Burrito Bar is all about the passion, flavour and colour of modern Mexican cuisine served in a premium dine-in setting. And now there is the extra convenience of delivery, takeaway and drive-through to make it the complete package.

CEO Shaun Butcher says “Our market focus has evolved considerably over the last five years. Traditionally a purely dine-in restaurant, we have significantly veered towards takeaway and drive-through while keeping the core experience model across all locations. We’ve just added in the convenience element.”

Burrito Bar is typically sited in dining precincts where the casual, spirited vibe of the brand plays well. Now there are more diverse models available it is simply expanding the potential of the business.

“We can often pass on landlord contributions to franchisees so some lucky franchise buyers can invest in the business for less than $100,000. In other locations which might need a complete refit the costs will be higher.”

Burrito Bar introduces vendor finance

Vendor financing is also an exciting addition, opening up investment opportunities to a whole new group of entrepreneurial individuals.

“We are really excited about the vendor finance we can offer which drives down costs for franchisees. This is a new program for us, and it is going really well,” says Shaun.

“We still welcome those prospective franchise partners who come with significant capital. However we recognise that some of the best prospective franchise partners are those who may not have the ability to borrow large amounts of money.

“Vendor finance means we can help our existing restaurant managers and other hospitality chain managers achieve their ownership goals.

“They are hard-working and dedicated people who would never get an opportunity elsewhere to own their own business.”

Shaun reveals the vendor financing can be a fantastic route to success.

“Some of our most successful current franchise partners are experienced restaurant or store managers who we proudly vendor-financed into their first business. Some of these have now gone on to own and operate multiple locations.”

A multi-brand offer

Burrito Bar is not just keen on franchise partners opening multiple stores; it has even adopted a multi-brand offering too.

There are three sibling brands to Burrito Bar’s modern Mexican: Sweet Republick Ice Creams & Desserts, Smokin Burgers n’ Ribs, and Hell Pizza from New Zealand.

The brands are a mix of dessert kiosks, restaurants and virtual kitchens.

“Our multi-brand options allow franchise partners to open multiple restaurant fronts or operate additional virtual brands from the same location . This means they can cater to different tastes or provide complementary options for customers,” says Shaun. 

“In some locations we have set up our own little food precincts where there was no food option beforehand.”

Franchise partners can achieve significant efficiencies and improve profitability by operating from a single kitchen and cross-utilising team members.

“A combined management structure and single location lease also keep costs lean,” he explains.

Profitability and strong support

Shaun says franchisee profitability, and first class franchisor support, are crucial.

“We offer the full suite of support that franchise partners would, and should, expect from any quality franchisor.”

At Burrito Bar that includes operations, training, marketing, public relations, menu development, supplier relations, leasing, human resources, finance, legislation, technology and computer systems.

“Like most brands today, we are active across social media and digital marketing channels. Our customer apps with their loyalty programs are increasingly popular. They are a great way for us to communicate directly with our customers. 

“We believe strongly in offering value for our customers and have value promotions available across all our brands every day of the year. So everybody can enjoy an experience with friends or feed the entire family, even if they are on a tight budget.”

Burrito Bar offers the most diverse menu choices of any Mexican restaurant – from the hugely popular chicken wings and ribs to delicious tender steak fillings for burritos and tacos.

“Our food and quality of ingredients is higher quality than a QSR offering,” says Shaun. “And our dine-in focus offering customers an extensive bar selection from margaritas to Mexican beers elevates the experience.

“However, what really sets us apart is a localised and personalised response that helps maximise success in any location,” he says.

Founded in 2011, Burrito Bar has grown to 46 locations across Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, ACT and Northern Territory.

Burrito Bar’s modern Mexican offers a tailored approach

“While the core menus, operational structure and essence of our brands remain consistent, we have significant flexibility around models and locations. This ensures that each restaurant is able to achieve its maximum potential whether it is in a CBD, suburban shopping centre, or a small regional town.”

There is a consultative, tailored approach to everything from local marketing to restaurant design, menu specialities and bar offerings.

“At Burrito Bar we threw out the cookie-cutter approach to franchising years ago. We believe in giving each franchise partner the benefits of our brands, and the flexibility to be successful in their chosen location.”