Tito’s Cantina
(Published July 10, 1995)
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1989
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Restaurant
THEN:
OWNERS: Rich Reavis, president, and Vice Arcello, vice president
LOCATION: 651 West Main Rd., Middletown
EMPLOYEES: 15
ANNUAL SALES: WND
NOW:
OWNER: Henry Lopez-Melgar
LOCATION: 651 West Main Rd., Middletown
EMPLOYEES: 14
ANNUAL SALES: $800,000
For almost 40 years, Tito’s Cantina has avoided changing a winning formula – in both food and business. Its biggest change since opening in 1989 came this summer, when the original owners decided to retire.
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Henry Lopez-Melgar was not just any buyer. He was a longtime team member and familiar face who had spent much of his career working his way up at Tito’s. Born in Guatemala, he came to the United States at age 12, over two decades ago and worked at the restaurant for almost as long, working his way up from washing dishes and preparing food to management responsibilities.
For Lopez-Melgar, the purchase is both a personal milestone and a full-circle moment. “I feel like it was meant to be,” he said. “I haven’t really had time to sit down and digest it.” He thought he had left restaurant work behind for about two years before the opportunity to buy Tito’s arose.
Management is not the only change in the establishment’s future. While Tito’s has built a loyal following around its food, particularly its chips and salsa, which are also sold in stores throughout Rhode Island, Lopez-Melgar hopes to build on that legacy while expanding the menu to include authentic Mexican cuisine.
“Right now we do a version of Tex-Mex style,” Lopez-Melgar said. “It’s really good, but people have been asking for something more authentic.” He plans to introduce new menu items while preserving the flavors longtime patrons have come to expect, recognizing that many customers value consistency and may be reluctant to embrace major changes. So far, he has been testing new dishes through specials, before adding them to the regular menu.
The transition from employee to owner has required a different mindset. Beyond managing day-to-day operations, Lopez-Melgar now feels a deeper responsibility to the employees and families who depend on the restaurant, some of whom have been there for almost 30 years.
“I feel more responsibility. All these families that depend on me … provide them with a job. I take it as a challenge,” he said. “It feels like a lot, but I like it.”
