Mas Restaurant Group, a 123-unit Taco Bell operator, has sold 44 of its stores in the Houston market to Ghai Restaurants, a Burger King and Taco Bell franchisee, according to a Monday press release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Mas has been backed by Bessemer Investors, a New York-based investment group, since 2018. Bessemer’s support helped MRG grow its store portfolio through development and acquisitions — including the 2021 purchase of 36 Taco Bells in the Columbus, Ohio, market from CL Companies.
Andrew Mendelsohn, managing director of Bessemer, said the sale reflected the success of Bessemer’s partnership with MRG, and that Bessemer would continue supporting the franchisee “through the next chapter.”
Ghai, according to the company’s LinkedIn page, operates upwards of 115 Burger Kings and 35 Taco Bells and seven Blaze Pizzas. The purchase of the Houston locations from MRG would more than double Ghai’s unit count with Taco Bell.
The Yum Brands chain has been a standout success among QSRs in recent years, with consistent same-store sales growth powered by a combination of consistent value plays and premium limited-time offers that sometimes translate into permanent menu items.
Ownership within Taco Bell’s system has been fairly consistent in recent years, according to its franchise disclosure document. In 2025, there were 134 transfers of ownership of traditional franchised Taco Bells to new owners other than the franchisor. Comparatively, there were 39 transfers in 2024 and 197 in 2023. The Ghai transaction will likely account for a significant portion of the brand’s ownership transfers in 2026.
