Dillas Quesadillas

Why Dillas’ Operational Playbook Is Driving $2 Million AUVs

1851 Franchise

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After more than a decade of building the brand, the fast-casual quesadilla franchise has streamlined speed, accuracy and community-driven marketing to support disciplined franchise growth.

Why Dillas’ Operational Playbook Is Hitting $2 Million AUVs as the Brand Eyes Franchise Expansion

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How Dillas Quesadillas is Becoming the Top Franchise Choice by Trailblazing its Own New Segment: Quesadilla-Focused QSRs

The Visionaries Behind Dillas Primo Quesadillas: Meet Kyle and Maggie Gordon

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Over 12 focused, feedback-driven years,&nbsp;<a href="https://dillas.com/franchise/">Dillas Quesadilla</a> has gone from a college-born concept to a category-defining, quesadilla-focused QSR — refining its model, scaling with intention and proving that simplicity, operational excellence and community can power outsized results.<h2>Year 1 Lessons: Listen, Learn, Adjust</h2>The first&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas/info">Dillas</a> opened with plenty of heart — and a few misses. Some early menu items (the Cali Dilla, the Chickadilla), a lack of chips and queso, and pricing that didn’t match perceived value just didn’t land. The response became a core cultural reflex: “Open our ears and listen to the customer, tweak, change, adjust.” That humility turned into profitability — and a playbook. What didn’t resonate was cut; what guests loved was elevated. Over time, that meant a simplified, crave-forward menu that speeds ordering and execution while preserving freshness and quality.Co-founder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-gordon-7a1ab852/">Kyle Gordon</a> brought a “do one thing incredibly well” mindset shaped by his years at Raising Cane’s. He applied a “flow cook chicken fingers” discipline to quesadillas: tight systems, fresh prep with simple steps and an obsession with doing the fundamentals right — every time. The result is “relatively simple operations” and a focused product that shortens time to train, boosts throughput and unlocks high top-line sales without overcomplicating the box.“At Raising Cane’s, when I was there, we went from 35 to about 135 locations,” Kyle said. “That gave me a lot of validation and insight. I tried to absorb everything I could about what it takes to run a great restaurant — and more importantly, a great restaurant culture.”<h2>Proof of Scale: The Power of Franchising</h2>The inflection point came in 2018 with the brand’s first franchisee,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-john-018a532a8/">Pete John</a> in Shreveport. His store’s first-year sales mirrored what Dillas achieved in year three at the original location. That “crystallized the power of franchising” for the founders — a living example of what a tight playbook plus an aligned operator could do.“My wife and I visited Dillas in Plano and fell in love with the freshness and the vibe. I wanted to be part of it,” John said. “We opened Shreveport, then kept pushing through the unknowns — even during COVID. We recruited great people, innovated and grew to five locations, including a drive-thru, take-out-only prototype and a college-town strategy. There’s no direct quesadilla competitor doing it like Dillas. The lane is wide open.”&nbsp;Today, Dillas operates 11 locations with&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas/dillas-quesadillas-franchise-scale-2730181">nearly $1.9 million AUVs</a> and a fully built franchise infrastructure. Looking ahead, the goal is to expand to 150 locations and beyond, targeting the Southeast and Sunbelt.&nbsp;“We’re not shy about growth, but we want to do it the right way with the right people,” Kyle said. “We don’t want to grow just to grow. We want the right partners. The people who see this for what it is — a chance to build something meaningful, profitable and fun. We’re disciplined about growth because we want the right people building this brand alongside us.”<h2>Operational Excellence: Tech, Tightening and the Bottom Line</h2>Dillas pairs simplicity with smart tech to drop percentage points to the bottom line — freeing cash to fund franchise growth. This includes fixed product management and Sling scheduling to precisely match labor to demand, as well as AI-assisted forecasting to plan prep and reduce waste.