Franchising

Taco Bell operator Southpaw expands Midwest footprint with Columbus acquisition

Photo: Refrina - stock.adobe.com

June 29, 2026

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Southpaw, a quick-service restaurant operator, has acquired 43 Taco Bell locations in the Columbus, Ohio, area, according to a press release.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

With the addition of the Columbus portfolio, Southpaw now owns more than 185 Taco Bell locations across seven states. Including its Dunkin' locations, the company operates more than 230 restaurants in nine states, generating more than $475 million in annual sales.

Southpaw executives said the acquisition allows the company to expand its reach into one of the Midwest's fastest-growing metropolitan areas. The newly acquired locations will be managed by an Ohio-based leadership team. The company stated it intends to use the acquisition to spur further investment and talent development in finance, technology, and operations across the region.

"Columbus represents exactly the kind of dynamic, high-growth market where we've seen Taco Bell thrive," Judd Wishnow, co-founder and co-CEO of Southpaw, said in the press release. "In the QSR industry, it is exceedingly rare to find a brand that is truly firing on all cylinders the way Taco Bell is, characterized by segment dominance, market-leading profits and breakthrough marketing. Since first establishing our relationship with Taco Bell more than eight years ago, we've come to deeply appreciate what makes this brand exceptional, and we look forward to bringing that same commitment to a new community of customers."

The expansion follows Southpaw's recent acquisitions of nearly 40 Taco Bell locations in the Atlanta market in June 2023 and 16 locations in the Shreveport, Louisiana, area in 2024.

"This acquisition is a reflection of the culture we have built from the ground up at Southpaw — one that starts at the top and is carried through every level of our organization," Erica Spector Wishnow, co-founder and co-CEO of Southpaw, added in the press release. "Successfully scaling that culture across thousands of employees and hundreds of locations is no small feat, and it is what sets us apart as an operator. We look forward to bringing that same energy and discipline to our new Columbus locations."

Founded in 2009, Southpaw employs approximately 5,000 people across its portfolio.