A positive attitude, a willingness to pivot, and trust in the system helped Quesada Burritos & Tacos franchisee Shobhit Gulati ride out the growing pains during a rocky first few months
By Rachel Debling
There’s no doubt about it: Canadians love their Mexican food. Of all foodservice outlets in Canada, three per cent serve Mexican-inspired cuisine, according to Verdict Food Service, and Mexican cuisine grew steadily compared to Canadian restaurants in 2023, driven by an increase of Mexican outlets and non-Mexican restaurants infusing their menus with Mexican dishes.
One such outlet is Quesada Burritos & Tacos, a Foodtastic-backed quick service restaurant (QSR) that caters to Canucks who crave cuisine from south of our southern border. And in Duncan, British Columbia, franchisee Shobhit Gulati is bringing Quesada’s take on Mexican food to his West Coast community.
But he admits that things weren’t always smooth sailing. In the first year of business, Gulati and his team were hit with an onslaught of challenges they “could have never thought of.” With a little luck and a whole lot of gumption, he’s persisted, pulled through, and came out stronger than ever on the other side.
Getting a taste for tortillas
Prior to opening his location in March 2023, Gulati studied at Vancouver Island University where he attained his bachelor’s degree in business administration before shifting to the HVAC/sheet metal industry for five years. He also spent time getting his feet wet in the foodservice industry by working part-time in restaurants. Through his varied background, he developed the operational acumen to successfully helm a business of his own. But his personal connection to the brand attracted him to the opportunity.
“For me and my wife, our love for Mexican food introduced us to Quesada,” he remembers. “We used to love going to Quesada for our date nights, which is why we knew if we ever want to go into [the] restaurant business, this would be it.”
After signing the franchise agreement and undergoing the brand’s intensive three-phase training, two online and one in person (which lasted four weeks and two weeks, respectively), Gulati was prepped and ready for launch. The in-person phase was particularly rigorous, but he credits that time with preparing him for everything to come in his day-to-day operations. Soon enough, they were ready to throw the doors open.
“When we first opened the restaurant, the response was quite overwhelming,” he admits. “We met with customer after customer who had nothing but positive things to say about Quesada and the food. I wish I would have devoted more resources to opening the restaurant sooner rather than later!”
The storm before the calm
But shortly after opening, he detected a few unforeseen issues that were completely outside of his and the franchisor’s influence.
For starters, Duncan is one of Canada’s smallest cities, spanning only a couple kilometres, and Gulati and his wife live on a remote island nearby where, due to a low population, staffing has always been an issue. The solution? They hired friends and family “who had the same vision and would be a good asset” to their store and did what they could with the workforce they had. Not only that, the remote location proved difficult to stock, a major downfall for a QSR brand.
“We were shocked to see the high cost of fresh food in comparison to [what was available on the] mainland,” he recalls. Although the supply issue was unexpected, they learned how to adjust for their store’s unique challenges, much in thanks to the support of Quesada. “Over time, we became more cautious and efficient, and with the help of brand-given prep lists and standards, now our food wastage is almost negligible.”
One of the main benefits of becoming a Quesada franchisee is its straightforward approach to business operations, according to Gulati. This level of support helped Gulati and his franchise location weather the initial storm. Still, previous business knowledge and experience will certainly “give you an edge,” he shares.
Benefits of franchise backers
Another bonus of being connected to the powerhouse franchise company Foodtastic is the durability that comes with being in community with a thousand-plus group with decades of business ownership experience—and of course, the power of the Quesada name.
“There is always an underlying trust when a customer walks into a franchise,” explains Gulati. Plus, over the past several years, the brand has made big changes that have tangibly impacted in-store sales.
“I believe each and every change has helped the brand in a positive way, be it a change in foodservice providers to changing the menu and its display, and the addition of Frito Lay and changing from Pepsi to Coke.” All these small adjustments added up to a better customer experience and higher-quality output, developments that customers can taste and see.
Despite the first few hiccups—and according to Gulati, thanks to the unmatched level of support Quesada offers its franchisees—the location is thriving. As a testament to that fact, Gulati doesn’t hesitate to recommend the system to those searching for a viable business to invest in.
“The Foodtastic family is always available in case we stumble upon any hurdles,” he explains. “Operating Quesada offers flexibility, interactions with great team members, and it’s always a pleasure engaging with happy and satisfied customers.” Even more proof he’s not exaggerating: he and his wife are eager to open another Foodtastic location in the future.
“My advice to others is just trust the franchise model and go with it. If they will follow all the given checklists, recipes, and brand standards, it would be nothing short of great.”
Learn more about franchising with Quesada Burritos & Tacos
