QDOBA is deepening its push into California, signing a development agreement to open 17 restaurants across San Diego County. The Mexican fast-casual franchise announced the deal Wednesday, naming San Diego based multi-unit operator Hyperion Brands as the group that will build out the territory.
QDOBA, which bills itself as the second-largest brand in Mexican fast-casual, operates roughly 875 restaurants today and has set an aggressive target of about 2,000, opening 100 new restaurants a year in the years ahead. Franchisees already run a growing majority of its locations, and the brand is leaning on multi-unit operators to hit that goal, the kind of repeatable, operator-led model that scales faster than corporate build-outs. The San Diego agreement follows an earlier 2026 deal to bring QDOBA to Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Company leaders framed California as central to the plan.
“California is a priority growth market for QDOBA,” Jeremy Vitaro, chief development officer at QDOBA, said in the announcement. “We’re excited to grow the brand with the Hyperion Brands team, a proven, operations-first organization that also brings a strong development track record and a hometown advantage.”
For Hyperion Brands, the deal is a bet on a category and a menu. The group is led by Cesar Shih, who also operates Habit Burger & Grill locations, and it is adding QDOBA to diversify within fast-casual. QDOBA supports operators with a digital operating platform and national marketing, and it leans on menu differentiators like free queso and guacamole on any build-your-own entrée.
For the operator, the appeal was standing out in a crowded segment.
“We see real opportunity for QDOBA to stand apart with its fresh, customizable menu and signature offering of free guacamole and queso with any create-your-own entrée,” Cesar Shih, CEO and co-founder of Hyperion Brands, said in the announcement. “As a San Diego based operator, we’re looking forward to bringing QDOBA’s bold flavors and great value to our guests across the region.”
QDOBA’s approach reflects a broader shift, as brands increasingly grow through experienced operators who already run other concepts. For those operators, a proven system and clear differentiation are the kind of economics and brand confidence weighed before signing, and QDOBA is betting its free queso-and-guacamole hook and digital tools clear that bar.