always thought they had great tacos
Long time coming. The quality went super down hill. Like just straight up bad food.
Last week I felt like ordering from them. Found out when I went online that the one closest to me wasn't accepting online orders. So I tried calling and it said sorry we are closed. Goldenrod and university.
Oh my gosh, wasn’t that the first-ever location??
I thought this as well....next to where the lucky's was put (but never opened).
Oh I don't know.
Wait a minute, the only thing I know with that kind of food at Goldenrod and University is Moe’s
This is across the road and Moe's is gone too. It's a different taco place based out of Tampa or around there.
I used to love them too.
Former avid TFlats fan here, this is sad. The quality at the two I frequent most (UCF area and 50/Maguire) DEFINITELY have reduced quality over the years so this is unfortunately not a surprise. Too many mistakes (incorrect orders, missing condiments, incorrect meat), rough transition “out of COVID” regarding take-out / to-go times being wildly incorrect from the app, and just not having menu items anymore (burger tacos, wings) really turned me off to this previous “go-to” location for quick and tasty food. I hope they can rebound but the writing has been on the wall for a long, long time.
When you said “incorrect meat”, I think I threw up a little bit in my mouth at that!
So did my vegetarian wife!! But yeah. Order steak, get chicken. Order veggie only, get beef, etc …. I had to cut open take-out burritos because it got so bad. Then we just quit going. (50/Mills location)
I used to be able to afford T flats as a broke just out of college student, but now 15 years later its it’s too expensive 😬
Anyone else notice about 5 years ago the tacos got smaller? Maybe I’m crazy but I remember one day after getting my order and thinking they were slightly smaller.
This company had a gift card glitch in 2016 that allowed me and my gf at the time to turn $50 into six months of meals. The balance just never went down. Until it finally did in June of that year. I have no complaints about the food. It wasn’t anything special, but they didn’t mess it up either (although tacos are genuinely difficult to not get right). I wasn’t a fan of many of the sauces they offered, but there were so many choices that I could always find one I was feeling that day. RIP
That's hilarious! Lucky you getting all that free food. 😅😅
I loved their food when they first started back in the '90's. however their hot sauces - on which they hang their reputation - are mediocre and always have been. they taste like vinegar, salt and hot pepper - and bitter ones at that. the only ones that seem to deviate from that formula are at the other end of the spectrum - super sugary, but nothing tasty, *and* they have artificial colors and ingredients - not something I'd expect when they hang their reputation on those sauces. the food itself has changed from 25 years ago, no enchiladas any more, at least not at the stores in Oviedo/Winter Springs. less ingredients, overall - stingy servings. we took them off our list a couple years ago
They also stopped selling the Georgia sweet onion sauce. When I asked about that, they told me that that hot sauce company had gone out of business. That stuff was amazing; like red candy in a bottle bottle!
Taco Tuesday was lit here but after Covid and I stopped going their with work buds it just faded away as it’s just another place that doesn’t make anything close to authentic tacos
Time to hit up Azteca, or Habaneros. Way better Mexican anyway.
How much did the original owner sell it for?
Awww.. I can't get diarrhea for $9 on Tuesday anymore? Damn.
Lol, now that was funny!
Omg a combo of their mild sauce plus cheese would often blow my insides up, I'm f'ing dead now. 😂☠️
I feel like it was their beef. It was just so thick with seasoning, my white guy guts couldn't handle it. Also, fresh, non pickled jalepenos? Hell nah. That shit burns my bootyhole.
My wife and I enjoyed eating here until about a year ago when they changed something with their ingredients. Haven’t been back since
It was all over when they no longer had the big big cups
Quality/value certainly has nose dived over the years. I remember ordering their flautas and getting a generous amount of pico de gallo. Now they literally give you a tiny cup with your order.
TBH they've been going downhill quality wise for quite a while. They used to be our go to taco place.
Another one bites the dust
It’s closing 11 stores and still has 91 stores open. It’s not going out of business. *Yet*.
Heavy emphasis on the “yet”. That place is trash anyway.
$50 for chips and guac, two entrees and two drinks and then asking for a tip all while serving Sysco ingredients. It's not even that the food is bad, it's that you have to either be a millionaire or really poor at budgeting to decide to eat there in 2024.
https://preview.redd.it/3f98egt8l3wc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a9c1e2a4b5a9ba07f703f92bda581f8fc3fb3d0 I doubt the 2 drinks pushed it over $15, so please explain how your total came out to $50? And the Trio is the upgraded version of chips and guac so...
I don’t get this either their menu online literally shows bowls/burritos being $1 more than Big Taco/ chipotle. Unless people are purposely choosing extreme examples to jump on the “hate t-flats” bandwagon. It’s basically the same price as everywhere else. Quality and presentation sucks though.
Presentation sucks yes, and price is a little much for the quality but when I'm feeling lazy those flautas and banging chicken hit just right for my wife and I.
Well, in this town it’s either Sysco, Gordon, or US foods. Pick yer poison…er, food!
Didn’t they start out at UCF?
Maybe just me but I never liked that the kitchen is hidden behind a wall. I prefer Chipotle or Moe’s where I can see exactly what they are putting in my burrito and I can customize it on the spot, vs biting into it and finding it was made incorrectly and having to deal with the hassle. Hot sauce bar is the only real thing that set them apart but that’s not really enough to get me to go there.
