Fajita Pete’s, the “fresh off the grill” fajita catering and delivery concept, announce its 15th anniversary. The restaurant chain pioneered Tex-Mex catering and delivery to fill a niche of restaurant quality food that is made with the delivery guest in mind. Over the past 15 years, its award-winning fajitas have garnered a devoted fan base, numerous awards and accolades, and an impressive brand expansion across multiple states.
“We are immensely grateful to our loyal customers and dedicated staff who have been instrumental in making Fajita Pete’s a beloved part of their communities,” says Pedro “Pete” Mora, founder of Fajita Pete’s. “We’ve grown from a small kitchen with a big dream to a successful franchising company that continues to grow and serve sizzlin’ hot fajitas with a smile.”
A Colombian-born immigrant, Mora moved to the U.S. with his family as a child when the civil war forced them to flee. After graduating from the University of Houston entrepreneurship program, he opened a full-service restaurant. Six years later, Mora realized consumers were craving not only quality food, but also convenience. In 2008, he closed his 6,500-square-foot restaurant and moved to a 1,200-square-foot kitchen to launch Fajita Pete’s, a fast-casual concept focused almost entirely on Tex-Mex catering, delivery and pick-up.
Three weeks after opening, Hurricane Ike left Houston residents without power for days. Concerned for the well-being of his community, Mora cooked all the food in his cooler and hit the streets with his cousin, knocking on doors and feeding more than 80 families who were without electricity. This quickly led to a loyal customer base and a booming to-go order and delivery business. Fast forward 15 years, Fajita Pete’s just opened its 32nd restaurant in their fourth state, with an additional 70 units in the pipeline.
“While most restaurants had to adapt to delivery during the pandemic, Fajita Pete’s was designed for off-premise dining since its inception in 2008. We’ve honed this concept over 15 years, so our business model was perfectly positioned for recent changes in the industry,” says Mora.
Efficiency and quality are at the core of Fajita Pete’s success. A limited menu comprised of high-quality ingredients allows franchisees and operators to deliver fresh Tex-Mex with a side of convenience out of a small footprint. The streamlined menu allows for less equipment, less staff, favorable operating hours, and a hassle-free ordering experience for guests. Fajita Pete’s can serve hundreds of guests at a time for a large office catering, while also being equipped to handle high volumes of to-go orders for families in their communities.
An operator at heart, Mora is proud to announce plans to open his second location, located at 5201 Spruce St. in Bellaire, Texas, not far from the original Fajita Pete’s. “It is important for me to continue to grow my operations alongside our wonderful group of franchisees. They work so hard, and I want them to know that I am right there with them, day in and day out,” says Mora.
With restaurant openings slated for Westlake, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Plano, Wichita Falls, and Puerto Rico in the coming months, the future is bright for Fajita Pete’s, and the next 15 years are sure to bring continued success to the company as well as delicious and convenient Tex-Mex to communities across the country.
