Naughty Chile Taqueria announced the opening of seven new locations throughout south central and western U.S.

Adding seven new locations brings the total to 46 taquerias nationwide. The new stores are at Stop-A-Minit stores in both Diana and Gilmer, Texas; Pak-A-Sak in Amarillo, Texas; Sunnyslope Market in Nampa, Idaho; Butler Market South in Bend, Oregon; Culver Market in Culver, Oregon; and Pious Petroleum in Oakland, California.

“This has been a great summer for Naughty Chile Taqueria,” says Shultz Hartgrove, founder and president. “The seven new locations are in terrific markets and our new partners bring a wealth of foodservice experience to the table. The Oakland taqueria marks our first in California.”

The expansion of Naughty Chile Taqueria comes at a time when the Mexican restaurant industry dominates the country’s culinary scene. As of 2018, the US houses more than 62,000 Mexican restaurants, and the Mexican menu type edged out pizza to become the 2nd most popular in the country.

Nick Patel, owner of Pious Petroleum’s Oakland Gas location, attended the 2019 NACS show where he met Naughty Chile Taqueria.

“I was really impressed with the whole concept—easy fresh food preparation, a delicious quality product, and a very reasonable capital requirement,” adds Patel. “It’s the perfect quick meal offering for my customers in Oakland who prefer authentic ethnic foods.”