There are many Mexican restaurants scattered across the major cities in the United States States of America. Among the top Mexican restaurant chains you can easily find are the ones listed below. They are the ones that take the larger share of the market.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell Corporation is a quick-service restaurant chain, which started operations in Irvine, California in 1962. The restaurant specializes in serving Mexican-inspired fast food such as tacos, nachos, gorditas as burritos, and quesadillas along with several other “value menu” items. Taco Bell was founded by an American entrepreneur Glen Bell.
Taco Bell kept expanding fast, as it gained its first franchisee and opened its 100th restaurant in 1967. In 1970, when it had a total of 325 restaurants, Bell took the company public. In 1978, PepsiCo Inc. bought 868 Taco Bell restaurants for almost $125 million. Thus sale prompted Taco Bell’s transition from a regional hit to a national sensation.
While improving branding and marketing efforts, the company included new menu items and restaurant concepts in the 1980s and ’90s.
Furthermore, in 1995, Taco Bell commenced a branding partnership with KFC, and in 1997 both became subsidiaries of Tricon Global Restaurants (later Yum! Brands) when it split from PepsiCo.
Thus, since 2000, Taco Bell has developed continuously distinctive partner and branding methods to lure more customers.
It entered a partnership with Mountain Dew soda and produced Mountain Dew Baja Blast, and for a while, it could only be sold at Taco Bell.
In 2012, another identical promotion started, and this time they partnered with Frito lay in producing Doritos Locos Tacos, which was remarkably successful. Additionally, in 2017 Taco Bell began to promote Major League Baseball, and they agreed to give a free Taco to everybody in the U.S. for every stolen base in the World Series. The promotion known as “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco,” continued in subsequent and also carried over into the NBA where the name was changed to “Steal a Game, Steal a Taco,” and this was a rewarding win for the team that visited during the NBA finals.
Fortunately, in 2009 Taco Bell replaced McDonald’s as the official fast-food partner of the NBA.
In 1914 it started offering breakfast nationwide globally; this special meal includes a waffle taco and a breakfast burrito and more traditional pastries, coffee, and orange juice. That same year, it initiated a mobile ordering and payment app, and this first of its kind in the fast-food industry. Later on, in 2015, Taco Bell started its vegan and vegetarian menu, began a limited delivery service in the U.S., and also established its first location that ever sold alcohol (in Chicago).
All this made Taco Bell a free and very famous company, particularly in the United States, where over 40 million customers are served per week. This volume has granted Taco Bell the lion’s share in the United States’ Mexican fast-food market. It has more than 300 locations in over 25 non-American countries; it is now a successful worldwide brand. In total, they have annual sales of almost $10 billion.
The restaurant now serves over 35 million customers per week in about 5,600 restaurants worldwide. Over 2 billion tacos and 1 billion burritos of all kinds are purchased in Taco Bell restaurants every year. Currently, among all the Mexican restaurants in the United States, Taco Bell is the nation’s number 1 Mexican-style quick-service restaurant chain.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle Mexican Grill, (CMG) Inc. commonly known as Chipotle, is among the first chains of fast-casual restaurants with a limited menu and a high degree of meal customization. The name Chipotle was derived for the Nahuti name for a smoked and dried jalapeno chilli pepper. Steve Ells founded it on the 13th of July, 1993. It specializes in tacos and Missing burritos. It trades on the New York Exchange Bearing the ticker symbol CMG.
Chipotle sold over 1000 burritos in the first month1. McDonald’s was a significant investor of Chipotle from 1998 to 2006, causing the expansion of the business from 16 to 500 restaurants during that period. In 2006, Chipotle made its initial public offering (IPO), raising its stock price at precisely 100% in its first day as a public company.
Despite the costs of food that made Chipotle to increase its prices in 2014, it increased by 16.8%, store margin grew to 27.2%, and net income rose by 36%, and it established 192 stores that same year.
Generated Revenues of Chipotle have increased by 20% CAGR between 2006 and 2014. In 2014, the company had revenues of $4,108.3 million and a net profit of $445.4 million (10.8% of sales).
Even though Chipotle doesn’t serve “real” Mexican food, its a company that efficiently connects it’s business and operating models to create value for its customers and stakeholders.
Chipotle’s founder Steve Ells understood American Production and came up with the motto “food with integrity”. Ella was dedicated and decided only to offer food that was naturally and ethically produced, which Chipotle’s claimed made the meat tastier compared to what other restaurants provided. In 2013, a no GMO policy was instituted because of its ingredients, and customers agreed to this.
Notwithstanding as the knowledge of the negative impact of the fast-food industry became popular, the sales and profits Chipotle made only kept increasing. Customers now are preferred to eating healthy meals, so they no longer ordered by salads from other fast-food restaurants; instead, they bent on eating naturally-raised and food that were organically prepared.
What makes Chipotle be unique is that it offers healthy food with fast service. It appeals to customers that want fresh food fast. It placed itself as a healthy choice for young people. Chipotle targets audience, which is very concerned because and eating healthy meals and support supports socially-responsible companies.
Chipotle offers a quick service in a clean and friendly be environment. This attracts young professionals and students to it.
One factor that contributes to it ‘success is its small menu. Another reason is that it has no franchises, so it is capable of maintaining tight control over all areas of its operations.
Though it was established in 1993, it now has more than 1700 store in the United States and overseas. McDonald’s initially had a controlling interest in the restaurant in the early 2000s however divested after Chipotle’s IPO in 2006. Chipotle’s stock has increased from $42 to $650 and is still seen as a long-term investment opportunity. Chipotle has more than 2,500 Mexican restaurants in the United States. It is the second ranked Mexican restaurant.
Qdoba Mexican Eats
Qdoba Mexican Eats is a chain of quick-service casual restaurants in the United States and Canada serving Mexican-style cuisine. Qdoba is dedicated to offering flavour to the lives of individuals. For 15 years it was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jack in the Box, and then in March 2018, it was bought by a consortium of funds led by Apollo Global Management in March 2018. In 2018, at the period of the sale in 2018, Qdoba had 700 locations in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.
This chain originated from the establishment of Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill in 1995 by Colorado native Anthony Miller and partner Robert Hauser at Grant Street and Sixth Avenue in Denver, and it is currently still in operation.
