Most franchisees spend months deciding whether to open their first restaurant. Pete John never planned to stop there.
When John opened the first Dillas Primo Quesadillas franchise in Shreveport, Louisiana, in October 2018, the vision wasn't to own a single restaurant. The goal was always to build something much bigger. Today, through Primeaux Restaurant Group, John owns five Dillas restaurants across Louisiana and East Texas, making him both the brand's first franchisee and its strongest proof that the model can scale.
"The vision from the beginning was never to just have one," John said. "We said we were going to get to five as quickly as we could. Now we're talking about 10."
That confidence wasn't built on optimism alone. It came from watching the restaurants perform, seeing the economics work and realizing every new location created opportunities for employees, communities and the long-term growth of the brand.
"If the numbers didn't make sense, obviously I wouldn't have continued growing," John said. "But we've been successful. We opened one, then opened two more very quickly, and they were successful too. It makes it a lot easier to keep investing when you know the model works."
John spent more than a decade with Raising Cane's before reconnecting with longtime colleague Kyle Gordon, who co-founded Dillas alongside his wife, Maggie.
He immediately saw something different. "I loved the freshness. I loved the vibe. I knew the drive the team had," John said. "I wanted to be a part of it."
After opening his first restaurant in 2018, the brand navigated COVID alongside the rest of the restaurant industry. Instead of slowing down, John picked up speed. His second location opened in January 2021. His third followed just six months later. Then came locations four and five in 2024, opening only months apart.
"We've continued to grow because we've continued to be successful," John said. "The product works. The model works. That's what gives you confidence."
Growth wasn't only about adding units. For John, every new restaurant created opportunities for people already on his team.
"I wanted to make an impact in more communities," he said. "I wanted to employ more people and create more opportunities."
He quickly realized that keeping great leaders meant creating room for them to advance.
"We had brought on a great team to open that first restaurant," John said. "The only way those individuals were going to stay with Primeaux Restaurant Group was for us to keep opening more Dillas. As you grow, people have opportunities to grow."
That people-first philosophy has become one of the defining characteristics of John's organization, earning recognition throughout his markets, including Best Place to Work honors and local business awards.
As the brand's only franchisee today, John often thinks about what he would tell someone considering joining the system. His answer is simple: timing.
"I think Dillas is a great brand because it's young and fresh," he said. "We're still discovering and improving. It's not a brand that's been doing things exactly the same way for 50 years. There isn't another franchisee right next door to you. There's so much open territory. You have the chance to build something before the market gets crowded. When you can be a first mover in a brand that's proving itself, to me it's a no-brainer."
Of course, enthusiasm alone doesn't build five restaurants. John says Dillas has steadily refined the operational systems that make multi-unit growth possible.
"We have training checklists, videos and systems," he said. "Everything is built around making sure we're all delivering the same product the same way."
Every new management team trains inside Dallas-area Dillas restaurants before opening. "The reason we send them there is for the culture," John said. "They're talking the same language, learning the same standards and understanding all the little things that make Dillas different."
Technology has also made operating multiple restaurants easier. Toast powers restaurant operations, while dedicated IT support allows operators to stay focused on running the business rather than troubleshooting technology.
"Dillas is very open to new technology," John said. "If something helps us become more efficient or more profitable, we're going to look at it."
As Dillas has grown, John says his relationship with Kyle and Maggie has evolved into something much deeper than a traditional franchisor-franchisee relationship.
"The trust factor is huge," he said. "They're servant leaders. They're always asking what they can do to help. They aren't just signing an agreement and sending you out into the wilderness. If someone has a strong restaurant background and joins the system, Kyle and Maggie are willing to listen. That's exciting because it feels like a true partnership where everybody helps make the brand better."
John's story demonstrates something every prospective franchisee wants to know before making an investment: Would an existing owner do it again?
For him, the answer has been yes, again and again.
"We've stayed operationally focused from day one," John said. "If you have great operations, people are going to love it. Then you put the right people in place to tell the Dillas story."
For John, that formula has worked five times already. And if his original vision is any indication, he's just getting started.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas.