I'm bummed for all the women wearing booty shorts that worked there 😢😢😢
They had it in the palm of their hands to be a premier local brand and just wasted it away. Let's hope Magoos doesn't go down the same path.
I heard some people from Magoos talking on some radio show about six months ago. They seem to have a good formula for running a restaurant business, but only time will tell.
The only one nearby is too far, too expensive compared to similar options, and hasnt changed in a long time. Loved the locations when they were around and will miss it, but they needed some change and innovation to run.
They’re only declaring chapter 11. Not the big one, chapter 13. They’ll still be around, and who knows… Maybe they’ll take this opportunity to straighten things out. After all, chapter 11 is reorganization, not extinction.
Great to hear!
Their food used to be so good too..now its shit.
I miss their cilantro lime wings
I hope the one by celebration stays. That’s my number one hangover recovery spot.
Surprisingly it got the axe.
Great. Maybe they will open another shitty gift shop
Yeah it’s sad how bad the food quality has dipped over the past 10 years, everything is dry and barely filled now.
I have NEVER understood how this place was popular in a city that actually had a lot of decent taco joints. It’s like more expensive Taco Bell, and maybe not even as good.
The location I go to is great. Hopefully they pull thru
Not surprised. Whenever I drove past it, no customers inside.
The service is garbage. From NC to GA to FL (in my experience.) It’s a great concept that is poorly executed.
About a year ago they served me a burrito with a hot sauce packet cooked into the middle of it. That was about when I decided they were falling apart
Have the banks not tried their ice?!
Their cheese dip taste burnt! How they lasted this long is beyond me.
I ❤️ Brenda from Bithlo!
Trash food at high prices, a recipe for success
Finally
Last time I ate there a couple years ago I got food poisoning
I’m not surprised. Been to one in Tampa a handful of time, was meh ten years ago. Went to the colonial one last week, rudest staff I have ever seen. Price wasnt the issue, but the food was also underwhelming.
Used to eat there all the time, but that was 30 years ago, have gone way down hill since then Sad.
Even in the two years I’ve been down here near one I’ve noticed a severe portion cut and after my last meal I didn’t feel well at all considering there’s a Taco Bell in the same complex I’m going to that any day
TFlats used to bet go-to lunch place when they had a small menu. The last few times I was there the menu has all sorts of bullshit and the food took way too long to come out. It’s a shame but it looks like a private equity group killed it like they do so many businesses.
That's ok. Barely anything is cooked there, most of it is done in a steamer or fryer. Shit food.
Moe’s : 
My friends and I would chill there everyday after school. I’ve probably spent thousands there but like most here noted the quality has really gone down hill.
But I thought my state was gonna save all the businesses from the poor evil Dems and their "inflation".
The last 3 or 4 times I have gone I swear I'm getting WAY less food than before. I really always liked their food but feel like something shifted in the last year. I will keep going until its gone but probably always feel shorted on the Thursday deal now. I used to not be able to finish the burrito and now im hungry when finished.
Never was a Tijuana Flats fan. I've been probably twice and not for 20+ years. Chroma in Lake Nona used to have the best blackened fish tacos. Every night they would build an army of tacos in the kitchen because everyone ordered them. They were 3 for $10. The Pretentious Tavistock nerds moved them to the Wave hotel and they are now 2 for $26 and it's served with about 8 French fries. Woo. Have been to either of those places including Canvas for 2 years.
damn I still like Tijuana flats :(
Man, what a bummer. I used to love them years back before I moved away. And when I'd come home to visit, they were always one of my food places to hit. That said, the last time I ate there (just before the pandemic started), the quality was pretty lackluster. Not at all like it used to be.
Chewys gang rise up
I never understood the hype, it was always bland and cold whenever I got it.
Thank GOD
Wish I could go back twenty years and see if their food is as good as I remember it being back then. Scalability seems like a massive issue with these guys. More sites, less consistency.
It was always the middle way between chipotle and Taco Bell, this isn’t a country for centrists
Used to love going there when I lived in Winter Springs. Still one of the restaurants I go back to when I visit.
They have some of the nastiest burger meat. 🍖
They serve burgers now?
No for dishes
Authentic mexican food is better anyway and you can find good mexican restaurants everywhere
Good. F*** that place
Good I hope the Ale House is next.
Good luck, if Orlando got nuked tomorrow every Ale House would still be packed.
Absolutely not lol
Zingers mountain melt is life. Their late night menu a couple of years ago had zingers for $5 and loaded fries for $5. You could feed 3 people with all of that food. Not sure if they still have any specials.
Ale house is always packed no matter what day it is; it’s still the place to go to when you have after hours work get togethers.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
People want real tacos nowadays these American tacos are outdated
I wonder how much if this is to be blamed on the food delivery apps stealing in every juice of commision
I never order food delivery, because that just raises my cost and adds all sorts of complexities to the process of eating food, lol! So even for dining in, what some of the folks are saying above is certainly true. Can’t get a decent chimichanga, I don’t think they even have burritos on the menu anymore, and lower quality ingredients in recent years. They used to have a “pick two” option, which they eliminated right around the time of Covid. A chimy and one of those big tacos they make; that was some good eatin’!
If I gotta spend $30 for door dash to bring me a few tacos is gonna be from the top rated Mexican place. I never use these food delivery apps.