Qdoba plans dozens of restaurants in Nashville and Atlanta

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The fast-casual Mexican chain has signed two development agreements toward its bigger goal of opening 100 restaurants annually.

July 9, 2026

Qdoba Mexican Eats has big plans for Nashville and Atlanta, announcing new and expanded commitments to open a combined 50 restaurants in the two markets.

A recent acquisition and expanded development commitment from B Wild Investments LLC is further accelerating this franchise-led growth.

"We're thrilled to partner with proven franchise operators who share our people-first culture, exceptional standards for guest service, and commitment to disciplined growth," Chief Development Officer Jeremy Vitaro said in a statement. "Together, we're bringing Qdoba’s bold flavors to more communities across the U.S."

Vitaro joined the brand last year from Little Caesars and is charged with leading Qdoba’s ambitious expansion plans that include more than doubling its footprint in the next eight years to approximately 2,000 restaurants. Qdoba, which currently operates over 865 restaurants, is targeting 100 openings annually while expanding its share of franchised locations to 85% of the system.

For now, the Atlanta market will be franchised by a former McDonald’s operator who is already a part of the Qdoba system. A Zaxbys operator that grew to 12 locations in Middle Tennessee has committed to opening 20 Qdobas in Nashville.

Additionally, Qdoba is growing with existing franchise partners. 7 Star Eats, an affiliate of B Wild Investments LLC, has completed the acquisition of 22 restaurants in the Pacific Northwest, growing its footprint to 42 restaurants across Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Washington. The transaction makes 7 Star Eats one of the chain’s largest franchise partners.

Also, B Wild has signed a 63-unit development commitment across Colorado, Utah, Washington, Nevada, and New Mexico.

"Mexican fast casual is one of the most attractive segments in restaurants, and Qdoba has the brand, menu, and unit economics to win," B Wild Investments Founder and CEO Barry Dubin said in a statement. "Just as important, the Qdoba leadership team has been an exceptional partner — aligned, commercial, and genuinely invested in advancing the brand in partnership with franchisees. That partnership approach is why we're committed to growing meaningfully alongside Qdoba.”

Qdoba recently completed a $435 million whole business securitization to, in part, support its continued growth. It followed a $527 million continuation fund raised in 2025 by Butterfly Equity, which acquired the Mexican fast-casual chain in 2022. It also builds on Qdoba’s inaugural $305 million securitization fund in late 2023 from Butterfly.

Qdoba has more than 650 new restaurant commitments currently signed. In 2025, its domestic system finished with 827 units and $1.3 billion in sales, according to Technomic, marking a 6.4% and 8% year-over-year increase, respectively. These numbers outpaced the rest of the fast-casual Mexican category, including Chipotle, which grew sales by 5.5% last year.

Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]

Follow her on TikTok: @aliciakelso

About the Author

Alicia Kelso

Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Alicia Kelso is the executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News. She began covering the restaurant industry in 2010 for QSRweb.com, FastCasual.com, and PizzaMarketplace.com. When her son was born, she left the industry to pursue a role in higher education, but swiftly returned after realizing how much she missed the space. In filling that void, Alicia added a contributor role at Restaurant Dive and a senior contributor role at Forbes.
Her work has appeared in publications around the world, including Forbes Asia, NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain's Chicago, Good Morning America, and Franchise Asia Magazine.
Alicia holds a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, where she competed on the women's swim team. In addition to cheering for the BGSU Falcons, Alicia is a rabid Michigan fan and will talk about college football with anyone willing to engage. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her wife and son.

Follow her on TikTok @aliciakelso

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