Utah-born Hawaiian plate-lunch chain Mo' Bettahs is steering its next expansion straight into Celina, with a new restaurant on the way at 3505 S Preston Road. The spot is listed as “coming soon” and will bring the brand’s build-your-own plate lunches to The Village at Ownsby Farms, adding another national name to the growing retail hub as the chain keeps pushing into Sun Belt suburbs outside its home state.
Coming soon to Celina
The company’s store page has the Celina restaurant marked as “Coming Soon,” along with contact information for 3505 S Preston Rd. According to Mo' Bettahs, the Celina location is planned with a drive-thru and outdoor seating, but there is no firm public opening date listed yet.
What they'll serve
Celina diners can expect the familiar Mo' Bettahs plate-lunch lineup: a choice of meats such as grilled teriyaki chicken, steak, kalua pig, pulehu chicken, katsu chicken or shrimp tempura, all paired with macaroni salad and steamed white rice, as reported by Community Impact. Those mix-and-match combos are the core of the menu as the chain moves into new neighborhoods.
Where it will sit
The Celina outpost is planned for Shops A at The Village at Ownsby Farms, a newly built retail development that highlights Torchy’s Tacos alongside Mo' Bettahs in its marketing. Gomez Group notes the center’s proximity to anchors including Costco and Academy Sports, and calls out the property’s new construction and drive-thru capabilities.
Brand growth
Mo' Bettahs started in Bountiful, Utah, in 2008 and has expanded through a mix of company growth and outside investment, bringing Hawaiian plate lunches to markets in several states, according to reporting by Deseret News. The brand now operates dozens of restaurants and has been steadily adding new locations in recent years.
When to expect it
Community Impact currently lists the Celina opening date as “TBD.” A separate preview in What Now Dallas reports that a company representative expects the restaurant to be ready for customers by early spring. We will update when Mo' Bettahs sets an official grand-opening date or public event.
What this means for Celina
For Celina residents and area developers, Mo' Bettahs signing on is another signal that national chains are homing in on the city as it absorbs new rooftops and retail demand. The Texas Tribune has documented Celina’s rapid population growth in recent years, a trend that has helped draw more restaurants and big-box retailers to the northern Collin County corridor.
