Growing a Franchise
Jeremy Vitaro, chief development officer of Qdoba, discusses how the brand is using food, hospitality and operator quality to shape its franchise growth.
For Qdoba Chief Development Officer Jeremy Vitaro, the brand's identity starts with what customers see when they order. Fresh preparation, hospitality and the experience at the restaurant all play a role in how Qdoba presents itself to customers and prospective franchisees.
For Vitaro, Qdoba's brand identity begins inside the restaurant, where customers can see much of the preparation that goes into their food. That visibility is part of the experience the company wants to emphasize alongside hospitality, speed and execution.
"The food-first element is really important to us right now," Vitaro said. “Grilling the meats on the grill in front of the consumer, smashing and making the guac fresh every day in front of the consumer, those are things that resonate well.”
Hospitality has become another important part of that equation. Vitaro said he has come to place greater value on employees taking the time to interact with guests, even as the restaurants continue to prioritize efficient service.
"An ability to deliver hospitality, to slow down and engage with the guest, is more important than I had appreciated," Vitaro said. "We're pretty balanced between hospitality and speed and execution, and I think that's generally a positive for us."
Those elements of the customer experience also factor into how Qdoba presents the franchise opportunity. Vitaro sees the brand's position in the fast-casual Mexican category, its unit economics and the amount of available white space as important parts of that story.
"It's a great category that's been strong," Vitaro said. “It's a brand that has really good underlying unit economics and a lot of white space in front of us.”
Prospective franchisees are also interested in the people behind the business. Vitaro said candidates ask about Qdoba's team as they evaluate the opportunity, along with the economics of the business. He also pointed to the backing of Qdoba's ownership group, Butterfly Equity, an investment firm focused on food and agriculture. That specialization, he said, gives Qdoba a strong foundation as it continues building its leadership and operating team.
As Qdoba builds the brand, it has also changed how it approaches marketing. Rather than relying primarily on local efforts, the company has shifted toward national advertising intended to increase awareness across a broader footprint.
"The brand has gone to national advertising and national marketing," Vitaro said. “That was a pretty significant shift for us, and I think that bears fruit as we continue to build awareness.”
That broader approach becomes particularly important as Qdoba moves beyond markets where it already has an established presence. Vitaro pointed to the Pacific Northwest and eastern seaboard as areas where the brand has seen strong performance as it expands beyond its Midwest base.
Growth, however, still comes back to the people operating the restaurants. Vitaro said prospective franchisees should recognize how much the individual operator can influence a location's performance. He also recommended beginning with a smaller footprint before expanding further.
"So much of your success is going to depend on the quality of the operator," Vitaro said. "I think that operator difference matters more than people give it credit for."
For more on building a franchise brand for sustainable growth, check out these articles on 1851 Franchise:
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