Fork to Fit Kitchen Expands Beyond the Rio Grande Valley With First Multi-Unit Franchise Deal in San Antonio
For busy families, professionals, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone trying to make healthier food choices without sacrificing convenience, a Texas-grown restaurant brand is betting that the future of fast food looks very different from the drive-thru model most consumers know today.
Fork to Fit Kitchen, a health-focused restaurant concept founded in McAllen, has announced its first-ever multi-unit franchise agreement, a milestone that company leaders say marks the beginning of a much larger national expansion strategy. The agreement will bring four new Fork to Fit Kitchen locations to the greater San Antonio area, expanding the brand’s footprint beyond the Rio Grande Valley and introducing its macro-friendly meal concept to a new market.
A Major Milestone for a Growing Texas Brand
The four-unit development agreement was signed with G5 Restaurant Group, LLC, led by San Antonio physician Dr. Narciso Gonzalez, founder of Pain and Spine Physicians of San Antonio, Injury and Pain Physicians of San Antonio, and The Spine and Joint Surgical Center. Ethan Gonzalez will serve as principal operator and oversee daily operations.
According to company officials, active site selection is already underway in Schertz, the Culebra corridor, and Encino Park, while additional locations near La Cantera and City Base are also being evaluated.
“This is a defining moment for Fork to Fit Kitchen,” said Alex Velasco, co-founder, chairman, and CEO. “After eight years of building and proving the model across ten corporate locations – starting in McAllen and then the entire Rio Grande Valley region – we’ve shown that a full menu of calorie-focused, macro-balanced meals, shakes, coffees, and more can fuel real people with real lives. Signing our first multi-unit franchisee tells us the model is ready to scale.”
The announcement represents more than a restaurant expansion. It reflects growing consumer demand for healthier grab-and-go dining options that provide nutritional transparency while fitting into increasingly busy lifestyles.
Built to Address a Community Need
Founded in 2018, Fork to Fit Kitchen was created in response to significant health challenges facing communities across South Texas. The Rio Grande Valley has long struggled with elevated rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, inspiring the company to develop a restaurant model centered on healthier, more accessible food choices.
The concept was built around a simple idea: nutritious food should be as convenient and accessible as traditional fast food.
Today, Fork to Fit Kitchen operates 10 locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley and has developed a loyal following among customers looking for meals that align with health, fitness, weight-loss, and wellness goals.
How Fork to Fit Kitchen Works
Unlike traditional restaurants that rely heavily on made-to-order meals, Fork to Fit Kitchen utilizes a streamlined grab-and-go approach designed for speed and convenience.
Customers stop by a nearby location and browse refrigerated displays stocked with more than 50 freshly prepared meal options. Each item includes clearly labeled nutritional information, including calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat content, and heating instructions.
After making their selections, guests check out at the counter, where they can also purchase protein shakes, coffees, juices, and other wellness-focused offerings. Meals are then ready to heat and enjoy at home, work, or on the go.
The company emphasizes transparency by providing detailed nutritional information on every menu item and notes that all meals are prepared using olive oil or beef tallow rather than seed oils.
(Source: Fork to Fit Kitchen)A Menu Designed Around Convenience and Nutrition
One of the features that distinguishes Fork to Fit Kitchen from many fast-casual concepts is the breadth of its menu. Customers can choose from breakfast options, salads, seafood entrees, protein-packed poultry dishes, beef meals, protein shakes, coffee drinks, juice blends, snack bowls, and fresh-grilled bowls.
Popular menu offerings include Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Korean BBQ, Steak with Red Potatoes and Broccoli, Chicken Caesar Salad, Seasoned Salmon with Rice and Broccoli, Protein Power Bowls, protein coffees, acai bowls, and a variety of high-protein shakes. Every item includes calorie and macronutrient information, allowing customers to make informed decisions based on personal health goals.
This focus on nutritional transparency has become increasingly important as consumers seek healthier restaurant options that support fitness routines, weight management goals, and overall wellness.
Technology at the Center of the Vision
While the restaurant experience may appear straightforward, company leadership says the long-term vision extends well beyond prepared meals.
Velasco describes Fork to Fit Kitchen as a broader health and wellness ecosystem that integrates food, fitness, and personal health tracking.
“Fork to Fit is more than a food company,” Velasco said. “We’re building a health and fitness ecosystem. The kitchens are the front door, but behind the menu is a connected platform that ties food, fitness, biometrics, and clinical care together.”
At the center of that strategy is the company's proprietary Fork Pulse app, which connects meal purchases with fitness activity and wellness tracking data to create a more personalized customer experience.
“Our Fork Pulse app turns every meal, shake, and workout into actionable insight, so customers don’t just eat well, they live better,” Velasco said. “The franchise is one piece of a much bigger system.”
Looking Toward National Expansion
Company leaders believe the model has the potential to scale far beyond Texas.
Fork to Fit Kitchen is working with Franchise Marketing Systems and recently completed SBA Franchisor Certification, earning approval for inclusion in the SBA Franchise Directory. The designation allows qualified franchisees to pursue SBA-backed financing opportunities, potentially accelerating future growth.
The company has publicly stated a long-term vision of opening between 2,500 and 3,500 locations nationwide.
“This new agreement bridges Fork to Fit from a regional concept to a national brand, and it sets the tone for how we’ll grow: with operators who share our standards and our long-term vision,” Velasco said.
While those expansion targets are ambitious, company officials say their centralized commissary system, proprietary technology platform, and operational model provide the foundation necessary to support growth at scale.
What It Means for Texas Communities
As more communities across Texas continue seeking healthier dining options, Fork to Fit Kitchen’s expansion highlights a broader shift occurring throughout the restaurant industry. Consumers increasingly want convenience without sacrificing transparency, quality, or nutritional awareness.
For San Antonio-area residents, the upcoming locations will provide access to a restaurant concept that combines grab-and-go convenience with calorie-conscious, macro-balanced meals designed to support a wide range of lifestyles and wellness goals.
“Fork to Fit Kitchen is built for do’ers – the people who don’t have time to overthink what they eat but refuse to compromise on quality,” Velasco said. “Every meal, shake, and coffee on the menu is calorie- and macro-tracked, so customers always know exactly what’s fueling them.”
As site selection moves forward and franchise development accelerates, the company’s next chapter could serve as a notable example of how a homegrown Texas concept is attempting to reshape what fast food means for communities across the state and eventually the nation.
Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for updates on business growth, restaurant openings, and community developments shaping neighborhoods across San Antonio.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.