In a message posted to Instagram on Monday, the company confirmed that Sunday, May 17, will mark the final day of operations for its Pacific Beach location, while hinting that another San Diego-area restaurant may already be in the works.
“After four unforgettable years in Pacific Beach, it’s time for us to say goodbye,” the company wrote. “This is not goodbye - it’s see you soon. We’re excited for what’s next, and we’ll be announcing our new location very soon.”
The restaurant did not specify where the next location will open, but invited followers to suggest neighborhoods where they would like to see The Food Box expand next.
The closure marks the end of a notable chapter for the Monterrey-born burger concept, which entered the U.S. market through San Diego amid significant social media buzz and ambitious expansion plans. Founded in 2013 by entrepreneur Juan Ángel Martínez, The Food Box began as a home-based burger operation in Monterrey, Mexico, after Martinez sold his truck to finance a kitchen expansion in his home. The concept quickly exploded in popularity across northern Mexico thanks to its indulgent burgers, visually-driven branding, and strong social media following.
By the time the company crossed into the United States, The Food Box had already built a cult following with more than a dozen locations throughout Mexico and hundreds of thousands of followers online.
The Pacific Beach restaurant opened in late 2022 at the former Butcher’s Grill space on Garnet Avenue, bringing menu items like The King James burger topped with sliced apple and smoked bacon, The Calvin featuring caramelized onions and Chihuahua cheese, loaded fries, boneless wings, and churro desserts to the heart of San Diego’s beach community.
During its time in Pacific Beach, The Food Box weathered a number of operational challenges, including a 2025 scam involving a fraudulent Grubhub order that nearly cost the business hundreds of dollars after scammers allegedly impersonated the restaurant to secure both a refund and the prepared food order. The restaurant was also previously targeted in a vandalism incident involving attempted food theft that left the storefront damaged.
The closure also comes amid an increasingly crowded burger landscape in Pacific Beach. Since The Food Box first opened on Garnet Avenue in 2022, the surrounding corridor has seen a surge of high-profile burger concepts enter the market, including VanMan’s, Los Angeles-based For The Win, and iconic California chain Irv’s Burgers, all of which now operate within just a few blocks of The Food Box along Garnet Avenue. The growing concentration of premium smashburger and fast-casual burger operators has intensified competition in what has become one of San Diego’s most saturated burger corridors.
It remains unclear whether the closure is tied to lease issues, relocation plans, business performance, or a broader strategic repositioning within San Diego County. The company has not yet publicly announced details regarding the upcoming replacement location. The Food Box will remain open in Pacific Beach through Sunday, May 17.
The Food Box is located at 978 Garnet Avenue in San Diego’s Pacific Beach. For more information, visit tfbburgers.com.
Originally published on May 11, 2026.
The Food Box is located at 978 Garnet Avenue in San Diego’s Pacific Beach. For more information, visit tfbburgers.com.
Originally published on May 11, 2026.