[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]eddy Vasquez, the founder of the renowned Teddy's Red Tacos, told L.A. Taco that he is "bummed out and hurt" by the fact that he is dissolving his partnership with the Pico Rivera Restaurant that still bears his name. The move means the Pico Rivera location will no longer have the acclaimed recipe that has made Teddy's Red Tacos one of L.A.'s top taqueros.
"I don't really want to get into the details because I'm still weighing all my options," Vasquez said. "But I want to make it clear that I'm no longer part in any way of that place and that the only official locations are the original in Los Angeles and the new Venice location."
Vasquez also wanted to make it clear that his @TeddysRedTacos Instagram account is the only official account representing his brand. It appears Vasquez's former partners started an alternative account using Teddy's Red Tacos branding just one day ago.
Even though Vasquez did not want to get into the details, the comments on Instagram from customers at the Pico Rivera restaurant have been coming in relatively mixed as of late with complaints about the service and quality. "Bad service and food not being what it's supposed to be," said one comment.
In just more than a year of business, Teddy's Red Tacos has skyrocketed to the top of L.A.'s crowded taco scene with his signature TJ-style beef birria tacos. Vasquez's story, of rising from hustling birria from the trunk of his car to starting one of L.A.'s most respected fledgling taco chains, has put Teddy's Red Tacos into the national spot light with a Super Bowl Ad, a plethora of TV segments, and mass media attention.
Now the growing red taco empire has taken a small hit, but Vasquez was his usually positive self Thursday as he prepped for a big event at Grand Central Market.
"It's really sad and unfortunate but we still have a lot of big things in the works and are still very grateful for everything we have done," Vasquez said. "And I'm also grateful from the outpouring of support from the community.
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