Customers and employees were left searching for answers this week after Gringos Locos, the Tex-Mex chain famed for its “Double D” tacos, abruptly closed all four of its Orlando-area restaurants without any public explanation from ownership.
The shutdown affected the chain’s longtime downtown Orlando flagship, which had served customers for more than a decade, along with locations in the Milk District, SoDo and on the University of Central Florida’s main campus, according to News 6. By Monday morning, the downtown restaurant remained locked despite signage indicating it should have opened at 11 am, with its lights and menu screens switched off and no staff visible inside.
Restaurant Chain Gringos Locos Closes: How Did Customers And Staff Learn Of The Closures?
Regular patrons said they had no inkling the chain was in trouble before finding its doors shut. Customer Zoe Wheatcroft told News 6 she was a frequent visitor, saying, “I come like every other week. I come by myself. I come with coworkers. It’s a great spot. Tacos, burritos, whatever,” adding of the closure, “It sucks. I really love their tacos.” An employee working near the downtown location told the broadcaster she saw Gringos Locos managers come outside crying on Sunday night after learning the restaurant would be shutting down, having apparently received no advance warning themselves.
Workers at other locations described a similarly abrupt notice. According to Bungalower, one employee at the Milk District branch said staff were told on Friday night that the restaurant would close permanently once it ran out of food the following day, and were instructed not to inform customers until Saturday. “We wanted to tell customers but were told not to say anything until Saturday,” the employee said, adding that the closure left them unemployed with no notice.
Restaurant Chain Gringos Locos Closes: What Led To The Chain’s Sudden Collapse?
Employees pointed to years of internal conflict and financial strain behind the scenes. The Bungalower report cited a worker who described a prolonged dispute between the company’s owners, unpaid bills, and deteriorating conditions at some locations, including broken air conditioning and plumbing issues, alongside recent price increases that had frustrated customers still recovering from the pandemic. A separate employee, cited by Knight News, said the closures came as the company worked through unspecified financial difficulties.
Restaurant Chain Gringos Locos Closes: What Has The Company Said Publicly About The Closures?
Despite the shutdowns, Gringos Locos’ website remained online as of Monday afternoon and continued listing job openings, including for the UCF location, according to News 6. TheStreet reported it attempted to contact all locations by phone, but calls were routed directly to voicemail, and the company has issued no official statement addressing the closures or their cause.
Founded on Washington Street in downtown Orlando in 2009, Gringos Locos grew into a four-location local chain celebrated for its oversized burritos and cult-favourite Double D combination taco, drawing a loyal late-night following among college students, service industry workers and downtown regulars over its seventeen-year history. As of publication, all four locations remain closed, with customers turning to the chain’s social media pages for updates that have yet to arrive.