Miller and Hauser crossed paths in New York City, at that time Miller was an investment banker with Merrill Lynch and Hauser was a student of the Culinary Institute of America. He was also working at the famed Le Cirque restaurant. Hauser created many of the recipes and tried designing the menu to be healthier. He did this by substituting the usage of traditional animal fats with vegetable oils, and he also made use of many fresh vegetables and herbs whenever he got the chance to. Although the name Zuma was made up, it was also the name of a friend’s cat.
The Denver, Colorado, the location was an instant success, as the revenues for the first year exceeded $1,500,000. However, b cost of establishing the 1,300-square-foot (120 m2) store was just $180,000.
In 1997, the company’s name was changed from Zuma to Z-Teca Mexican Grill simply because of a lawsuit from another restaurant was already bearing the Zuma name in Boston At that same year, Z-Teca started granting franchise opportunities to entrepreneurs for the expansion of the chain outside of its core territory of Colorado.
The burritos served in Qdoba are usually prepared in the San Francisco burrito style, and several other meals like tacos, Chile con queso, and quesadillas and Mexican gumbo. Depending on the choice of the customer, the meat in their burritos could either be chicken, pork and beef; they also have vegetarian options, and they serve dips, chips, and soup.
The ingredients used are made in-house, by hand, and fresh the entire day, to develop delicious menu options. Consumers can taste QDOBA’s delicious flavours by relishing one of its signature menu options that are chef-crafted for ease and convenience or by personalizing their burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, salads and nachos to suit their tastes
Compared to other regular restaurants, it fits into the “fast-casual” category, providing both quick service and food of better quality. . Consumers place their order by selecting an entrée then picking its ingredients. Every item is made in plain view of the client.
To stand out uniquely amongst its rivals Qdoba offers breakfast, and few locations are open for a whole day, especially on weekends.
Qdoba has also established be restaurants in non-traditional locations, like on college campuses, and takes part in some college meal plans. With agreements with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, Qdoba can be located on specific U.S. military bases across the nation.
For two years in a row, QDOBA has been voted the “Best Fast Casual Restaurant” as part of the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. If you talk about Mexican Restaurants in US, QDOBA cannot be ignored. It has over 700 Mexican restaurant locations.
Del Taco
Del Taco Restaurants Inc. is an American fast-food restaurant chain which serves in American-style Mexican cuisine and American foods like fries burgers and shakes. Del Taco is managed by CEO John D. Cappasola, Jr., and is the headquarters is located in Lake Forest, California.
On September 16, 1964, Ed Hackbarth and David Jameson established the first Del Taco in Yermo, California. Del Taco was initially called “Casa Del Taco.” Back then they had a third partner Dick Naugles. In 1973 “Casa” was dropped and henceforth it was known as just Del Taco, and that is what the restaurant is called till today.
The menu included a cheeseburger, tostadas, tacos, and fries. Del Taco made $169, which amounts to 900 tacos on the very first day of business, and this was a huge success. This attests that customers were pleased with their food.
They kept growing the entire ’70s. In 1977, there were 50 restaurants, and the next year it was doubled to 100. Gradually many menu items, such as the quesadilla, bun taco, and ice cream sundaes were being added to the menu. In 1987 Del Taco had grown a lot bigger, and they grew more, especially when they merged with the Naugles restaurant chain. In 2008, the chain’s 500th restaurant was launched.
Del Taco’s standard menu includes Nachos, Hard Shell Tacos, Burritos, Soft Tacos, Quesadillas, Bacon Del Cheeseburger, Deluxe Taco Salad, Fries, Crinkle Cut French Fries, Chili Cheddar Fries, Double Del Cheeseburger, Triple Del Cheeseburger, Shakes, and at least four kinds of Dinner Burritos.
Del Taco had succeeded because of its barbell menu strategy.
Del Taco is one fast food restaurant that happens to come off as a little more unique. They serve a mix of American-style Mexican food (such as tacos and burritos), and classic American fare (burgers and fries). Typically, Del Taco has a little bit of everything, and this makes them unique.
Even though Del Taco is famous for its great food, they’re also known for low prices. They also have a legitimate dollar menu called Del’s Dollar Deals Menu what numerous other chains don’t have any longer.
They serve over 15 items for a dollar or under at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late at night. This relatively cheap menu includes mini quesadillas, a taco that is only 79 cents, a chicken tostada, chilli cheese nachos, and Chicken Rollers. This is part of what makes the chain stand out from its rivals.
Besides great value, another thing that made Del Taco stand out is the quality of their food. The chain is committed to offering good food prepared with fresh ingredients. The chain introduced a whole new menu in June 2018, this time focusing mainly on fresh food. Not just that, their food is prepared by hand the entire day, which includes shopping, dining, shredding and grilling. And thus provides the best food experience. This is a structural advantage for Del Taco.
Del Taco is also popularly m for their yummy hot sauce packets. They also sell it on their online web store. This made it very convenient for customers.
The online store also sells many Del Taco merch, such as hats, sweatshirts, socks with tacos all over them, shirts, and even baby onesie. Customers can wear their love for Del Taco whenever they wish.
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Moe’s Southwest Grill, LLC, owns and operates several restaurant chains. The business sells burritos, sandwiches, quesadillas, nachos, salads, stacks and burrito bowls, gift products, franchises, and catering services. Moe’s Southwest Grill attracts clients throughout the United States.
Moe’s Southwest Grill informally referred to as Moe’s and was established in Atlanta, Georgia, in December 2000 by Raving Brands. According to the 2016 Harris Poll EquiTrend report, Moe’s is the “Fast Casual Mexican Restaurant of the Year,” passing the previous top restaurant Chipotle Mexican Grill despite having less than half the number of locations.
The word “Moe’s” began as an acronym for “Musicians, Outlaws, and Entertainers,” and this trend contributed to music-related works of art located in restaurants.
The firm is co-owned — with Schlotzsky, Carvel, Cinnabon, McAlister’s Deli, and Auntie Anne — by Concentrate Brands, a private equity unit of Roark Capital Group, headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, which runs more than 5,000 stores.
Moe’s Southwest Grill LLC has 130 staff in all of its branches. There are five businesses in the Moe’s Southwest Grill LLC corporate unit.
The business offers homemade and personalized meals cooked with fresh ingredients and no chemical flavors or colors, allowing its consumers to consume healthy food in a fun and friendly environment.
Moe’s Southwest Grill incorporates 26 technology products and utilities, including HTML5, Google Analytics, and jQuery, according to G2 Stack.
