Qdoba recently featured in the Roanoke Times

Qdoba was recently featured in the Roanoke Times discussing the brand’s growth plans throughout the region. The article was built from an interview with Todd Owen and discussed Qdoba’s expansion plans throughout the region and the type of entrepreneur the brand is looking to partner with the lead the brand locally. Here is a portion of the article below and you can find a link to read the full article as well.

Fast-food chain Qboda looks to add spice to area
By Jenny Kincaid Boone

A fast-food Mexican chain wants to spice up Southwest Virginia's burrito business.

Qdoba Mexican Grill has locations in most major cities in Virginia. Now, the Colorado company is turning to this region nearly a year after its competitor, Chipotle Mexican Grill, announced plans for a Blacksburg restaurant.

Qdoba said this week that it's looking for a franchise owner to open eateries specifically in the Roanoke and New River valleys and in Lynchburg. Also, the chain will open a small site at Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus within the next several years. (Read More)

Qdoba recently featured in the Times Leader

Chain shopping for franchise owner

By Jerry Lynott jlynott@timesleader.com
Business Writer

For Todd Owen, finding the right owner of a Qdoba Mexican Grill takes time.

The vice president of franchise development for the growing restaurant chain is looking for people to bring the brand to Northeastern Pennsylvania.

But he’s being choosy.

“There’s a mutual selection process because we want to make sure they uphold our standards,” Owen said.

It’s about getting to know them, “like dating before you get married,” he added.

The chain, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jack in the Box Inc., has been around for 14 years and has been surrounding the region with stores in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas, Lancaster and State College. (Read More)

Qdoba Featured in Quad-Cities Dispatch

Qdoba was recently featured in an article in The Quad-Cities Dispatch entitled, “Qdoba Menu Focuses on Fresh Ingredients.” The article was built from an in-person interview and photo-shoot with Kevin Pogue at his restaurant opening on May 3rd in Moline. The article discusses Qdoba’s fresh ingredients as well as Pogue’s entrepreneur story, as this is his third restaurant with plans to develop 6 or 7 total throughout Illinois. Additionally the article discusses the managements restaurant experience and their new opening promotion where they will give the first 50 people in line a free entrees. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to the article in its entirety.

Qdoba menu focuses on fresh ingredients
By Lindsay Hocker

Qdoba restaurant is scheduled to open Monday outside SouthPark Mall, the first Qdoba in the Illinois Quad-Cities.

Owner Kevin Pogue, of Peoria, owns two other Qdoba franchises, one in Peoria and one in East Peoria.The only other local Qdoba, on 53rd Street in Davenport, is owned by a different franchisee

Qdoba is known for using fresh ingredients and preparing entrees in front of customers, Mr. Pogue said."Everything's made fresh. We hand marinate our meats every day."

He said the restaurant's tiny two-cubic foot freezer only holds three items -- two types of sauce and cookies - because everything else is prepared on site, including the salsas and guacamole.

Dan Hughes of Bettendorf, who has more than 15 years restaurant management experience, will manage the restaurant.

Mr. Hughes said helikes the open kitchen."You see the cooks back there flaming up the vegetables and meats."

(READ MORE)

Qdoba Featured in Wall Street Journal

Qdoba was recently featured in a great article in The Wall Street Journal on April 8th entitled, “Creativity on the Menu for Restaurant Financing.” The article was built from an interview with Jeff Hutter and John Dikos. The article discusses different creative ways that franchisees are finding loans/financing options in the current economic climate. Jeff Hutter discussed putting together a group of investors to finance his Qdoba locations and John Dikos provides his opinion on the financing options available for franchisees. Below you will find a thumbnail along with a link to the full scanned article.

“Creativity on the Menu for Restaurant Financing.”
By Julie Bennett

Qdoba Featured in Dallas Business Journal

Qdoba was recently featured in an article in the Dallas business Journal entitled, “Qdoba Planning for 40 North Texas Stores.” The article was built from an in-depth interview with Todd Owen and Qdoba’s Dallas franchisee, Bassam Odeh. The article discusses Qdoba’s expansion plans in the region and what Qdoba is looking for in potential franchisees. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to the article in its entirety.

Qdoba planning for 40 North Texas stores
by Bill Hethcock

Qdoba Mexican Grill aims to grow from seven to 40 North Texas restaurants during the next four years. To get there, it’s targeting new and existing franchisees who have experience with other food chains.

Denver-based Qdoba, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jack in the Box Inc., is scouting locations and meeting with area entrepreneurs, said Todd Owen, Qdoba vice president of franchise development.

(READ MORE)

Qdoba Featured in The Oregonian

Qdoba was recently featured in an article which published in The Oregonian, entitled, “Stan Kramer moves to Portland to save his Qdoba grill franchises.” The article featured the entrepreneur story of Stan Kramer and how he learned that you have to be a the forefront of your business to make them truly successful, and also includes an in-depth bio and photos. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to the article in its entirety.

Stan Kramer moves to Portland to save his Qdoba grill franchises
By Eric Mortenson

He'd made good money in the Silicon Valley's high-tech boom and was living the semi-retired life in Denver. His six Qdoba Mexican Grill franchises in Oregon were admittedly a "passing investment."

But the restaurants were performing poorly. Kramer would jet out from Denver about once a quarter, and what he saw was an undistinguished collection of fast-food joints operated by dispirited crews.

"It was kind of rudderless ship," Kramer says. "You could see it in their eyes."

Today, his stores are hopping and posted 20 percent sales gains in the past year, despite the poor economy. The employees exchange warm greetings with anyone venturing inside, and customer satisfaction surveys rank the Oregon stores near the top among 500 Qdoba operations nationally.

The success comes as restaurants nationally are hurting. Technomic, a Chicago restaurant consultant group, says sales at full-service restaurants fell 8 percent in 2009 and may fall another 3 percent to 7 percent this year. Fast-food chains are flat.

The key in Qdoba's case was that Kramer, 56, isn't one to let a business mope around.

(READ MORE)

Qdoba Featured in Shopping Center Magazine

Qdoba was recently featured in an article published in Shopping Center Business Magazine, entitled, “Wanting More.” The article was built from an in-depth interview with Todd Owen along with various photos of Qdoba. The article discusses Qdoba’s ability to reach the 500-unit milestone despite the economic climate and their strategy in reaching this major accomplishment. Additionally the article delves into Qdoba’s expansion plans into 2010 and who they are looking to grow with. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to the article in its entirety.

Wanting More
Even as Qdoba Mexican Grill reaches the 500-unit milestone, the brand is itching for broader, more rapid growth.
By Lindsay Sport

In September 2009, Qdoba Mexican Grill reached an important milestone in the brand’s 14-year history with the opening of its 500th location in Centennial, Colorado. Founded in Denver in 1995, the fast-casual Mexican kitchen and wholly owned subsidiary of Jack in the Box, Inc., has seen rapid growth, with more than 400 of its locations launched within the last 7 years.

But with current economic obstacles slowing development across the real estate industry, even brands such as Qdoba are feeling the effects. And while a growth rate of 40 restaurants projected to open in 2010 is still a sizeable expansion, Todd Owen, vice president of franchise development for Qdoba, says he wishes for more.

“No doubt the economy has significantly impacted most businesses and slowed us down a bit,” says Owen. “The slowdown in new construction is not allowing us to proceed with development as fast as we did in the past.”

(READ MORE)