Z Capital Partners agrees to acquire Pink Taco restaurant brand

Z Capital Partners, the private equity management arm of Z Capital Group, said an affiliate agreed to acquire the Pink Taco restaurant brand for an undisclosed price.

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter.

Z Capital Partners is the largest shareholder of Real Mex Restaurants, which has more than 100 company-owned and operated restaurants and 13 franchised restaurants in the United States. Z Capital said it plans to leverage Real Mex’s expertise to help Pink Taco add restaurants and grow.

Third-generation restaurateur Harry Morton founded Pink Taco at the off-Strip Hard Rock Hotel in 1999. There’s now a second Pink Taco in Los Angeles.

In a statement, Z Capital Partners said Morton will continue to lead Pink Taco’s creative direction and guide the brand’s marketing. He will design future restaurants and help launch Pink Taco-branded food and beverages for home consumption.

Although Real Mex will oversee the daily operations of the Pink Taco restaurant in Los Angeles and the future direction of the brand, the Hard Rock Hotel will continue to own and operate the Las Vegas restaurant.

Z Capital Partners is also a major investor in Affinity Gaming, a Las Vegas company operating 11 casinos in four states.

Contact Matthew Crowley at mcrowley@reviewjournal.com. Follow @copyjockey on Twitter.