Dillas Quesadillas
SPONSORED
Why Dillas' first franchisee didn't stop at one restaurant and why he believes the brand offers one of the biggest opportunities in emerging fast casual.
Most franchisees spend months deciding whether to open their first restaurant. Pete John never planned to stop there.
When John opened the first Dillas Primo Quesadillas franchise in Shreveport, Louisiana, in October 2018, the vision wasn't to own a single restaurant. The goal was always to build something much bigger. Today, through Primeaux Restaurant Group, John owns five Dillas restaurants across Louisiana and East Texas, making him both the brand's first franchisee and its strongest proof that the model can scale.
"The vision from the beginning was never to just have one," John said. "We said we were going to get to five as quickly as we could. Now we're talking about 10."
That confidence wasn't built on optimism alone. It came from watching the restaurants perform, seeing the economics work and realizing every new location created opportunities for employees, communities and the long-term growth of the brand.
"If the numbers didn't make sense, obviously I wouldn't have continued growing," John said. "But we've been successful. We opened one, then opened two more very quickly, and they were successful too. It makes it a lot easier to keep investing when you know the model works."
John spent more than a decade with Raising Cane's before reconnecting with longtime colleague Kyle Gordon, who co-founded Dillas alongside his wife, Maggie.
He immediately saw something different. "I loved the freshness. I loved the vibe. I knew the drive the team had," John said. "I wanted to be a part of it."
After opening his first restaurant in 2018, the brand navigated COVID alongside the rest of the restaurant industry. Instead of slowing down, John picked up speed. His second location opened in January 2021. His third followed just six months later. Then came locations four and five in 2024, opening only months apart.
"We've continued to grow because we've continued to be successful," John said. "The product works. The model works. That's what gives you confidence."
Growth wasn't only about adding units. For John, every new restaurant created opportunities for people already on his team.
"I wanted to make an impact in more communities," he said. "I wanted to employ more people and create more opportunities."
He quickly realized that keeping great leaders meant creating room for them to advance.
"We had brought on a great team to open that first restaurant," John said. "The only way those individuals were going to stay with Primeaux Restaurant Group was for us to keep opening more Dillas. As you grow, people have opportunities to grow."
That people-first philosophy has become one of the defining characteristics of John's organization, earning recognition throughout his markets, including Best Place to Work honors and local business awards.
As the brand's only franchisee today, John often thinks about what he would tell someone considering joining the system. His answer is simple: timing.
"I think Dillas is a great brand because it's young and fresh," he said. "We're still discovering and improving. It's not a brand that's been doing things exactly the same way for 50 years. There isn't another franchisee right next door to you. There's so much open territory. You have the chance to build something before the market gets crowded. When you can be a first mover in a brand that's proving itself, to me it's a no-brainer."
Of course, enthusiasm alone doesn't build five restaurants. John says Dillas has steadily refined the operational systems that make multi-unit growth possible.
"We have training checklists, videos and systems," he said. "Everything is built around making sure we're all delivering the same product the same way."
Every new management team trains inside Dallas-area Dillas restaurants before opening. "The reason we send them there is for the culture," John said. "They're talking the same language, learning the same standards and understanding all the little things that make Dillas different."
Technology has also made operating multiple restaurants easier. Toast powers restaurant operations, while dedicated IT support allows operators to stay focused on running the business rather than troubleshooting technology.
"Dillas is very open to new technology," John said. "If something helps us become more efficient or more profitable, we're going to look at it."
As Dillas has grown, John says his relationship with Kyle and Maggie has evolved into something much deeper than a traditional franchisor-franchisee relationship.
"The trust factor is huge," he said. "They're servant leaders. They're always asking what they can do to help. They aren't just signing an agreement and sending you out into the wilderness. If someone has a strong restaurant background and joins the system, Kyle and Maggie are willing to listen. That's exciting because it feels like a true partnership where everybody helps make the brand better."
John's story demonstrates something every prospective franchisee wants to know before making an investment: Would an existing owner do it again?
For him, the answer has been yes, again and again.
"We've stayed operationally focused from day one," John said. "If you have great operations, people are going to love it. Then you put the right people in place to tell the Dillas story."
For John, that formula has worked five times already. And if his original vision is any indication, he's just getting started.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas.
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