LeBron James brings in Taco Tuesday with new partnership

LeBron James is bringing back Taco Tuesday.

The Philadelphia 76ers star announced a new partnership with Mike's Red Tacos, where he will be investing in the franchise. He shared a video on Instagram of himself sitting down at one of their locations.

The NBA superstar started the video by saying he "wasn't having a good day" with a solemn tone and putting his head down. After a brief pause, he looks back up to face the camera and says, "Sike, it's Taco Tuesday!" as it pans over the table in front of him with trays worth of tacos.

"Man, it feels good to say IT’S TACOOOOOO TUESSDAAAAAAYYYYY!!!" James wrote in the caption. "And it feels even better to celebrate with the @mikesredtacos family. Proud to be a part of it!!"

"I love tacos, and I especially love how they bring people together to create traditions and share great moments around the table with family and friends. In addition to having an incredible taco, Mike’s Red Tacos brings those same values to life in a fresh, new way for consumers,” said James in a statement. “With this leadership team, I see a group that is building something authentic with a long-term vision, and I wanted to be part of helping bring that experience to more communities."’

CEO of Mike's Red Tacos, Andrew Feghali, explained why James is the perfect person to fit their next chapter in expanding the brand.

"We're not interested in trend-chasing brands," said Andrew Feghali, CEO of Mike's Red Tacos. "We're interested in founders building something enduring. Mike did that with a focused menu, chef-driven food, and a loyalty most brands never earn. Adding LeBron and an experienced restaurant leadership team gives Mike's the megaphone it deserves, the resources to scale what's already working, and the platform to become a category-defining brand."

So far, Mike's Red Tacos has 300 franchise locations currently in development nationwide. The founder, Mike Touma, began the business as a food truck after the birria taco trend captivated audiences in 2020. Two years later, he opened the first brick-and-mortar location in San Diego, California. The franchise now has three locations in the founder's home city. 

James has been connected with food franchises for over a decade. In 2012, he made a landmark investment in Blaze Pizza after leaving his endorsement deal with McDonald's to back the fast-casual pizza chain. He owns rights to locations in Chicago and South Florida. 

The 76ers star also opened a fried chicken restaurant, Buckets, in his home city of Akron, Ohio, inside his foundation's House Three Thirty community space. 

Touma praised the NBA legend and what it means to have him support Mike's Red Tacos' future: "Having LeBron believe in what we’re building and invest in our future is an incredible honor and a powerful validation of our brand and vision.” 

More lifestyle news:

• 2027 Super Bowl Halftime Show: Justin Bieber and Harry Styles on short list
• LeBron James celebrates 'baker's dozen' wedding anniversary with Savannah in sweet post
• Shailene Woodley's friends reportedly slam Aaron Rodgers after calling out actress
• Did Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's dog Wendy make her NYFW debut?
• Ciara reveals which kid guessed she was pregnant with baby No. 5 before announcement