Moe’s Southwest Grill is primarily using 30 technologies on its website, according to BuiltWith. These include Meta Viewport, iPhone / Mobile Friendly, and Google Analytics.
From the moment you step into Moe’s, you’ll find that there’s something different. You feel loved. Since the company’s workers at the first location in Atlanta, GA yelled in the year 2000, “Welcome to Moe’s!” which undoubtedly frightened the first visitors’ bejesus – the term reflected their whole culture. Everyone at Moe’s is welcome. Save, of course, for smugglers.
Moe’s Southwest Grill has experienced success in several real estate configurations: self-contained houses, in-line sites, drive-thrus, food courts, and other non-traditional constructions. Moe’s daring tastes and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere make it a perfect match for:
- Colleges and Universities
- Airports
- Casinos
- Train Stations
- Travel Plazas
- Malls
- Medical Centers and Hospitals
- Military Bases
- Business Institutions
Moe’ Southwest Grills offers an unbeatable franchise opportunity; hence, When you’re about to pick your location, the company’s 30 + years of collective real estate experience kicks in. You will have access to preferred, validated brokers and will benefit from existing partnerships with major developers worldwide.
To help you find the best location, Moe will start using science, Buxton Predictive Analytics Technologies, and gather data on demographics, day and night densities, connectivity, visibility, traffic movement, and competitiveness relative to your future venue. It will interest you to know that Moe’s has over 700 Mexican restaurant locations in the United States.
Finally, to highlight an essential aspect of Moe’s once again, Moe stands for Musicians Outlaws and Entertainers, which is why music is more than just background noise to the business. And this isn’t just talking about pop singles or a band—Moe’s all about the pioneers.
Those that have made more than just music; they have made memories. Moe’s hand-selected playlist is packed with talented musicians who have left this planet too early since these giants have transformed the musical landscape and continue to inspire guitar slingers, lyrical writers, and a new wave of pioneers.
Chuy’s
Chuy’s is a Tex-Mex restaurant chain founded in 1982 in Austin, Texas, by Mike Young and John Zapp. As of March 2019, Chuy’s has almost 100 Mexican restaurants in 19 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Missouri, with the most recent opening in Columbus, Ohio, in October 2019.
Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. is engaged in full-service restaurants’ ownership and management, offering a distinguished menu of good Mexican and Tex-Mex-inspired cuisine. Chuy’s Holdings Inc runs Chuy’s, a restaurant concept offering a distinct menu of authentic, freshly cooked Mexican and Tex-Mex-inspired fare.
It serves the same menu at lunch and dinner, including enchiladas, fajitas, sandwiches, burritos, mixed dishes, and regular specials, complemented by various appetizers, soups, and salads. The company also provides a full-service bar in all its hotels, providing different cocktail options to its customers.
Each of the corporation’s restaurants provides various handmade sauces, including the signature Hatch green chili and smooth jalapeno sauces. The Business also provides a full-service bar in all its restaurants providing its customers a variety of liquor options, including a collection of specialty cocktails, including signature on-the-rocks margaritas made with virgin, hand-squeezed lime juice, and Texas Martini, a hand-squeezed cocktail made with jalapeno-spiced olives.
The group competes with Texas Roadhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, and B.J.’s Restaurants. Chuy’s Holdings reported revenues of $426.36 million in the year 2019.
Chuy’s Holdings were registered under the NASDAQ: CHUY ticker. Their shares opened at $13.00 in its July 24, 2012, IPO. Chuy’s Holdings has two existing team members, including Co-chairman Michael R. Young. Chuy’s Holdings uses 26 application tools and services, including HTML5, Google Analytics, and jQuery, in compliance with G2 Stack.
According to BuiltWith, Chuy’s Holdings is currently using 59 innovations on its website. This includes Meta Viewport, iPhone / Mobile Compliant, and SPF.
At the end of 2015, the number of locations was 69. That’s why the company — already in accelerated growth mode — began to openly discuss its target of doubling the figure within the next three to five years. And so far, that’s fine. Chuy’s has also launched eight new locations in the second quarter, with plans to add three to five more by the end of the year if we believe that a total of 12 restaurants will be opened in 2016, which will leave 57 to fulfill the company’s stated goals by the end of 2020.
Chuy’s has now recorded 24 straight quarters of same-store revenue growth. It’s a perfect six years with no negative quarter — and a run that any other restaurant chain would kill for. It’s fair to say that Chuy’s Tex-Mex idea hugely resonates with customers.
Chuy’s also has some of the highest financial results in the store. Locations opened for at least 18 months produce $4.7 million in annual sales — higher than Olive Garden or P.F. It’s Chang. And much like Chuy’s “Big As I’ Face” burritos, the restaurant-level EBITDA margins for these places are massive, averaging 22.3 percent—higher than Texas Roadhouse, BJ’s, or Buffalo Wild Wings. With revenue and margin estimates like this, it’s no surprise they’re growing so fast.
Taco John’s
Taco John’s is a Cheyenne, based quick-service food restaurant located in Wyoming; it serves Mexican-inspired fast food (which it calls “West-Mex”). The chain was established in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and it currently consists of more than 400 restaurants in nearly 27 states, mainly in the Midwest and Mountain regions.
TacoJohn’shas always all about bringing the flavors since the very first taco stand. From handmade salsas and classic Crispy Tacos with freshly-made shells to their signature Potato Olés®, they sure know how to OléThe Day.
Since then, Taco John’s restaurants have been popping up across the Midwest, gradually transforming to include drive-thrus and interior seating that’ll bring their customers the unique flavors that made Taco John’s famous. Their menu also evolved to add bold originals such as PotatoOlés, Meat and Potato Burritos, and the holiday specialty: Nachos Navidad.
They even started Taco Tuesday and trademarked it. Presently, Taco John operates and franchises about 400 restaurants in 23 states, making it among the largest Mexican restaurant brands in America.
They are continually growing across the country; nevertheless, certain things never change. For instance, they never compromise their food quality standards, signature bold flavors, dedication to using real ingredients, and their commitment to Olé the Day!
Taco John’s triumphed in the 1970s and 1980s by cultivating a win-win partnership with its franchisees. Franchisees paid Taco John’s a franchise fee, along with royalties on income from their stores. In return, they are supported by Taco John’s. In the earlier years, Taco John’s would ship a prefabricated 12- by 30-foot taco stand from Wyoming; the stand was complete with kitchen appliances and other essential fixtures.
