Qdoba Mexican Grill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Qdoba Mexican Grill (formerly known as Z-TECA Mexican Grill) is a chain of fast casual restaurants in the United States serving Mexican-style cuisine. The company is owned by Jack in the Box.
Founder and Colorado native Anthony Miller and partner Robert Hauser opened the first restaurant in 1995. The Denver, Colorado, location was an immediate success with first year revenues exceeding $1,500,000. The cost of opening the 1,300 square foot store was only $180,000.
Qdoba now operates over 350 fast casual restaurant locations throughout the country. In 2003, San Diego, California-based Jack in the Box company acquired the chain.
Qdoba serves burritos made in the the San Francisco burrito style, tacos, quesadillas, taco salads, mexican gumbo, and fresh guacamole (made on-site, daily). The restaurant fits into the "fast casual" category, offering both quick service and a higher quality of food than typical fast-food restaurants. Customers order by selecting an entrée, then choosing its ingredients. All of the items are made in plain view of the customer. The chain's current slogan is "What are you going to love at Qdoba?"
[edit] Competition
The main national rivals to Qdoba are Moe's Southwest Grill and the Chipotle Mexican Grill chain which also started in Denver (in 1993), 2 years prior to Qdoba's founding. Qdoba also faces intense competition in some markets from smaller regional chains such as Anna's Taqueria, El Torito, Taco del Mar, Baja Sol Tortilla Grill, and Panchero's Mexican Grill.
The company was recently involved in a lawsuit in which Panera Bread attempted to invoke a clause in Panera's contract with the White City Shopping Center in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, to stop the opening of a Qdoba Mexican Grill. The clause provided that Panera would be the only sandwich shop in the shopping center. Panera argued that burritos and other tortilla-based foods were, in fact, sandwiches. Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke ruled against Panera, concluding, "A sandwich is not commonly understood to include burritos, tacos and quesadillas, which are typically made with a single tortilla and stuffed with a choice filling of meat, rice, and beans." [1]
