Qdoba Mexican Eats names Kevin Carroll as new chief operating officer; Carroll to oversee operations strategy for 800 restaurants across United States, Puerto Rico and Canada

Qdoba Mexican Eats is adding a restaurant veteran to its C-suite to oversee operations.

The fast-casual restaurant chain has named Kevin Carroll as its new chief operating officer. Carroll will be responsible for all aspects of Qdoba’s operations strategy and execution across approximately 800 restaurants in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

For the past seven years, Carroll has served as COO for Applebee’s Grill & Bar. Prior to Applebee’s, Carroll was senior VP of operations for Chili’s Grill & Bar, accountable for 700 company-owned restaurants and 35,000 team members. Throughout his 27-year tenure with Chili’s, Carroll climbed the ladder of the organization from restaurant general manager to senior VP.

“We are thrilled with Kevin’s decision to join the Qdoba family,” said John Cywinski, CEO of Qdoba. “Kevin is a truly exceptional leader and one of the most respected operators in the restaurant industry. I’ve worked alongside Kevin for many years, and I know first-hand the invaluable leadership and partnership he’ll bring to the Qdoba brand.”

The fast-casual chain is touting its continued growth alongside Carroll’s appointment. Qdoba says it posted a 7.7% increase in comp sales for its fiscal year ending September 2024, on top of last year’s 6.3% comp sales growth. Qdoba plans to double the size of its current footprint to more than 1,600 restaurants over the next decade.

“I’m fired up to be partnering with John again in support of this extraordinarily well-positioned brand,” said Carroll. “Qdoba is indeed the best kept secret in the restaurant industry, and I’m looking forward to working alongside our talented team and franchise partners to unlock our full potential.”