Afterward, the company constructed or outfitted larger structures with seating instead of shipping prebuilt units. (One of the original prefabricated units was still operating in 1995 in Des Moines, where it had been a lunchtime favorite with high school students since 1973.) Later, Taco John’s would work to make sure its franchisees were being offered the support and training required to make their stores prosperous.
Thus anytime the franchisees make a profit, so did Taco John’s. As word spread that a Taco John’s franchise was an excellent investment, the company got a regular supply of franchisee candidates.
Taco John’s iconic Mexican quick-service brand, known worldwide for trademarking Taco Tuesday, is heating expansion in 2018 after a record-breaking year in franchise commitments.
With 116 new commitments the preceding year, Taco John’s more than doubled duties from 2016. The nearly 50-year-old brand established ten recent locations in 2017, such as freestanding locations, mall units, and convenience store co-developments. Furthermore, Taco John’s opened its first airport location at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
As of 2019, Taco John’s resolved to penetrate the food truck market by releasing its first food truck to celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary.
As a result of its fusion of distinctive flavors and south-of-the-border spices, Taco John’s menu provides many signature items, such as Meat and Potato Burritos, original Street Tacos, and Potato Olés. Taco John’s also serves epic specials like Taco Tuesday.
Since the beginning, Taco John’s has been bringing its bold take on Mexican fare to higher levels. And it gets much better. What commenced as a single taco stand in 1968 is now a standout business built on forward-thinking and latest trends. And presently that the company has reached a 50-years-going-strong milestone, the business is prepared to roll out the bigger. Bolder. Better. Taco John’s. This Mexican restaurant has more than 580 branches in the United States.
Taco Cabana
Taco Cabana is a quick American service casual restaurant chain that specializes in Mexican cuisine. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Fiesta Restaurant Group, its headquarters is in San Antonio, Texas. In August 2020, Taco Cabana had 166 locations across Texas and New Mexico. In July 2017, there were 176 Taco Cabana restaurants. Taco Cabana is famous for its pink stores and semi-enclosed patio dining areas. Many menu items are prepared by hand every day on-site in open display cooking areas.
The enormous fame in Mexican food added to Taco Capana’s growth. Traffic matters in fast Mexican restaurants. Recently, one of the fastest-growing food segments increased by 9.4% last year, as reported by the National Restaurant Association.
Taco Bell was able to snare about 70% of the $2.8 billion Mexican fast-food market due to its revamping, including broader menus, nationwide expansion, better advertising, and affordable food. Simultaneously, the chain also has captured a 3% share of the total fast-food market, up from 1% in 1982.
According to G2Stack, Taco Cabana uses 24 technology products and services such as GoogleAnalytics, HTML, and jQuery. As reported by BuiltWith, Taco Cabana is currently utilizing 48 technologies for its website. These include SPF, Viewport Meta, and iPhone / Mobile Compatible.
Taco Cabana’s rapid growth and success had motivated several imitators. Some of them decided to decorate their restaurants and patio cafes just like the bright pastels as those of Taco Cabana. Stehling and Cerverabrought, a trial against the most glaring imitator, is located in San Antonio, called Two Pesos. In 1992, the Supreme Court judged the case in favor of Taco Cabana and granted the firm $3.7 million in damages. The lawsuit had seriously damaged the financial viability of Two Pesos, and Taco Cabana obtained the firm, which had grown and had 30 restaurants in the city of San Antonio and its suburbs.
The company located in Irvine, which recently established its 300th restaurant, anticipates chain-wide sales to exceed $2 billion this year, a 25% jump over 1988, and about four times what they were seven years back. Simultaneously, sales per unit are up an average of 21% this year more than the previous years, with 1989 sales per unit estimated to top $700,000. A total of 3,080 Taco Bell units are expected to be established by the end of the year.
Currently, the PepsiCo subsidiary’s sizzling performance is among the most remarkable turnarounds in the quick-service industry. And Taco Bell is taking a bigger bite of the $60-billion-a-year fast-food market at this period when there is intense competition in the industry.
Most of the chain’s current success has been fostered by Taco Bell’s “value-menu” program, a discount program that decreased the price of six favorite items–such as tacos, tostadas, and burritos–from 79 cents to as low as 49 cents in few areas.
Taco Cabana sells generous portions of freshly prepared Mexican food at an excellent price. The Infusion with a festive Mexican theme made the interior and patio dining areas a nice place to chill with family and friends. Every day, Taco Cabana kitchens make homemade tortillas, grilled fajitas, various salsas, and other Mexican specials by hand. The outcome is excellent food in a relaxing atmosphere for an affordable price.
Other top Mexican Restaurants include the following:
Torchy’s Taco
Michael Rypka founded the first Torchy’s Taco in 2006. It started as a Taco truck in Austin, Texas, on Bouldin Creek at South. He lured customers by giving them free homemade salsa and chips, and then he used that opportunity to invite them to his establishment. When they tasted the Tacos, their response was “Damn Good,” and this statement is now the motto of Torchy’s Taco brand. Today, Torchy’s Tacos operates 30 stores and a food truck in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
Torchy’s Taco declared its opening in Abilene in February 2020, and it is launching in Texas in May 2020. The construction process for the foundation of the 4,900-square-foot building worth $2.1 million has commenced according to a permitting report from the city.
Torchy’s Taco being among Austin’s most visible locally-based restaurant chains, has proved helpful in many ways, especially the time Former President Barack Obama swung by and ordered three tacos during SouthBySouthwest. That was a significant publicity boost for the company.
Even though Torchy’s Tacos is currently prevalent in Austin and now reaches into 13 other cities, the famous restaurant chain had to conquer some problematic early years before it found its footing. Nowadays, the company doesn’t lack customers; however, it has had to fend off the occasional North Korean cyberattack.
Rypka claimed PyTorch’s busiest location is in Fort Worth’s midtown. It is situated near four medical centers; Rypka claims that store has an unusual early morning happy hour scene where we have night-shift nurses ordering tacos and margaritas at 7 a.m.
And Torchy’s is still expanding. Rypka declared, his team, is debating expansion potential in Nashville, Washington, D.C, and Phoenix.
The company’s concentration has always been on their food. They made sure that the tacos they served remained pretty damn good tacos. They made it their duty to obtain the best-sourced products they could find and prepared it in a way that’ll make it the healthiest, cleanest food they could find. They put lots of effort into traceability. Additionally, they always know where the coffee beans come from; They see where the green chilies come from; Torchy’s Taco also knows the chickens’ farms and where their beef comes from. They know the importance of having a relationship with one’s vendors.
