Key points:
• Del Taco abruptly closes Tucker restaurant, 10 other Georgia locations.
• The chain faced declining sales, rising operating costs, leading to bankruptcy.
• Del Taco has announced its plans to reopen.
A popular Mexican fast food chain has abruptly closed its Tucker restaurant and a number of other Georgia locations, according to several reports.
However, on. Feb. 20, representatives for Del Taco corporate said the abrupt closures were a franchisee decision, and there are plans to reopen those locations.
The Del Taco, located at 4227 Lavista Road, as well as locations across metro Atlanta and Columbus, including franchises in Snellville, Lawrenceville, Smyrna, Douglasville, Calhoun, Dalton, Centerville, Fort Oglethorpe, Rome, and Columbus, were closed as of Feb. 17, Paul-Michel Donahie, spokesperson for Del Taco, told Rough Draft Atlanta.
Del Taco’s franchisee, Matadoor Restaurant Group, closed all the restaurants in Columbus, Macon, and Atlanta, but Del Taco’s corporate entity is now considering options to reopen the stores as soon as possible.
“This closure occurred without prior notice to Del Taco,” Donahie said in a statement. “The franchisee is currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, and we are actively exploring options to reopen these locations as soon as possible.”
Updates on the reopening plans will be shared once they’re finalized, Donahie said.
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The restaurant chain, founded in 1964, had been facing declining sales and rising operating costs, which led to its parent company, Matadoor Restaurant Group, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2025. This, according to court filings with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina.
“Despite its efforts to reduce expenses, Matadoor’s revenue has not been able to keep up with the MCA obligations, and the debtor’s cash flow is not able to make up the difference,” the court filing stated.
At that time of the filing last summer, the franchise still operated 22 locations in Georgia and Alabama. As of Feb. 19, no locations remain open in Georgia, and one Huntsville location remains open in Alabama, according to Del Taco’s website.
Authentic cuisine
Del Taco is known for its Mexican and American menu items, like the Double Del cheeseburger and carne asada steak fries. In 2025, USA Today named Del Taco a Best Reader’s Choice award winner.
The Tucker location opened in December 2019, with City of Tucker awarding Del Taco Business of the Month in January 2020. At the time, Del Taco was expanding its locations in metro Atlanta.
“We’ve come to Tucker to basically serve the community great food and hopefully make a difference,” James Harris, Del Taco manager, said in 2020. “We want to bring them some authentic Mexican-American cuisine and…make our mark in Tucker so we can build our brand.”
After the bankruptcy filing last year, locations in Hiram, McDonough, Conyers, Riverdale, and Kennesaw closed. The franchise continues to run more than 550 locations in Florida and South Carolina, and about a dozen locations in other states.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.