The biggest brands like Qdoba, Chipotle and Café Rio often appeal to restaurateurs and entrepreneurs seeking fast-casual dining franchises. While widespread brand name recognition helps, national presence doesn’t immediately guarantee a quality opportunity. The more discerning entrepreneur seeks a high-potential investment with brand name recognition and the backing of a diverse food menu that consumers want, coupled with support for future growth.
Ori’Zaba’s differentiates itself from other Mexican-based franchises primarily through its ownership model. Unlike Chipotle – which operates all the 3,700 locations as corporate stores with no franchising options – Ori’Zaba’s is actively growing through strategic franchise partnerships right now.
Mexican food franchise demand grew 4.7% over the last five years, with fast-casual dining projected to grow more than 10.4% CAGR in the next decade. Qdoba and Café Rio both offer franchising, but with so many locations (800+ for Qdoba, 160+ for Café Rio) threatening market saturation, it makes more logistical sense to operate a small, focused number of units to better establish a strong presence in untapped territories.
Then there is the AUV (Average Unit Volume) consideration. Predicting the performance of any future franchise has to be based on the number of locations and overall AUV. In 2024, Ori’Zaba’s had only 4 locations with an AUV of $1.6M. Compared to Qdoba’s $1.6M, Chipotle’s $3.8M, and Café Rio’s $2.3M. To put things in prospective, Qdoba operates 800 locations at a similar AVU as Ori’Zaba’s does with its four franchise locations which means that the numbers support an exceptional opportunity for future growth for Ori’Zaba’s franchisees.
The smaller footprint of Ori’Zaba’s ensures more personalized support and less market overlap for franchise owners. The other major differentiator is the menu. Ori’Zaba’s brand is all about bright, mouthwatering foods not found on competitor menus, including shrimp and fish, jackfruit, sweet potato, whole wheat tortillas, ceviche, award-winning jalapeño balls, fresh-made agua fresca and horchata.
Ori’Zaba’s innovative, fresh-made menus cater to America’s growing dietary diversity, featuring unique items that support just about any diet such as vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, oil free, low carb and high protein needs. That meal flexibility keeps customers coming back for more delicious food.
Ori’Zaba’s franchise owners benefit from unparalleled hands-on support at every stage, combining personalized guidance with operational expertise. From six weeks of intensive management training to build-out and launch success, the program covers all critical aspects: strategic site selection, lease negotiation support, established vendor relationships and supply chain solutions. Franchisees receive dedicated local marketing assistance and ongoing operational oversight, a comprehensive approach that delivers turnkey readiness while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to local markets. This level of detailed support sets the brand apart in the fast-casual dining franchise space.
When comparing franchising Ori’Zaba’s to Qdoba and Café Rio (as Chipotle has no agreements), the advantage is clear. Entrepreneurs get competitive financial performance, craveable menu items and access modeling that sets franchises up for long-term success. Join a fast-casual Mexican concept with longevity and plenty of room to grow. Visit https://orizabasfranchising.com/ and learn how to get started.
