Jul 8th 2026
Cotton Patch Cafe is now part of Local Favorite Restaurants, the Dallas-based group behind El Fenix and Snuffer’s. The move, announced June 29, 2026, brings the brand back under local Texas ownership — and if you’re wondering what changes at your neighborhood Cotton Patch, the short answer is: the good stuff doesn’t.
Key Takeaways
- Local Favorite Restaurants, founded by Dallas restaurateur Mike Karns, acquired Cotton Patch Cafe from Altamont Capital Partners on June 29, 2026.
- Nothing changes for guests: same scratch-made menu, same $9.99 Texas Value Meals, same 46 locations across Texas and New Mexico.
- Cotton Patch Cafe CEO Brandon Coleman III now leads all of Local Favorite Restaurants as CEO.
- The combined group operates 99 restaurants across ten Texas-born brands.
What Happened?
Local Favorite Restaurants acquired Cotton Patch Cafe from private investment firm Altamont Capital Partners, uniting two DFW-based restaurant teams under one roof. Local Favorite founder Mike Karns called Cotton Patch “a Texas identity that gives it meaningful room to grow,” and he’s backing that up with plans to expand the brand into new Texas markets. As part of the deal, Brandon Coleman III — who led Cotton Patch Cafe through six consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales and traffic growth — steps up as CEO of Local Favorite Restaurants, while Karns continues as the group’s Founder and Free-Range Creative. You can read the full announcement here.
Will Anything Change at Your Local Cotton Patch?
No — the menu, the scratch kitchen, and your local team stay exactly as they are. As Coleman put it, “the heart of the Cotton Patch experience is not changing.” That means hand-breaded Chicken Fried Steak with signature cream gravy, fresh-baked rolls, meals made from scratch every day, and the $9.99 Texas Value Meals that earned the brand a Gold Award for Best Cheap Eats in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s 2026 DFW Favorites Readers’ Choice Awards. What the deal does change is what’s ahead: with Local Favorite’s operating muscle behind it, Cotton Patch can grow into new Texas towns while keeping the small-town feel that’s defined it since 1989.
Who Is Local Favorite Restaurants?
Local Favorite Restaurants is a Dallas restaurant group founded by Mike Karns that owns and operates ten Texas brands — 99 restaurants in all after adding Cotton Patch Cafe. If you’ve eaten your way around DFW, you already know the family:
- El Fenix Mexican Restaurant — a Dallas institution since 1918
- Snuffer’s Restaurant & Bar
- Meso Maya and Taqueria La Ventana
- Twisted Root Burger Company, Village Burger Bar, Campuzano Mexican Food, and Wok Star Chinese
The group also owns Sunrise Mexican Foods, which makes fresh tortillas and chips for retailers and restaurants nationwide. In other words: Cotton Patch Cafe is joining a family that’s been feeding Texans for over a century.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Cotton Patch Cafe now?
Local Favorite Restaurants, a Dallas-based restaurant group founded by Mike Karns, has owned Cotton Patch Cafe since June 29, 2026. It acquired the brand from Altamont Capital Partners, a California private investment firm — returning Cotton Patch to Texas ownership.
Is the Cotton Patch Cafe menu changing?
No. The scratch-made menu — including hand-breaded Chicken Fried Steak, signature cream gravy, and fresh-baked rolls — stays the same, along with the $9.99 Texas Value Meals.
Are any Cotton Patch Cafe locations closing?
No closures were announced. All 46 locations across Texas and New Mexico continue operating as usual, and Local Favorite has said it plans to open Cotton Patch Cafes in new Texas markets.
Do my Cotton Patch gift cards and eClub membership still work?
Yes — gift cards and eClub memberships work just like before, including the free appetizer for new eClub members.
Is Cotton Patch Cafe still Texas-based?
More than ever. Cotton Patch was founded in Nacogdoches, Texas, in 1989, is headquartered in Southlake, and is now owned by a Dallas restaurant group.
Same Table. Same Gravy. Same Texas Welcome.
Come see for yourself — nothing's changed but the horizon.
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