Qdoba Mexican Grill Signs Franchise Agreement For Northwest Ohio Area

Qdoba Mexican Grill has signed a franchise agreement for the northwest Ohio area, announced Qdoba President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Beisler.

Owner and operator of Zaytoon, Ltd., Nadya Shihadeh signed an agreement to open Qdoba restaurants in the cities of Findlay, Bowling Green and Lima. Along with operating partners Lameice and Kory Kenny, the group plans to open their first Qdoba restaurant by fall 2005, in Bowling Green.

Shihadeh has over ten years experience in the restaurant industry and is a founder of Zaytoon, Ltd., which is family owned and operated. Shihadeh is an alumna of Ohio State University, where she received her Bachelor's Degree from OSU's School of Hospitality Management. Shihadeh has made Findlay her home, where she is also a franchisee of Bellacino's Grinders & Pizzas.

"We found Qdoba offered a unique concept and quality products that were second to none," said Shihadeh. "After meeting with Qdoba's management team and learning about the various systems in place, we knew it would be a great partnership and was the best decision for our company."


Qdoba Mexican Grill
The first Qdoba Mexican Grill opened in Denver in 1995, and the fast-casual chain now has over 220 restaurants located in more than 30 states. Qdoba Mexican Grill combines fresh ingredients with an innovative combination of sauces, salsas and marinades to create non-traditional, fast-casual Mexican fare. Qdoba's menu centers around large signature burritos that offer unique flavors, including poblano pesto, fajita ranchera and chicken moli. The menu also includes grilled quesadillas, taco salads, nachos, Naked Burritos., tacos and soup. All entrees are prepared in front of the customer and topped with personally selected ingredients, including one of five distinctive salsas. Qdoba is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jack in the Box Inc (NYSE: JBX).

Franchise development rights exist for additional Qdoba Mexican Grill restaurants in areas throughout the nation. For more information about Qdoba, please visit www.qdoba.com.
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