On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is getting ready to bring its bold, border-style Mex and ice-cold margaritas to the most northern and southern ends of the country.
Fueled by a renewed, aggressive franchise push, the world’s largest Mexican casual dining brand recently signed an area development agreement to add two locations to its pipeline in Anchorage, Alaska, and McAllen, Texas.
On The Border recently partnered with franchisee Perspective Hospitality to open its first restaurant in South Padre Island earlier this spring. Following success at the new location, Perspective Hospitality signed on to expand its portfolio with On The Border and open a second restaurant in McAllen this fall in the Embassy Suites, located at 800 Convention Center Blvd.
“I believe McAllen hasn’t seen a national Tex-Mex brand in nearly 20 years,” says Manager of Perspective Hospitality Hershal Patel. “We’re thrilled to introduce On The Border to this city and add a second location to our portfolio. Over the past few years, McAllen, and specifically Palms Crossing, has cemented its role as a dine-out hot spot for the upper Valley. Perspective Hospitality is looking forward to bringing On The Border’s unique and vibrant atmosphere to our flagship Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel.”
Following the McAllen restaurant opening, On The Border is teaming up with multi-unit franchise operators Jack Lewis, Ray Kizer and Richard Hobbs of Firetap Tikahtnu, LLC to make its Alaska debut. Slated to open in early 2022 in the Tikahtnu Commons Outdoor Mall in Anchorage, located at 1148 N. Muldoon, the new restaurant will be situated among many national retailers and will be within walking distance from the IMAX Regal Theatres latest movie entertainment center.
“We are so excited to bring the very first On The Border to Alaska, the last Frontier,” says Lewis, Firetap Tikahtnu managing partner. “There is nothing in the area that compares to On The Border’s bold flavors of Texas and Mexico, so we are eager to establish the best-in-class brand up north. We’ve secured a great location just outside the JBER military installation, making it easy for America’s heroes to enjoy our lively ambiance. We can’t wait to introduce On The Border’s delicious Tex-Mex specialties to Anchorage locals.”
“On The Border has made significant strides in franchising over the last year,” says On The Border Chief Real Estate Officer Mike Wood. “We continue to prove that we are a leader in the Mexican casual dining space as we introduce our brand to several new markets, including Anchorage and McAllen. We look forward to working with even more incredible franchisees as we spur tremendous growth across the nation.”
