A build-your-own burrito chain that got its start on the Jersey Shore is finally staking a claim in metro Charlotte. Bubbakoo's Burritos opens its first restaurant in the area Tuesday at Parkway Commons in Concord, bringing its customizable Mexican-fusion menu to a storefront at 3805 Concord Pkwy S, Ste 140.
The Concord restaurant marks the chain's first foray into metro Charlotte, according to the Charlotte Observer, joining existing North Carolina locations in Cary and Durham. The menu leans on customization, with burritos, quesadillas, tacos and nachos that diners can build to their own specifications, per the same report.
Among the standout options is the Southwest chicken shredder, a burrito packed with slow-braised shredded chicken, fajita vegetables, queso, rice, corn salsa, shredded cheese and sriracha ranch sauce. Diners looking for something different can also try the chiwawas, panko-crusted cheese and rice balls that round out the menu alongside more traditional fare.
Why Concord Made the Cut
Dhyan Shah, the Concord restaurant's owner-operator, pointed to the city's growth as the draw. Concord is a growing community with a great mix of families, businesses and visitors, he said, and we saw an opportunity to bring something unique to the area, the article notes.
Bubbakoo's CEO Chris Ives credited the chain's early North Carolina success with fueling the push into Concord. That enthusiasm has given us great momentum as we continue expanding across the state, Ives said, per the same account. The chain traces its roots back to 2008, when the first Bubbakoo's opened on the Jersey Shore before growing into a multistate operation.
A Bigger North Carolina Push Underway
The Concord opening is just one piece of a broader North Carolina expansion. Bubbakoo's opened its first North Carolina restaurant in Durham on Feb. 17, in the Renaissance Village shopping center under franchisee Yash Patel, according to the News & Observer, which reported most entrees there ran between $11 and $16. A second North Carolina location followed in Cary that July, as QSR Magazine reported.
The chain has also signed a two-unit franchise development agreement to bring new restaurants to Greensboro and High Point, with Winston-Salem also named a priority market, QSR Magazine reported. The company has identified opportunities for eight to 10 additional restaurants in that corridor and is targeting the Raleigh area for future development as well.
Bubbakoo's size has been described differently across reports: the Durham-era report from February put the chain at more than 130 locations in 17 states, while QSR Magazine's account of the Greensboro-High Point deal cited more than 150 locations in 17 states, and the Upstate Business Journal reported more than 160 locations in 18 states. The company's footprint isn't limited to North Carolina, either — the Upstate Business Journal reports Bubbakoo's is scouting locations in the Greenville, South Carolina area for what would be its first restaurant in that state, though no opening timeline has been announced.