Torchy’s Taco is passionate about what they do. In agreement with most comments made, individuals believe their passion is what made it a successful business. They employ employees who are friendly, fun and have a good work ethic. As a result of how busy their stores are, they only use diligent individuals and people and are prepared to work faithfully. Torchy’s Taco only wants individuals who are honest and real about themselves. They don’t want to work with robots.
At times, the experience can be a good factor though it is not always a principal factor in hiring people. The philosophy they work with is that they prefer employing someone with the right attitude and then teach them.
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is a chain of Tex-Mex food casual dining restaurants situated in the United States, SouthKorea, and Puerto Rico. OTB Acquisition LLC owns the brand name and the chain. In October 1982, it was founded by three friends in Dallas, TX. On The Border rapidly became a lively place for great margaritas, fresh Border-style food, and excellent times in Dallas and the neighboring areas.
As the business kept growing, the three friends agreed that the time has come for them to share On the Border with more people. Many more people, in numerous places. On The Border currently operates more than 160 restaurants in the United States, two ate in Puerto Rico, and nine are located in South Korea.
Hence today, you can buy fresh-pressed tortillas, chips as big as your head, margaritas worth their salt, tableside guacamole, and fresh Border-style food, and this was made possible by three pals—and a little tequila.
The Border Corporation has 6,029 employees across all of its locations. There are 138 companies in the On The Border Corporation corporate family.
In addition to its success, On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina grants extra beneficial services to its customers like catering, online ordering, and gift cards.
On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina partners with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure charity for the “Fiesta for the Cure” fundraising campaign. Through this campaign, On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina’s goal is to finance critical breast cancer research and eventually eradicate breast cancer simultaneously. Customers of On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina can easily include a donation to their check before leaving the restaurant.
Other positive trends in the success of restaurants include upswings in social media engagement, visual updates that include more unified branding and restaurant remodels that have been shown to enhance dine-in traffic, and be active in the community on both local and national levels. Whitworth then closed his remarks with an inspiring challenge to management and senior team members.
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is successfully delivering on its vision to break away from mainstream casual dining chains. At this year’s system-wide conference, the world’s largest casual Mexican restaurant brand shared news of double-digit growth in catering and triple-digit growth in third-party delivery, and a record-breaking Cinco de Mayo for 2017.
At On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, they celebrate drawing people together! The company’s mission is to have Fun, Work Smart, Be the Best, and Make Money. They are always searching for energetic people who are genuine about offering great hospitality and having fun while doing it. For about 40 years, they have shown a vibrant, peculiar environment where individuals love to work, grow, and stay! Join a team with brand passion, a flair for fun, and a dedication to excellence!
Uncle Julio’s
Uncle Julio’s Corporation owns and operates a chain of restaurants. The restaurant serves snacks, prepared foods, and drinks, like smoky grilled fajitas, nachos, sizzling shrimp brochettes, quesadillas, hand-rolled tamales, salads, guacamole, tacos, cajeta, and soups. Uncle Julio’s serves customers in the US.
Uncle Julio’s Restaurant Chain offers made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine by making fresh ingredients and original recipes to create its signature taste in everything from its mesquite-grilled meats to its handcrafted margaritas.
Customers find the dining experiences in Uncle Julio’s memorable because of its inviting atmosphere and interactive menu, like watching guacamole made table-side, looking into the open kitchen to see meals being prepared, or cracking open a Chocolate Piñata.
Its headquarters is located in Irving. In 1986 the first Uncle Julio’s was established and has since expanded to 41 restaurants in 11 states: Georgia, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma, Maryland, Virginia, Wisconsin, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Colorado, and it’s continually expanding to define the polished casual Mexican industry.
The first restaurant was established with a simple dedication to fresh ingredients and handcrafted recipes. They’ve always served crave-able guacamole, mesquite-grilled fajitas, and several other Tex-Mex specials since they started. Regardless of if guests are meeting over lunch, celebrating with family, or on a date, they always have an inviting atmosphere at Uncle Julio’s.
Its mission is to deliver from Scratch Mexican Memories fanatically. Their original Famous Swirl Margarita puts them on the map. Every restaurant has a unique style and decor. Through the inspiration of Mexican architecture and art, they provide an atmosphere as carefully Curated as our recipes’ ingredients.
Fresh ingredients meet fresh air. Customers that prefer eating outdoors are lucky because the restaurants feature beautiful dining patios. Fortunately, Made-From-Scratch Mexican tastes even much better under an umbrella in the sun.
Their commitment to innovation is indisputable. It didn’t end with the swirl. Since they’ve filled Chocolate Piñatas, paired guacamole with unique flavor combinations, and changes to suit the taste of their guest’s.They’ve never stopped raising the bar so that Uncle Julio’s continues to. One thing that made Uncle Julio stand out from other restaurants of this genre is their refusal of everything with excessive amounts of melted cheese. This is one mistake most of its rival restaurant’s usually make. At Uncle Julio’s, customers feel at home at their table.
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, also know as Cafe Rio, is a quick-service casual restaurant chain. The restaurant is located in Salt Lake City, which has branches in California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Florida, Montana, Maryland, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Virginia, and Washington. The company is specializing in Mexican cuisine.
Its menu features appetizers, salads, tostadas, burritos, enchiladas, desserts, quesadillas, tacos, beverages, and soups. The companies also offer catering services. The company had 120 locations in October 2017. As of September 2019, it had increased to 133 sites.
The restaurant was established in1997 in a small town known as St.George. It was founded by a couple called Steve and Patricia Rio. The dishes served in Cafe Rio were authentic dishes gotten from inspired recipes and traditional cooking of Northern Mexico’s Rio Grande region, Southern Texas and New Mexico. Every ingredient used was always fresh, and meals were made fresh to order.
And many people enjoyed they couldn’t get enough of it. It was to the extent that the restaurant increased to six in number. In 2004, Bob Nilsen had an interest in Cafe Rio and bought it from the Stanley’s with plans of making the love of making this fresh Mexican food known to all in and around Utah and beyond. He ensured he kept the mantra of “fresh food, made fresh” at the brand’s very core.
