Qdoba Mexican Grill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Qdoba Mexican Grill | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Subsidiary |
| Founded | 1995 (Denver, CO) |
| Headquarters | Wheat Ridge, CO |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Products | Burritos, Tacos, Quesadillas, Taco salad, Mexican Gumbo |
| Owner | Jack in the Box |
| Website | www.qdoba.com |
Qdoba Mexican Grill (formerly known as Z-TECA Mexican Grill) is a chain of fast casual Fresh Mex 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 450 fast casual restaurant locations throughout the United States. 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, Panchero's Mexican Grill, and Chipotle Mexican Grill chain, which also started in Denver in 1993. Qdoba also faces intense competition in some markets from smaller regional chains such as Anna's Taqueria, El Torito, Taco del Mar, and Baja Sol Tortilla 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]
[edit] Definition of "Qdoba"
Although the original meaning has been lost in translation, many people feel the origin came from the ancient Navajo word "Que dobos" meaning house of food and the seasonal intake of livestock. More modern translations (including the period from the Spanish Conquistadores to the American Antebellum period) trace the origins handed down from many generations of the Navajo.
The legend states that a hunter named Doba saw in a vision the visage of a queen riding a ship of gold and silver on a rainbow across the plains. When Doba repeated his story to the chief elder of the tribe, he was ostracized by his family and had to move to the desert (in the regions of Arizona). During his expatriate state, Doba had dreams concerning the queen and her voyage. He interpreted these dreams to mean he should visit the outer regions of Utah and procur samples of fir tree and persimmon root to make into special meals for his family. Upon learning about a famine within his tribe, Doba returned to the camp and gave them his concoctions from Utah. The tribe rejoiced at his intuition and passed down his legacy concerning the voyage of the queen. The story is still told today to small children as a reminder to not make outcasts of family members no matter what circumstances come.
