Restaurant Chain Primed For 15 'Hartford-Springfield' Locations

CONNECTICUT — QDOBA, a "fast-casual" Mexican restaurant chain with about 800 locations in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, is primed to expand into Connecticut potentially tenfold.

Officials for the chain this week announced an expansion initiative involving "major agreements" to bring more than 33 new locations to "key markets" across the country. Alongside its growing network of traditional franchise restaurants, QDOBA is also accelerating "non-traditional development," with new locations opening in airports, universities and military bases, according to the announcement. Casinos are also a target, company officials said.

Several franchise groups have emerged, including, in the Northeast, PFGS LLC, which is set to develop 15 restaurants across the "Springfield and Hartford" markets, according to the announcement. The group is "a multi-unit franchise owner," and operates multiple KFC and Dunkin' locations.

Qdoba currently has one location in Connecticut, located at 652 Main Ave in Norwalk. A company spokeswoman Thursday said the franchisee is currently scouting out potential locations in the state.

"QDOBA's momentum continues to accelerate, driven by strong franchise partnerships and a commitment to quality, QDOBA Chief Development Officer Jeremy Vitaro said. "We're excited to welcome new franchisees who bring industry expertise and a shared passion for bold flavors. As we surpass 500 development commitments, we're reinforcing our position as a premier fast-casual brand poised for long-term success."

Examples of "non-traditional growth" for QDOBA include:

• Terminal A at the Syracuse Hancock International Airport in New York
• Rutgers University in New Jersey
• Colorado State University Pueblo

According to figures released by the company QDOBA achieved a 6.1 percent comparable sales growth in fiscal year 2023, followed by 7.7 percent comp sales growth in fiscal year 2024. According to Black Box Intelligence, the brand outpaced the fast casual restaurant category in both years, company officials said.