On The Border closing all company owned locations, including in Oklahoma

Tex-Mex chain On The Border, which has two locations in Oklahoma, is preparing to close several restaurants nationally, according to the company.

On The Border is closing all company-owned locations and is evaluating the future of the brand, according to a statement. The chain has one location in Oklahoma City at 120 S. Meridian and one in Tulsa at 5340 E. 41st Street.

“On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina has made the difficult decision to move forward with a significant transition in its restaurant operations, which will include the closing of company-owned locations by end of day Friday, June 12, 2026,” OTB Hospitality wrote in a statement emailed to The Oklahoman.

Mark Heard, manager at the On The Border in Oklahoma City, confirmed that the restaurant's last day will be Friday, June 12. Heard said he was notified on Wednesday about the closures, but was not given a reason why.

The Oklahoma City restaurant has roughly 35 employees, Heard said, who would end up being unemployed.

"Unfortunately, they didn't tell anything to the employees," Heard said. "There's no other restaurant for them to transfer to in the state of Oklahoma. It's just one of those things where they're just out of luck."

A manager for the On The Border at Tulsa, who declined to share their name for fear of retaliation, told The Oklahoman the restaurant will close Friday, June 12. The manager declined to share additional information about the location.

On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2025 after closing dozens of restaurants, court documents showed at the time.

At the time of filing, On the Border had 60 company-operated restaurants and listed estimated assets and estimated liabilities between $10 million and $50 million.

Franchise locations in South Dakota, Florida, Nevada, California and South Korea will remain open as they operate independently, according to the statement.

Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today