Dive Brief:
- Woworks has opened its first reimagined Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina in Temple Terrace, Florida, the company said in a press release Wednesday.
- The store, which opened on Sept. 12, has new interiors and a streamlined menu. The restaurant is owned by franchisee Matt O’Neill.
- Woworks previously bought Barberitos in 2022 as part of an aggressive push to build up its platform through acquisitions. It bought Zoup Eatery that same year.
Dive Insight:
The new Barberitos prototype is meant to improve the overall guest experience and be attractive to health-conscious “Zillennial” guests, or diners born between the millennial and Gen Z generations. The menu features customizable items like bowls, burritos and quesadillas, per the press release.
Woworks is actively growing the Barberitos brand and seeks experienced franchise owners looking to diversify their portfolios, according to the press release. The chain has formats designed for traditional restaurants, shopping centers, universities and drive-thrus, per its website. Typical size ranges from 1,850 to 2,800 square feet.
Other chains have been remodeling and reinventing their stores, including Burger King, Perkins and Dave & Buster’s. These overhauls range from simple refreshes to entire renovations that incorporate new technologies. Burger King, for example, committed an additional $300 million to accelerate store remodels across its U.S. base in April, as it works to overhaul its outdated restaurant base with a modern image. Burger King’s remodeled stores led to sales uplifts during Q2 2024.