&nbsp;“We do a lot of fresh prep, but the steps are simple,” said co-founder&nbsp;<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/maggiemcgordon">Maggie Gordon</a>. “And now we’re leveraging AI — for prep tools, for scheduling platforms. We’re trying to build a brand that’s ahead of the curve on tech, not catching up.”Menu simplification, with four quesadillas removed, has increased drive-thru speed and built confidence for first-time guests in new markets. “We leaned into the data,” Kyle said. “Fries are our number one seller, along with quesadillas. So now, every meal includes fries and a drink.”Furthermore, right-sizing production, such as tightening steps around chicken butchery and brisket smoking, avoids "over-operationalizing" the kitchen. This quiet discipline ultimately results in predictable operations, faster lines, happier teams, and healthier margins.<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas/the-top-7-reasons-to-buy-a-dillas-primo-quesadillas-franchise-2730498">Dillas has developed robust structures</a> around a straightforward formula: manpower, culture, operations, financial performance and marketing. Strong staffing combined with a positive and accountable culture drive productive operations, which in turn yield predictable profit and loss statements.&nbsp;“We’ve designed our processes to be simple. We call it ‘time to train’ — and ours is low,” Kyle said. “The systems are simple, but the ingredients are fresh and high-quality. So it’s easy to pick up, but still delivers a primo product. Simple systems plus a craveable product equals speed to profitability.”Dillas also learned fast that convenience drives the box. Today, roughly 85% of the business flows through convenience channels, with drive-thru as a must-have in new builds whenever possible. Converting a non-drive-thru site to include one delivered ~40% sales lift. The team has tested 11 location types and now prioritizes drive-thru, end-cap, second/third-generation spaces to lower build-out costs and accelerate openings — often in “random-seeming” but community-right trade areas. Great sites drive top-line money; tight ops keep it.<h2>Grow Slow To Grow Fast: Patience, Structure, Support</h2><a href="https://galacapitalpartners.com/dillas/">Working with Gala Capital Partners</a> reinforced a core truth: sustainable scale demands patience and internal maturity. Before pushing the gas, Dillas invested in its support office, key hires, systems and process refinement so franchising could be treated as a second, fully formed business — not an add-on. That discipline shows up in everything from onboarding to supply chain, keeping gaps narrow and standards high.“We’re operations first, sales-driven and profit-smart,” John said. “If my team has the tools they need, I’m successful. With a young brand poised to take off, that foundation is everything.”The brand’s purpose —&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas/dillas-quesadillas-qsr-brand-2730182">building community through primo quesadilla meals</a> — is more than a tagline. Especially in secondary and tertiary markets, teams support local schools, show up for neighborhood events and act like owners. The aim isn’t to be a restaurant&nbsp;in the community; it’s to become the community’s restaurant.Now, Dillas is candid about fit. The founders prefer “three excellent deals over 12 shaky ones.” Ideal candidates are operators first — often partnerships where one brings capital and the other brings day-to-day leadership. They’re hungry to build teams, obsessed with execution and aligned with the brand’s give-more-than-you-take ethos.“We’ve worked too hard to say yes to anyone,” Kyle said. “Make smart early decisions, build a solid foundation and you’ll attract best-in-class operators. That’s how you scale a best-in-class product and culture.”&nbsp;<h2>The Result: A Tight Model Built To Scale</h2>Twelve years in, Dillas has achieved a focused, crave-worthy product with a simplified menu that drives sales. This is supported by lean, tech-enabled operations that protect margins and increase speed, and a real estate strategy prioritizing drive-thru and second-generation locations. And it’s still founder-led, sharpening the sword in company stores while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with franchisees in site selection, build-out and launch.For more information visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas">https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas</a>.

