Moe's: Guacamole is made fresh daily
A Mexican food restaurant wildly popular in the Southeast is expanding into the suburbs.
About 20 Moe's Southwest Grills are expected to join the four local restaurants over the next few years. Deer Park, Gurnee, Aurora and Northbrook now house the Atlanta-based restaurateur.
Moe's bills itself as the neighborhood burrito place offering flavorful Southwestern fare with a healthy twist. With more than 360 locations across the country, the company is ranked the No. 1 fast-casual chain according to QSR Magazine and No. 9 on Fast Casual magazines Top 100 Movers & Shakers list.
"Our biggest growth areas are aimed toward the Midwest and Northeast," said D'Wayne Tanner, vice president of franchise sales with Focus Brands, the parent company to Moe's. Focus oversees Schlotzsky's, Carvel Ice Cream, Cinnabon and Seattle's Best Coffee International.
"The Moe's brand is on fire. It's one of the fastest growing concepts in the country," Tanner said.
Franchise costs to start a store are between $400,00 and $450,000, he said.
There are a variety of reasons for the rapid growth. When customers enter Moe's with its pop culture feel, they're always greeted with a "Welcome to Moe's."
The patron can then pick menu items and go as healthy as they want.
The fun menu names, such as the Homewrecker Burrito selling for about $6.70, John Coctostan quesadilla $5.70, or Closetalker salad, help keep the atmosphere light. Another highlight is the salsa bar for nachos, the only fried item at the establishment.
The company also boasts that their restaurants do not have freezers or a microwave to insure everything is fresh.
The kids menu has been a draw at the Deer Park location. The items, including a burrito or quesadilla, range from $2.99 to $3.99 and include a drink and cookie.
"It's a great family place and a place to stop after kids activities," said Dana Rzeznik who owns the franchise with husband, Joe of Lake Zurich.
The Mexican chain fits into the fast casual segment, the fastest growing segment in the food industry.
Consumers looking for extra time is the main reason behind the growth.
"This area is the perfect storm as people have less and less time to eat," Tanner said. He believes the consumer often wants something healthier than fast food.
While the National Restaurant Association doesn't keep numbers solely for the fast casual restaurant segment, experts know it's growing in popularity.
"They tend to emphasize fresh ingredients in a casual but stylish environment that is appealing to consumers," said Annika Stensson, spokeswoman with the National Restaurant Association.
"They are kind of a hybrid concept between quick service and table service restaurants that offer the best of both worlds - speed and convenience together with premium ingredients," Stensson said.
At Moe's, food is cooked in vegetable stock instead of butter or lard.
And many items are made from scratch daily, including the guacamole and salsa.
Especially in the current economic climate, she said consumers are putting more emphasis on value and fast casual restaurants hit the spot, she added.
Charlotte businessman Martin Sprock founded Moe's in 2000. He sold it to Focus Brands last summer.
"The momentum we've built over the past year has generated record interest in our concept among prospective franchisees," Tanner said.
"While the market is competitive, the strength of the brand, coupled with the core competencies of Focus Brands, positions Moes with what it takes to dominate the multi-billion dollar fast casual dining segment," Tanner said.