Franchising
Qdoba ready to grow
September 23, 2020
Qdoba Mexican Eats has launched a franchise initiative focused on building out regions in Arizona, Southern California, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, New England, Pennsylvania and New England, according to a company press release. The chain has 730 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada.
"We are in a fantastic position to be aggressive with our franchise growth strategy," CEO Keith Guilbault said in the release. "Qdoba has carved out its place in the growing fast-casual space, offering a flavorful menu and a business model well suited for off-premises, at a more affordable investment than a traditional QSR."
Tim Welsh, chief development officer, said the brand was nimble and has proven to adapt to evolving consumer needs quickly.
"We offer a series of formats including restaurants equipped with drive-thrus, pick-up windows and dedicated curbside pick-up areas," he said in the release. "We see this continuing to be a strong suit for us in the future."
Qdoba, founded in 1995, has set the stage for growth over the past couple of years by hiring nearly 100 corporate employees at its San Diego headquarters. It also established a more distinctive brand identity, expanded its menu innovation and is on target to open 30 restaurants by year's end.
In March, Qdoba responded rapidly to the developing pandemic and dedicated resources to supporting franchisees with temporary royalty relief. For customers, it moved to limited-contact ordering, including digital ordering through Qdoba.com or the Qdoba app, in-restaurant to-go ordering and delivery via third-party providers. The early pivots worked — today more Americans are likely to purchase from Qdoba than they were at the onset of the pandemic — according to an independent study by YouGov. Additionally, well-timed investments in a robust digital platform have helped sustain its off-premises business in recent months.
Further differentiating the Qdoba franchise opportunity, Guilbault said, was its flexible footprint, which allows it to work in a variety of traditional and nontraditional venues. With several dayparts, broad consumer appeal, a strong catering and off-premises business, franchisees are set-up for sustained success. Furthermore, Qdoba's streamlined and efficient buildouts reduce development costs for its franchisees.
