Latitude Food Group, the parent company of &pizza and Tijuana Flats, has hired James O’Reilly as its new chief executive officer, the company announced in a press release.
He replaces Mike Burns.
O’Reilly previously served as CEO of Ascent Hospitality, which owns Perkins and Huddle House. He also led Smokey Bones and Long John Silver’s as CEO, and worked as chief marketing officer for Sonic Drive-In and KFC U.S.A., according to his LinkedIn profile.
The release said O’Reilly will focus on amplifying momentum, driving disciplined growth and protecting the soul, distinct identity and guest connection that give each brand its edge. Both &pizza and Tijuana Flats have seen increased traffic and same‑store sales recently, and his job is to turn that sales momentum into franchise growth.
O’Reilly succeeds Mike Burns, who left Latitude in May to lead Cafe Rio through a brand turnaround. Under Burns, &pizza launched a franchising program and bought Tijuana Flats out of bankruptcy. The acquisition led to the creation of Latitude Food Group as the holding company for both brands.
After Burns left, Latitude was led on an interim basis by its general counsel, Cody Towns. Towns said the CEO search prioritized finding a leader committed to strategic continuity for the chains.
Franchising as the main growth engine
Under O’Reilly, Latitude plans to use franchising as its primary growth driver.
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The company now operates two distinct fast‑casual concepts with different customer bases, and O’Reilly’s experience running multiple chains fits that structure.
His background includes running Perkins and Huddle House.
That mix of sit‑down and quick‑service experience could help Latitude balance the needs of its two brands.
What O’Reilly brings to the table
The new CEO has spent most of his career in restaurant operations and marketing. His time as CMO at Sonic and KFC gave him a background in brand positioning, while his CEO roles at Smokey Bones, Long John Silver’s, and Ascent Hospitality put him in charge of multi‑unit systems.
It is not a typical background for running a company that owns a fast‑casual pizza chain and a Tex‑Mex brand. Latitude seems to value that breadth. The release emphasized O’Reilly’s ability to protect the soul of each brand while pushing for growth—a balance that often trips up restaurant companies that expand too fast.
Tijuana Flats emerged from bankruptcy under Burns’ leadership, and &pizza has been testing franchise locations in the Washington, D.C. area.