Major franchisee Doherty Enterprises adds Qdoba to its roster

Core Insights - Doherty Enterprises Inc. is expanding its portfolio by adding Qdoba Mexican Eats, with plans to develop 27 restaurants in select markets in New York and New Jersey over the coming years [1][2] Company Expansion - The agreement marks a strategic expansion for Doherty Enterprises, which currently operates 158 restaurants across various brands including Applebee's, Panera Bread, and Wendy's [2] - Qdoba is experiencing rapid growth, having opened its 800th location in June and secured $527 million in funding from Butterfly Equity in August to accelerate its expansion [3][4] Leadership and Strategy - Following its acquisition by Butterfly Equity in 2022, Qdoba appointed John Cywinski as CEO and shifted to a franchise-first model, aiming to double its unit count to approximately 1,500 restaurants [4] - Doherty Enterprises was selected as a lead development partner due to its successful track record in scaling national restaurant brands and its operational expertise in the New York and New Jersey markets [5] Future Plans - In 2026, Doherty Enterprises plans to open new locations for Wendy's, Panera Bread, Applebee's, and Jinya Ramen Bar, while also completing over 15 remodels of existing Applebee's locations [6]