Microwave and freezers weren’t used since no meal was premade. Their staff starts every day with hand-squeezing limes, simmering sauces, hand-scooping avocados, and making desserts. Nowadays, the crowds that queue at more than125 Cafe Rio locations aren’t the only ones to observe.
They’ve won morning than 100 awards, from the Best of City Search and the Oxnard Salsa Festival to the Inc. 500 and the Alfred P. Sloan Award. D, they claim they are just getting started. Their executive team has more than 100 years of restaurant industry experience combined.
The talents of their executive team have fostered the growth of Cafe Rio from six locations in Utah to more than 120 locations across twelve states. Cafe Rio isn’t giving up or taking a nap any time from now. The restaurant has a wide variety of food products served at Cafe Rio’s and is a well-developed site for online orders.
Additionally, they also provide special programs for privileged customers. More than 70+ restaurant chains are distributed across the USA. The brand has the UR win as the fastest-growing company and best Mexican food among the awards. The signature dish is a sweet pork barbacoa burrito prepared enchilada-style. It has been said that the chain intends to establish many restaurants in Tennessee by 2025, with the flagship TN restaurant opening in Nashville in 2021.
Costa Vida Mexican Grill
Costa Vida Mexican Grill is a fast-casual chain restaurant with franchises in Yuba City and Roseville in California and Utah, Arizona, Maine, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Texas. Its menu features burritos, salads, nachos, tacos, fish tacos, shrimp tacos, sides, enchiladas, desserts, quesadillas, and drinks.
In 2003, JD and Sarah Gardner established Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill in Layton, Utah. Though the chain is fast-casual, almost every food is freshly prepared; this includes tortillas and handmade guacamole.
They have formed the term Baja-style for burritos and tacos prepared with a few simple, fresh ingredients that are supposed to evoke the spirit of healthy eating and living. Made-to-order sweet pork, shredded beef, and chipotle chicken also stick out. A gluten-free menu is also included. Classically trained corporate chef supervises menu development.
Besides the celebration of outdoors and beach, Flat-screen televisions showing surfing videos and surfboards hanging from the ceiling are also present. Abundant Brands Bajio Mexican Grill chain was merged into Costa Vida in 2011; it’s eventually becoming a franchisee by rebranding its 16 units. Costa Vida Management Co. runs stores owned by the company and supervises franchising, with stores currently in 10 US states and Canada.
It has continuously gained popularity globally since most customers emphasized clean eating habits, and numerous investors have observed this. Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill is prospering due to the high demand for healthy quick-service casual cuisine in the fast restaurant segment.
Costa Vida is a brand that is committed to promoting healthy lifestyle choices, providing customizable menu options that include real food with fresh and natural ingredients that individuals are familiar with and can relate to.
This has always been the company’s foundation, and with the latest changes in consumer demand for that authentic dining experience. They are making sales at their locations, and many investors are capitalizing on the growing market.
The key to their success as they keep gaining popularity amongst customers, mainly in new markets, is to continue being consistent throughout the brand from the ground up. To do that, they became strategic and cautious in their franchise development process, carefully vetting candidates and opportunities to make sure they maintained the brand integrity and cohesion as they became a more popular franchise globally.
They are always open for lunch and dinner seven days a week; Costa Vida offers an “addictively legal” array of fresh-Mexican fare in a quick-service casual setting. Costa Vida’s meals are 100 % naturally addictive.
Costa Vida engages the consumers in a peculiar dining experience through meshing the convenience and price points of a fast-food restaurant with the freshness, quality, and portion quantities of a sit-down restaurant.
With meals ranging from $4 to $8 and served in nearly 10 minutes, Costa Vida is the ideal dining destination for business people who wants a quick lunch or families that want an inexpensive and exciting destination they can carry their children also. Take out, and catering is obtainable; their irresistible food suits every schedule or occasion.
Aside from the mouthwatering meals, Costa Vida inspires its customers to enjoy and live life to the fullest.
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is an American quick-service casual restaurant chain that specializes in serving Baja-style Mexican cuisine. They also serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Fuzzy operates over 150 locations in 16 states.
The first Fuzzy’s Taco Shop was established in 2001 by Paul Willis on West Berry Street in Fort Worth, Texas, close to Texas Christian University. In 2003, Alan and Chuck Bush purchased it and opened its second restaurant in East Fort Worth.
The purchase intended to instantly focus the company’s attention, providing guests with generous helpings of uniquely flavorful foods at an affordable price in an exciting and fun atmosphere.
In 2007 they rapidly expanded the chain by franchising. But they focused on locations close to college campuses before they branched out into other areas.
In 2012, the brand established its 50th location and its 100th location in 2016, a few months after selling a 70% stake to Atlanta-based private equity group NRD Capital Management.
Fuzzy’s exceeded over 150 locations in early 2019, and it currently operates restaurants in Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Iowa, Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Montana, Mississippi, Ohio, and Virginia. The company has made known its intentions of exceeding 200 locations by 2021.
Both old and young people are familiar with the company because it’s a cheap menu, dog-friendly patios, and full liquor bars that offer various draft and craft beers, signature frozen cocktails, and many unique flavors of margaritas.
The Baja style tacos have “cult-like fans,” and most of them relocated, thus leaving from the original company location, but this only made Fuzz’s obliged by spreading across nine states with 77 stores initially.
One thing that added to its success the passion for hospitality and engaging the customers.
Amongst Fuzzy’s Taco Shop creatives is the “Free Tacos For a Year” giveaway where 50 winners chosen on the day of the event are offered free tacos for a year or free tacos every week for 52 weeks.
The offer was given just for the first 50 guests on the day of the event signed up for the Fuzzy’s rewards app.
This offer has made customers download and create accounts on the Fuzzy’s Taco Shop mobile app; it’s indeed an innovative method of attracting customers.
Fans who share their “corniest jokes” also stand a chance of winning a $25 gift card.
Within this past 12 months, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has established new restaurants in Hardeeville, Wichita, and Parker. Fuzzy’s Tacos is designed to create a festive atmosphere that can only be enjoyed at fuzzy.
Pappasitto’s Cantina,
Pappasitto’s Cantina is a privately owned Tex-Mex restaurant chain; the headquarters is located in Houston, Texas.
Pappasitto’s is the second-largest concept among the largest family-owned and run restaurant companies in the U.S. The Pappas family of restaurants serves various cuisines and traditions. However, every one of them has in common their obsession with outstanding service and quality food and is reflected in all areas of the Guest experience. Pappas is an esteemed leader in the competitive restaurant industry.
