The Burrito Bar fusion of Mexican street food and art that keep customers coming back for more – it’s hard to resist that unique combination of flavours, colours and experiences. And that’s why it took just seven years for a single Burrito Bar in Brisbane to grow into a network of over 30 all along the eastern seaboard.

“That was in 2018, and we decided than to put growth on hold while we focused on boosting profitability for our franchise partners,” says general manager Shaun Butcher.

Now the updated business model is in place and Burrito Bar is expanding once again. New restaurants have already opened at Browns Plains in Queensland and Melton in Victoria, and there are six others lined up to open in the coming months.

So what’s new?

Burrito Bar built its reputation on offering everything from quick and tasty take-aways to an authentic dine-in experience accompanied by a cocktail, beer or tequila.

“Our mission has always been to provide a place for friends and family to come together and have fun,” says Shaun.

Then, last year, the Burrito Bar at Victoria Point extended its offering by opening a Baskin-Robbins ice-cream and dessert parlour within the restaurant.

“We’ve partnered with some of Australia’s leading ice-cream brands,” says Shaun. “This has introduced an entirely new revenue stream for our franchise partners which has very low upfront and ongoing costs. Since then, more of our restaurants have started selling branded desserts.”

The soon-to-be-opened Griffin store will take profitability even further as Burrito Bar’s first drive-thru site. It will also be the first to showcase a restaurant partnership with sister brand Smokin Ribs & Burgers.

“Smokin Ribs & Burgers has been online only – a quick and easy way for customers to have our food delivered to their home or workplace,” says Shaun. “We were one of the very first brands to create a virtual restaurant with delivery partners such as Uber, Deliveroo, Menulog and DoorDash. And we designed it so it’s easy for a kitchen team to service the Burrito Bar and Smokin Ribs & Burgers in parallel so there are minimal additional costs.”

Now taking it one step further, the exciting unveiling of the first Smokin Ribs & Burgers physical restaurant means franchise partners can enjoy four distinct revenue streams: the Burrito Bar, dessert parlour, Smokin Ribs & Burgers, and drive-thru.

“This not only helps boost profits, it also creates a more resilient business,” says Shaun. “As the pandemic has shown, resilience is the key to sustainability and continuing success.”

Becoming a franchise partner

If you’re a good fit with the Burrito Bar brand you don’t need previous experience to benefit from owning your own business.

“Working with a recognised brand and having a proven business plan take the stress out of starting out,” says Shaun. “Our systems are designed to keep both set-up and ongoing costs low – and we also provide all of our franchise partners with all the training and support they need to run a profitable business.”

If you’d like to know more about franchise opportunities with Burrito Bar, visit burritobar.com.au or click here. Alternatively, get in touch with Jarryd Cayfe on 0432 244 136 or jarryd.cayfe@burritobar.com.au.