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Fast-Growing Tex-Mex Chain to Open 100 New Locations & Enter 2 New States

The fast-casual chain expects to open up to 20 stores in the next 10 to 18 months alone.
FACT CHECKED BY Justine Goodman

If customizable grilled burritos, loaded quesadillas, and bowls topped with all sorts of fresh toppings sound right up your alley, there's good news in store for you today. A fast-growing Tex-Mex chain that serves all of these offerings and more is currently gearing up for rapid expansion—and it could be heading to an area near you. 

Surcheros, a fast-casual concept chain, just announced an exciting new franchise deal that will bring it to South Carolina for the first time. Four new locations are expected to open in the Columbia area over the next four years, with the first slated to begin serving customers in Forest Acres in Nov. 2024. 

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"This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to expand across the Southeast and strengthen our franchise network with partners who share our vision," Surcheros founder and CEO Luke Christian said in a statement.

Surcheros storefront
Surcheros / Facebook

Surcheros unveiled its South Carolina expansion deal just a couple of weeks after announcing plans to enter another new state: Tennessee. The chain's franchise partners plan to develop seven new stores in the Nashville area over the next five years, with the first slated to open in Oct. 2024. 

"We have always had ambitious plans to expand in Tennessee, and securing this partnership agreement demonstrates the remarkable growth of our franchise system and the exceptional hospitality we provide in local communities," Christian said in the announcement. 

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The first Surcheros location opened in Douglas, Ga., in 2007. Since it began franchising in 2017, the concept has grown its footprint to 30 restaurants, primarily concentrated in Georgia and Florida. 

Surcheros has longer-term plans to open 100 restaurants in total within the next five years. Between 15 and 20 of those locations are anticipated to open in the next 10 to 18 months alone as it targets fast growth in the Southeast. 

Surcheros isn't the only Tex-Mex chain that's growing at a rapid clip right now. Chipotle rival Qdoba has an ambitious goal of doubling its footprint to 1,500 locations over the next seven years and recently announced plans for 39 new franchise stores. Additionally, the Canada-based Burritobar has a whopping 750 new restaurant commitments in the United States right now, including plans to open 93 locations in New Jersey alone. Michigan, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Iowa, Nebraska, North Texas, South Illinois, and Ohio are among the other markets where the chain plans to develop new restaurants.

Zoe Strozewski
Zoe Strozewski is a News Writer for Eat This, Not That! A Chicago native who now lives in New Jersey, she graduated from Kean University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Read more about Zoe