January 6, 2025 (press release) –
Cafua Management Leads Expansion with 20 New Restaurants in New Hampshire and Rhode Island
QDOBA, America’s #2 restaurant brand in the Mexican fast-casual category, is starting 2025 with several new franchise development agreements to expand its footprint in key U.S. markets. Among these is a significant deal with APR Island Management/Cafua Management, led by Mark, David, and Greg Cafua alongside Ricardo Gonzalez. As the largest privately held Dunkin’ franchisee in the U.S., Cafua Management has committed to developing 20 restaurants in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, building on their 2024 agreement to develop five restaurants in Pennsylvania, including Lebanon, Mount Pocono, and Stroudsburg.
“After more than 40 years in the quick-service industry, we chose to invest in the fast-casual market, and QDOBA stood out for its fresh, customizable meals and loyal customer base,” shared Mark Cafua, QDOBA Franchise Owner with Cafua Management. “QDOBA’s strong track record, exceptional franchisee support, and scalability made it the right fit. Ultimately, it was the passion of the people – both guests and employees – that truly convinced us. We’re excited to join QDOBA and contribute to its growing success.”
This announcement builds off the recent momentum shared at the end of 2024, where QDOBA celebrated 14 consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales and 22 new franchise signings nationwide. Among these agreements is a significant deal with Q Eats LLC, an experienced multi-unit franchisee, who has signed on for 15 restaurants across Greater Houston with more opportunities available in the market.
Additional new franchise agreements highlight QDOBA’s momentum and its ability to attract experienced operators nationwide—most of whom are new to the system:
- Jay and Ahmad Jabbar, with an entrepreneurial background in other related multi-unit franchising businesses, have signed on for five new restaurants in New Orleans, expanding the brand’s presence in Louisiana.
- Equipped with over a decade of experience, Spork Restaurant Holdings have committed to bringing 12 restaurants in Kansas City and surrounding counties in Missouri.
- Lifelong Chicago resident with over 35 years of QSR experience, Holy Moley Guacamole, LLC will build fifteen new restaurants in Lake and DuPage counties throughout Illinois.
- Led by seasoned group Boost Enterprises with a combined 40 years of experience in QSR, Savannah, Georgia will soon be home to eight new QDOBA restaurants.
- Existing QDOBA franchisees are continuing to invest in the brand, demonstrating confidence in its growth potential. OM Group, a major Dunkin’ and Wingstop franchisee, recently expanded its development agreement, adding six more units in Cleveland and Toledo. Other franchisees making additional commitments include QDOBA Cincinnati, adding three restaurants in Ohio; Goraya, committing to three restaurants in Baltimore, Maryland; Patel, adding one restaurant in Fort Morgan, Colorado; and Golden Maize Restaurants, LLC, signing for four new locations in Connecticut.
- On the non-traditional front, multi-unit operator group ELPX Restaurant Group, LLC, with an extensive portfolio of restaurants, plans to expand the QDOBA footprint globally within multiple U.S. military installations beginning in 2025.
“As we kick off 2025, QDOBA’s growth has never been stronger,” said Jeremy Vitaro, Chief Development Officer at QDOBA. “Strong sales, strategic incentives, and experienced operators reflect the strength of our brand. We’re proud to partner with franchisees who share our vision for delivering bold flavors and quality dining experiences to communities nationwide, setting the stage for long-term success.”
QDOBA is actively seeking qualified multi-unit franchise operators to help propel development efforts in target markets nationwide, including in and around non-traditional venues like airports, universities, military bases and casinos. For additional information about the QDOBA franchise opportunity and available territories, prospective franchisees can visit www.qdobafranchise.com.
*Franchise sales are subject to applicable laws and regulations. This release is not an offering nor a claim about financial performance of past or potential future financial performance.
About QDOBA Mexican Eats
QDOBA is a fast-casual Mexican restaurant with approximately 800 locations in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Committed to bringing flavor to people’s lives, QDOBA uses ingredients freshly prepared in-house by hand throughout the day to create a variety of flavorful menu options. Guests can experience QDOBA’s delicious offerings by customizing their own burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, nachos and salads to suit their personal tastes and cravings. Premium toppings can always be added to entrées at no extra charge, including signature 3-cheese queso and hand-crafted guacamole. For six years running, QDOBA has been voted the “Best Fast Casual Restaurant” as part of the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
Backed by over 25 years of proven success in the United States, and recently Canada and Puerto Rico, QDOBA is prioritizing franchise growth in key markets such as California, Georgia (Atlanta), Nevada, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh), Tennessee, Texas (San Antonio), and Utah (Salt Lake City). For additional information about the QDOBA franchise opportunity, visit www.qdobafranchise.com.
Guests can order ahead for pick-up, delivery or catering at QDOBA.com or on the QDOBA app, which is available for download on the iTunes App Store or Google Play. Fans can also connect with QDOBA on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
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