Mission Burritos goes corporate

It’s one of those acquisitions that make us nervous. The creatively-named company Mexican Restaurants, Inc., has purchased local independent eatery Mission Burritos. Houston-based Mexican Restaurants, Inc. operates many “casual dining” establishments, including Casa Ole, Tortuga's and Monterey's.

Mission Burritos has been a longtime favorite of Houstonist. For 10 years now, it’s been consistently the best place to go when you get a hankering for a huge burrito, created on the spot with the top-notch ingredients you choose. The two-store chain has won several awards, including a Best of Citysearch award, several Houston Press awards, and an “excellent” rating from Zagat.

We hate to admit it, but we’re a little worried about the quality of the food and service diminishing after this acquisition. Not that anything is wrong with a little Casa Ole every now and then, but when comparing the quality of food between these two restaurants (cheese, for example), there’s a world of difference.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed and our taste buds are hoping for the best. We just hope there won't be Jose Lima Mission Burrito commercials in our future.