Qdoba

Founded in Denver, Colorado in 1995, Qdoba Mexican Eats is a fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain. Though they went through two name changes and a few different owners, Qdoba Mexican Eats is now a brand with more than 700 locations across the United States. Over 375 of those 700+ locations are owned and operated by franchisees. Focusing on freshly prepared food, a hip restaurant atmosphere, and, of course, flavor, Qdoba Mexican Eats is ready to branch out even more, with franchise opportunities across the U.S. 

Why You May Want to Start a Qdoba Mexican Eats Franchise

Qdoba Mexican Eats may stand out from other Mexican fast-casual restaurant chains because of their famous three-cheese queso dip and more than 30 different food add-ins and toppings. As a franchisee, you may experience more efficient inventory management and flexibility. Qdoba Mexican Eats restaurants typically have flexible footprints; you may be able to open anything from a 400 sq. ft. non-traditional location to a 1,200 sq. ft. free-standing restaurant. 

With Qdoba Mexican Eats catering, you may grow your business outside of your restaurant walls. And with customizable marketing materials geared towards your locale, you may be able to generate targeted appeal.

Qdoba Mexican Eats is also big on community. The company has provided millions of meals to children nationwide. The company also may help franchisees find resources and third-party financial sources to help franchisees cover the franchise fee, startup cost, equipment, and inventory. This may make Qdoba Mexican Eats a tremendous blessing to a community, as well as you,the franchisee.

What Might Make Qdoba Mexican Eats a Good Choice?

Qdoba Mexican Eats may be a sturdy competitor to other Mexican chains like Chipotle. Some believe that it is comparatively more innovative than Chipotle. In 2014, Qdoba Mexican Eats launched its spicy queso diablo, before releasing its Cholula hot and sweet chicken in 2020 and its cauliflower mash in 2021. Its foray into low-carb eating may make it more appealing for people looking for healthier alternatives. In addition to following food trends, Qdoba Mexican Eats generally has its own reward program and mobile ordering app in an effort to make a diner’s experience more enjoyable and convenient.

Monetarily speaking, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should ensure that you are prepared for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

Using trade area marketing software, Qdoba Mexican Eats may work to ensure that your store is in the best location possible for customers. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth, spo you will want your Qdoba Mexican Eats location to be in a solid location.

How Do You Start a Qdoba Mexican Eats Franchise?

Qdoba Mexican Eats has a very specific set of franchisee candidate qualifications. You must be a U.S. citizen and may need to have five years of multi-unit relevant business ownership experience within the last ten years, knowledge of the market, and financial and strategy development experience. 

If you meet these qualifications, you may submit an initial inquiry through the form. A representative generally gets in touch with you if you are seen as a good fit. You might fill out a pre-qualification application and, if approved, receive the Franchise Disclosure Document. Once you have reviewed the document and sorted out any lingering questions, you typically attend a discovery day at company headquarters in San Diego, California to meet the Qdoba Mexican Eats executive team in person. If they give you the final approval, you can start developing your store. 

After going through in-store training and corporate training, you may soon open the doors to your very own Qdoba Mexican Eats location.