It happened fast. One minute you're dunking a Trailer Park taco into a side of Green Chile Queso, and the next, there’s a "closed" sign taped to the door of the Carytown Exchange. If you live in or around Richmond, Virginia, the news that Torchy’s Tacos was pulling back felt like a glitch in the matrix. They had just arrived, after all.
Honestly, the timeline is what trips most people up. Torchy’s didn't just close one spot; they basically halved their footprint in the RVA area almost as quickly as they built it. In August 2025, the Austin-based chain confirmed it was shuttering two of its three local outposts. Specifically, the Carytown and Midlothian locations served their last "Damn Good" tacos on August 26, 2025.
For a brand that usually moves with the momentum of a freight train, this retreat was a rare moment of public friction.
Why Torchy's Tacos Richmond Locations Closing Caught Us Off Guard
You’ve gotta look at the math to understand why this felt so jarring. Both the Carytown and Midlothian restaurants had only been open since 2023. We’re talking about a two-year run. That’s barely enough time for a kitchen to find its rhythm, let alone for a massive private-equity-backed chain to decide a market isn't working.
The Carytown spot at 3510 W. Cary St. was supposed to be a crown jewel. It was over 4,400 square feet of prime real estate in the high-traffic Carytown Exchange development. It had the patio, the full bar, and the built-in foot traffic of a Publix-anchored center. Meanwhile, the Midlothian location at 1315 Huguenot Road was sitting pretty right next to Chesterfield Towne Center.
Then, suddenly, they were gone.
The Private Equity Factor
Back in 2020, Torchy’s took a massive $400 million investment from General Atlantic. When that kind of money enters the chat, the goals change. It’s no longer just about making a great taco; it’s about "scalable growth" and "high-opportunity markets."
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CEO Paul Macaluso has been pretty open about the fact that closing restaurants is never easy, but it’s often a "strategic shift." Basically, if a location isn't hitting specific internal benchmarks for long-term impact, the corporate office isn't going to wait five years for it to turn a profit. They’d rather cut bait and move that capital to a "flagship" project elsewhere—like the upscale, 2,500-square-foot "version 2.0" model they just announced for Dallas in 2026.
The "Death Spiral" vs. Market Saturation
If you scroll through local Richmond forums or chat with the regulars who frequented the Short Pump location (which, by the way, is still open), you’ll hear a lot of theories.
Some folks call it the "death spiral." This is that slow-motion train wreck where service starts to lag, portions get a little skimpier, and prices creep up until the value proposition just vanishes. In a city like Richmond, which has a deeply territorial and incredibly high-quality local food scene, a chain has to be perfect to survive.
You’re competing against:
- Wong’s Tacos: A local favorite with a cult following.
- Don’t Look Back: The Carytown staple that people actually feel an emotional connection to.
- En Su Boca: Which has that gritty, authentic vibe chains struggle to replicate.
When you’re the "new kid from Texas" charging premium prices for a taco, the margin for error is razor-thin. If the queso isn't piping hot or the wait time hits 30 minutes on a Tuesday, people just go back to their local spots.
Is This Happening Everywhere?
Kinda, but not exactly. While the Torchy's Tacos Richmond locations closing made waves in Virginia, the company is still expanding in other states. They recently hit a milestone of over 130 locations.
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However, Richmond wasn't the only casualty. We saw a similar "flame out" in Columbus, Ohio, where they closed their Polaris location around the same time in 2025. Even in their home turf of Austin, they recently shut down the iconic Guadalupe Street location near the UT campus—though they blamed that one on rising rents and light rail construction rather than bad sales.
It feels like Torchy’s is in a "pruning" phase. They are cutting the underperformers to fund more "upscale" and "efficient" prototypes. It sucks for the employees in Midlothian and Carytown, but from a business perspective, it's a cold, hard pivot toward higher-density, high-margin urban spots.
What’s Left for RVA Taco Junkies?
If you're still craving that Diablo sauce, you aren't totally out of luck. The Short Pump location at 11120 W. Broad St. is still standing. It seems to have the volume and the suburban "destination" status that the other two lacked.
But for those who lived in the city or the Southside, the loss of the Carytown and Midlothian spots means a much longer drive.
Actionable Takeaways for the Local Foodie
If you're bummed about the closures, here is how you can pivot your taco game in 2026:
- Support Local First: If you want a restaurant to stay, you’ve got to show up. Chains like Torchy's are managed by spreadsheets in Texas; local spots are managed by people who live in your neighborhood.
- Watch the Short Pump Location: Keep an eye on the Broad Street spot. If they start cutting hours or the menu shrinks, it might be a sign that the brand is reconsidering the entire Richmond market.
- Explore the "Double Feature": If you do make the trek to Short Pump, Torchy's recently launched a "Double Feature" deal for their 20th anniversary in 2026—$20 for a meal for two. It’s a clear attempt to win back the "value" crowd they lost during the 2024 price hikes.
- Check the "Secret Menu": Most people forget that the "Ace of Spades" and the "Trailer Park Hillbilly Style" are still things you can order even if they aren't on the big board.
The Richmond food scene is notoriously difficult for national brands to crack. We like our food with a bit of local soul. While Torchy’s definitely has the flavor, they might have underestimated just how much Richmonders value their homegrown institutions over a private-equity-backed export.
At the end of the day, the Richmond market is just doing what it does best: weeding out the things that don't quite fit the local vibe. If you’re a fan, enjoy the Short Pump location while it’s here. If not, there’s always a local taco truck around the corner waiting for your business.
Next Steps: If you're heading to the remaining Short Pump location, check their mobile app before you go. They’ve been rolling out location-specific "anniversary rewards" throughout 2026 that aren't always advertised in-store. It’s probably the best way to get that Green Chile Queso fix without paying the full "private equity" premium.