The Pappas philosophy hasn’t significantly evolved within these past years. The drive needed still comes from their passion for excellence, emphasizing innovation, and attention to every detail and quality in everything they do.
The warm, alluring atmosphere and family-focused attitude seen in every Pappas restaurant started well before the Pappas brothers established their first restaurant in 1976. Everything started with H.D. Pappas, their legendary grandfather.
In 1897 he left Greece and went to America in pursuit of his dreams. He came along with a passion for service and quality and service that became the benchmark of his success as he established restaurants across Tennessee, Texas, and Arkansas.
It was this same commitment to quality and service that H.D. transferred to his sons and grandsons. His sons, Pete and Jim, followed another path and started the restaurant equipment and supply business. In 1945, they founded Pappas Refrigeration. Notwithstanding, in 1976, Jim’s sons, Chris and Harris, chose to follow their grandfather’s path and established their first restaurant.
One thing that made Pappasitto’s Cantina unique compared to other restaurant companies is that they don’t only operate their restaurants with the sole purpose of feeding their loyal Guests every day. They also own and drive the trucks that offer the freshest seafood to their restaurants day in day out.
They hire the electricians who keep the lights on and the kitchens humming. Additionally, they also manufacture their e own chairs for the dining room floor!
They own, produce, make, and operate about everything they need to make sure they always offer only the highest quality products in a cozy environment that makes their Guests satisfied and keep returning over and again.
This kind of business organization is called “vertical integration,” and it enables them to make sure there’s never a delay in the process and that they continually offer the absolute best for their customers.
Harris and Chris currently lead Pappas restaurants’ chain with over 80 locations in 7 states, across Texas, and with restaurants in Ohio, Illinois, and New Orleans.
Pappas Restaurants are widely known for exceptional food, outstanding service, and an atmosphere where individuals are treated as Guests. Customers are always entertained while enjoying great food with the Pappas trademark of quality.
Pappasitto’s Cantina serves numerous cuisines, and all served in generous quantities by their proficient, attentive wait staff. Every person that comes in is always welcomed as a guest.
Pappas always has something for everybody. They take guests like family and are still out to prove it every time they visit.
Pappasitto’s offers a unique experience to guests.
The flavor, freshness, and presentation of Pappasitto’s food can’t be gotten anywhere else. They only serve the highest quality produce, meat, and fish. Their table side guacamole is prepared with the most pleasing avocados, peppers, onions, and tomatoes that ate only used if they pass the “Coke can read” test.
They also serve drinks as cold as their grill. Guests can find out the true meaning of tingling taste buds with their signature sangria. And again, their selection of cervesas, wines, and standard cocktails never disappoint.
A seafood selection like calamari, shrimpfish, and ceviche are m also made in authentic Tex-Mex style. Pappasitto’s Cantina is always filled with happy guests and staff.
Rubio’s
Rubio’s Coastal Grill, previously known as Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill, is a quick-service casual “Fresh Mex” or “New” restaurant chain specializing in Mexican food but focuses on fish tacos. As of 2013, Rubio’s operates, licenses, or franchises over 200 restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. Its headquarters is situated in Carlsbad, California.
In 1983, the first Rubio’s restaurant was established by Ralph Rubio and was a walk up stand in Mission Bay, San Diego. America had its first Tate of a fish taco at this walk upstand. Soon they were hooked. Since that moment, the popularity of fish tacos has spread across California, and however, they might remain uncommon elsewhere.
Since then, the phenomenon has spread from coast to coast. Every new restaurant brought not just The Original Fish Taco recipe, but also Ralph’s dedication to fresh and high-quality ingredients.
With the help of many great people, Ralph has sold over 200 million fish tacos.
The first restaurant served French fries, calamari, and fish tacos, as well as other cuisines. Customers still relish the taste of The Original Fish Taco. Even the menu has expanded, so it now includes responsibly sourced grilled seafood options. With steak and all-natural chicken raised without antibiotics, served in tacos, bowls, salad, and burritos; thus, guests have found other new originals to enjoy.
The flavors prepared in Rubio’s kitchens nowadays are a combination of the south of the border roots and the influence of California’s coastal waters and farm-fresh ingredients. Regardless they still serve the Original Fish Taco and an array of one-of-a-kind recipes centered on grilled seafood. Every one of them can be combined with salsa (made daily), rice, or chips.
Rubio’s authentic fish tacos are made from Alaskan Pollock, battered, fried, and served in a corn tortilla. However, it can be done in a flour tortilla depending on the choice of the customer. Grilled mahi-mahi is also sold at every location.
Rubio’s menu combines coastal-inspired flavors with their Mexican heritage to create award-winning fish tacos and inventive burritos and bowls that are awesome.
They believe that when food is made with delicious, quality ingredients, the experience cannot be explained. That’s why they source, slice, and sizzle quality ingredients and will continue for many years to come.
Their guacamole is made up of rich, creamy Hass Avocados. Salsas are prepared in-house day in day out.
At Rubio’s, they believe that you get the best food out when you use the best ingredients.
Moreso, their dedication isn’t only about using great ingredients but also about the ones they refuse using. Additives such as artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, added MSG, food coloring from artificial sources, high-fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, and numerous more with names very hard aren’t allowed in their kitchen.
Every day fresh coastal flavors come to life in their kitchens every day for customers to enjoy and feel great while eating.
Taco Bueno
Taco Bueno is a famous fast food restaurant chain situated in the southern United States. It serves traditional Tex-Mex-style tacos, nachos, and burritos, and other Mexican style meals.
In 1967, the chain was established in Abilene, Texas, by Bill R. Waugh, an art graduate from Abilene Christian University. It now has more than 160 locations in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Colorado, and Texas.
It was initially established to serve fresh and real Mexican food. Nevertheless, they stayed true to their roots by crafting simple recipes in every kitchen rather than serving processed and packaged food like other restaurants.
Regarding the annual quick-service restaurant study conducted by Market Force Information, Taco Bueno ranks as Americans’ best Mexican restaurant chain.
Unlike many of its competitors with over 1500 locations, Texas’s restaurant chain has 175 locations in seven states. Thus it very much smaller compared to many of its competitors.
Like other quick-service restaurants that focus on offering Mexican-inspired cuisine, the bulk of Taco Bueno’s menu includes seasoned meat, cheese blends, flour, corn tortillas, and classic sides and toppings like guacamole, jalapenos, and salsa, etc.
