New restaurant plans to open in Richland’s Queensgate shopping center
The empty spot that used to hold a Qdoba is expected to transform into Chipotle Mexican Grill by spring.
The California-based chain plans to open a location at The Vintner Square shopping center in the ever-popular Queensgate retail area in south Richland.
Richland issued a permit last week to start a $560,000 renovation project at the former location of Qdoba, 2673 Queensgate Drive.
The new restaurant will have a drive-thru pickup lane and the ability to place digital orders, Erin Wolford, the senior director of external communications, told the Herald this week.
The drive-up pickup lanes allow customers to place an order through Chipotle’s app and pick up their order without leaving their car.
“Our purpose at Chipotle is to cultivate a better world by making real food more accessible to everyone, while being an innovate leader in digital, technology and sustainable business practices,” she said. “We’re thrilled to be opening in Richland this spring, making it easier for residents to enjoy delicious food.”
Chipotle started with a single restaurant in 1993. It has grown to be the largest Mexican fast-casual chain with more than 2,500 locations and more than 70,000 employees around the country, says the company.
That includes the Kennewick store that opened its doors in 2015. All but two of them are owned by the company.
It offers burritos, salads, tacos and burrito bowls, and aims to support local growers and uses “responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors.”
The chain is steadily adding stores growing from 2,010 locations in 2016, according to its 2018 annual financial report.
The Queensgate Qdoba location has been empty since May when the restaurant shut its doors after four years. The San Diego-based Qdoba Mexican Eats operates the second largest chain of fast-casual Mexican restaurants.
This story was originally published January 3, 2020 at 5:00 AM.