Perhaps signalling a shift from the historic brick-and-mortar model, the Mexican restaurant franchisor is opening exponentially more non-traditional locations.
QDOBA Mexican Eats, the fast-casual Mexican restaurant franchisor with more than 730 locations across the U.S. and Canada, is continuing to grow its non-traditional footprint across the States.
Since August 2020, the brand has opened eight new non-traditional sites on college campuses across the U.S., including University of Cincinnati, University of Nebraska, and ASU Polytechnic. Two more non-traditional locations are scheduled to open before the end of the year.
Across its entire portfolio, QDOBA has almost 100 non-traditional locations open today, including sites at universities and college campuses, military bases, airports, and a variety of other venues. In a world where the traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant model has been heavily impacted by COVID-19, it may not be long before other chains follow suit.
“Our success in growing the non-traditional segment of the business comes from our belief that we bring flavor to people’s lives no matter where their lives take them,” said Mary Richardson, director of license operations and business development at QDOBA. “We are a nimble brand that works with partners on space restrictions and menu offerings to meet their needs and the needs of the customers they serve.
“College campuses and military bases especially are looking for fresh and healthy options, and QDOBA’s menu is a perfect fit. As we continue to strengthen our existing partnerships and develop new ones, we’re eager to expand our non-traditional footprint and bring more flavor to people’s lives.”
Peter Ortiz, the recently appointed VP of franchise development for QDOBA, concurs: “Foodservice companies and operators love our concept because we are able to fulfill our promise of great food and fast service in a variety of venues across the country. Growing our non-traditional footprint is an important part of our franchise strategy and I’m excited to continue to develop close ties with high-caliber, multi-brand operators.”