Taco Bueno’s meals are usually high in calories, sodium, and carbohydrates like its major competitors.
Most of the menu items also have Trans fats, of which the American Heart Association advises individuals to consume a maximum of 2g every day.
The chain focuses on the freshness of products, with a salsa made in-house and pinto beans boiled overnight to refry the next morning.
However, their items that are unique to the Taco Bueno menu, they are MexiDips and Chips, with made-in-house tortilla chips, Machacos, which are tacos made with soft pieces of pitas as the shells, and signature guacamole.
Furthermore, Taco Bueno also offers some super-sized meals, which make the chains more unique. The Big Freak’n Taco is a “two-handed beast,” whereas the Wholotta Platter packs in a taco, rice, Machado, refried beans, a side of queso, and a “chilida” — a chili- and queso-covered enchilada.
Since 2007, Taco Bueno has been serving breakfast, many years before other restaurants joined in the culture.
Although numerous people who don’t reside in Texas and Oklahoma might not have heard of the chain, Taco Bueno loyalists are a vocal force on social media.
In 2005, The Company started franchising 2005 and was acquired by TPG Growth last year.
The chain is currently making a franchise push in states like Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, and Iowa. The chains happen to be indifferent about international growth, unlike its competitors; instead, it emphasizes expansion in the Southwest.
They do things in a Bueno way, and customers always taste the difference.
Tijuana Flats
Tijuana Flats is a privately-owned American chain of restaurants that servesTex-Mex cuisine. These restaurants are quick-service hybrids that serve the new message, hot sauce bars, art mural, and off-beat culture. Customers place their orders at the front counter and are done after taking a seat.
It has more than 135 locations (117 companies owned & 18 franchised) across Georgia, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, and Virginia. In 1995, the restaurant was founded by a university graduate Brian Wheeler in Winter Park, Florida. Brian was initially broke but could open his restaurant with a US$20,000 loan from his father. The company had 18 locations before expanding out-of-state in 2004.
When the fourth restaurant was opened, Brian reimbursed the loan, and his father joined as the CFO. As of 2001, Tijuana Flats had six restaurants, which increased to 18 locations in 200 and 65 by 2009. Tijuana Flats built its training center for restaurant managers in 2005 in Winter Park.
Currently, the restaurant support and training center is situated at the Tijuana Flats HQ in Maitland. Tijuana Flats changed from a franchise model to corporate-owned stores in 2007. That same year it also formed its non-profit arm, the Just in Queso Foundation. This shows that it was always willing to give back to the community. They’ve raised more than $4,000,000 and counting, and their team members have donated many times to help those in need.
Tijuana Flats’ entrées feature quesadillas, burritos, burrito bowls, chimichangas, fresh salads, dos tacos, nachos, and flautas. Guests have options o of tortilla with flour and wheat and also hard and soft corn with tacos. For every item except the outrageous flat items, customers can choose their toppings of lettuce, onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, sour cream, and fillings like chipotle and blackened chicken, steak, beef, refried and black beans. There are also options for Burrito and taco meal kits.
They prepare every food ordered using the freshest ingredients prepared the same day you called them. Surprisingly, their guac, queso, and salsa are also made from scratch daily in day out. That’s their standard of operations.
Even though they might be fast-casual, they care deeply about their staff, customers, and communities. So they take the time to watch. This is more reason they employ the best team members, which will engage with guests from the time they arrive till they leave.
Tijuana Flats satisfy individuals’ desire’s for bold flavors, and colorful experiences piled high with big-hearted quality service. And they boldly celebrate every individual and every community with Tex Mex for All.
Additionally, they have core values, which they strive to uphold every time. They are
- respect
- quality
- opportunity
- integrity
- innovation
- fun
- community
Tijuana Flats treats everyone fairly with the utmost respect. They try to lead by example, listen, openly communicate, and treat people how they intend being treated. They are always willing to assist during hard times, bother professionally and personally.
Lupe Tortilla
Lupe Tortilla, which opened in 1983, was founded in the Houston area by Judson and Peter Holt, Stan and Audrey Holt. The husband-and-wife couple developed the brand’s signature fajita recipe and fresh Tex-Mex menu. The 45-seat restaurant stirred up quite a following over the years in the tiny Addicks neighborhood.
The brothers, who graduated from The Culinary Institute of America, discovered that the idea could do pretty darn well after opening a second store in 1997. Afterward, they quickly opened the third and fourth restaurants and have since been experiencing steady expansion, including outposts in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and now Dallas. Today’s chain numbers 20 units.
The menu is highly diverse at Lupe, featuring everything from carne asadas to tacos, enchiladas, sopas, appetizers, and grilled specialties. The distinction between Lupe and other restaurants in Tex-Mex is the team’s care into each dish. In each restaurant during the day, tortillas are rolled by hand. In-house, each restaurant processes its beef, makes its hot sauce, and hand-squeezes each lime. When designing the idea, Peter and Judson faced one of the most challenging challenges was not giving in comfort and moving away from fresh ingredients.
The brothers have made a deliberate decision to concentrate on company-owned development with programs in place and progress in several Texas markets to point to, with their eyes beginning to dart to other areas of the world, too. They are going to opt for suburban areas, says Holt, where guests have more disposable income.
As the brand has evolved, processes have slowly adapted, and better systems have been developed. Here and there, the Texas Hill Country style of decor may get changed, but it is uncommon for the Holts to make a significant change to this legacy restaurant. However, a new addition to the menu came with a new emphasis on growth; the day part of breakfast launched just over a year ago.
Oh, on the A.M. Customers will enjoy a Tex-Mex menu to take on breakfast classics such as praline pancakes and waffles eaten with cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans, and Black Barrel tequila syrup, as well as pupusa, barbacoa, poached egg, poblano, cilantro, and chile-lime hollandaise sauce Barbacoa Benedict.
A full three-day menu will be introduced for every new restaurant (five are expected to open before August). To do so at the standard of excellence that the brothers expect, the chain must hire the best people for the team now, more than ever, and train them well.
With soft openings to allow for more power, the team is sure to set these new players up for success.
Other Mexican Restaurants
It is important to mention that there are other Mexican restaurants which were not mentioned here. Just as mentioned before, these are just the top Mexican restaurants with biggest market share. The restaurants are not arranged in any particular order.