Dillas’ College-Born Quesadilla Concept Is Now an Industry Disruptor

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For years, the restaurant sector has been moving toward a pivotal moment: customers now expect both high-quality meals and extremely fast service. That puts pressure on restaurants to deliver both without adding layers of complexity or squeezing margins. Many fast-casual brands struggle to move that quickly, and older QSR players often find that efforts to modernize slow down the line. Into this widening gap stepped a new category — one that&nbsp;<a href="https://dillas.com/franchise/">Dillas Primo Quesadillas</a>, the fast-growing, quesadilla-focused franchise, led the way on.“We’re the only quesadilla-focused QSR+,” said co-founder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiemcgordon">Maggie Gordon</a>. “We saw an opening to define a whole new segment and dominate it. Nobody is doing quesadillas at scale the way we are — not in QSR, not anywhere.”Today,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas/info">Dillas</a> is leading a QSR+ revolution, built on the belief that customers shouldn’t have to choose between fast and fresh, convenient and crave-worthy, simple and operationally sophisticated. Its rapid rise, tight operations, community-first culture and&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas/dillas-quesadillas-franchise-scale-2730180">nearly $2 million AUVs</a> all point to the same conclusion: the future of franchised restaurants lives in this middle space, and Dillas is already years ahead of the curve.<h2>Why QSR+ Matters and Why Dillas Built the Category</h2>Fast casual once represented an upgrade from traditional QSR, but in recent years, that distinction has blurred. Consumers want higher-quality food without waiting. They want the warmth and personality of boutique concepts with the speed and predictability of the drive-thru. Operators need business models that can deliver strong returns without overwhelming staff or overcomplicating kitchens. Dillas recognized this emerging white space early and built its business to sit squarely in that sweet spot.“We didn’t get into this to be just another QSR,” said co-founder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-gordon-7a1ab852">Kyle Gordon</a>. “We’re building community through primo quesadilla meals — and we’re doing it with a model that delivers speed, consistency, and ridiculously good food.”Rather than choosing between fast-casual quality or QSR efficiency, the founders engineered a system that delivers both. The menu is built around freshly cooked, flavor-forward quesadillas made with proprietary techniques. A streamlined, data-backed menu increases ordering speed and execution. A drive-thru-first real estate strategy powers convenience and revenue lift. Smart technology — from forecasting tools to scheduling platforms — protects margins and improves consistency.&nbsp;The result is a model that feels elevated but operates with the efficiency of a top-tier QSR.<h2>Operational Simplicity + Smart Tech = QSR+ at Scale</h2>If QSR+ is the category, then operations are the engine, and Dillas has engineered one of the most scalable systems in the emerging franchise sector. “We’ve designed our processes to be simple. We call it ‘time to train,’ and ours is low,” Kyle said. “Simple systems plus a craveable product equals speed to profitability.”Menu simplification has played a major role in that. By removing four quesadillas from the menu and leaning heavily into the two most-ordered items in America — fries and chicken quesadillas — the brand increased throughput and consumer confidence. “Fries are our number one seller, along with quesadillas,” Kyle said. “So now, every meal includes fries and a drink.”Technology also plays an essential part. “We do a lot of fresh prep, but the steps are simple,” Maggie said. “And now we’re leveraging AI — for prep tools, for scheduling platforms. We’re trying to build a brand that’s ahead of the curve on tech, not catching up.”&nbsp;Dillas has also learned that convenience drives the box. Adding a drive-thru to an existing location can lift sales 35 to 40 percent, and drive-thru business now accounts for up to 45 percent of revenue. This insight shapes the brand’s real estate strategy, which prioritizes drive-thru locations, end-caps and second-generation spaces.As Kyle put it, “Great sites drive top-line money; tight ops keep it.”<h2>Why Dillas Is the Future of QSR Franchising</h2>Today, Dillas operates 11 locations and is targeting expansion across the Southeast and Sunbelt, with a long-term vision of surpassing 150 units.The team is intentionally selective, preferring operators who lead from the front, build strong teams and embrace the brand’s culture and intensity. “Some people see Dillas as a vehicle — they’ve got some extra money or want passive income,” Maggie said. “Or they think it’s a real estate play. And that’s not aligned with our core values.”As the restaurant industry continues to evolve, the brands that will win the next decade are those that blend quality with speed, personality with efficiency, technology with simplicity and innovation with predictability.&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas/the-top-7-reasons-to-buy-a-dillas-primo-quesadillas-franchise-2730498">Dillas has already built a model that embodies all of these traits</a>.&nbsp;“We’re still walking the same road as our franchisees,” Kyle said. “We’re sharpening the sword in our own stores, learning every day and building a brand with real soul.”Maggie echoed the sentiment: “To share our food, our people, and our culture with more communities — that’s what excites us.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas">https://1851franchise.com/dillas-quesadillas</a>.

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Dillas Quesadillas Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

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Why Dillas’ Operational Playbook Is Hitting $2 Million AUVs as the Brand Eyes Franchise Expansion

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