Barberitos: Fresh Southwestern Cuisine with a Health-Conscious Twist

Barberitos shines in the fast-casual dining landscape, especially for its dedication to Southwestern-inspired cuisine. Founded by Downing Barber in February 2000, the franchise made its debut in Athens, Georgia, with a mission to introduce fresh, flavorful, and healthier food options to American consumers.

Downing Barber's experiences in the Southwest, particularly his love for mission-style burritos known for their freshness, nutritional benefits, and customizability, inspired the concept. This vision led to the opening of the first Barberitos restaurant, laying the foundation for the brand's future growth and expansion.

In 2002, Barberitos began offering franchising opportunities, following the successful establishment of its flagship restaurant. Each Barberitos location is committed to maintaining the brand's dedication to freshness, demonstrated by the daily preparation of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, and salads, using ingredients like hand-smashed guacamole, freshly chopped vegetables, and house-made salsas and marinades.

Barberitos sets itself apart in the market by emphasizing health-conscious offerings, with meals that are low in calories and fat, as well as a range of gluten-free options. This approach is in line with the brand's philosophy of providing "food that's fresh, fast, and flavorful," a core principle that has driven Barberitos from its inception to its status as a respected name in the regional fast-casual dining industry.

Training 

Barberitos offers a robust training program for franchisees and their management teams to ensure they are fully prepared to operate their franchise effectively.

Initial Training Program Before starting operations, Barberitos provides an initial training program for the franchisee and up to three management personnel at no additional cost, as long as they attend simultaneously. This program covers essential areas such as financial controls, bookkeeping, food preparation, service techniques, marketing strategies, sanitation, and quality standards. It includes both classroom instruction and practical experience, featuring a two-day sanitation certification course. Franchisees are responsible for all related expenses, including transportation, lodging, meals, uniforms, and salaries during training.

Refresher Training Programs Barberitos periodically offers refresher training programs or seminars to update and reinforce the initial training. Franchisees and their management teams might be required to attend these sessions to stay current with operational changes and marketing strategies. These sessions are at the franchisee's expense, with a maximum of four programs per year, not exceeding eight business days in total.

Additional Training and Support If a franchisee or their management team does not satisfactorily complete the initial training, they may need to repeat the course or send a replacement to the next available session. Barberitos provides ongoing support and updates to training materials, ensuring franchisees have the latest information and resources to uphold the high standards of a Barberitos restaurant.

Territory Protection

Barberitos does not grant exclusive territories to franchisees. As a result, franchisees may encounter competition from other Barberitos franchisees, company-owned outlets, or other distribution channels and competitive brands managed by Barberitos.

The scope and size of a franchisee's territory are determined solely by Barberitos, considering factors such as location, traffic patterns, parking availability, and area demographics. In some cases, the territory might be restricted to the specific restaurant location.

For restaurants in "captive locations" like shopping centers, amusement parks, sports stadiums, or airports, Barberitos retains the right to operate or license others to open additional restaurants within the franchisee's territory.