Pancheros Mexican Grill Hosts Annual Franchise Conference, Unveils Franchisee of the Year

CORALVILLE, Iowa – Pancheros Mexican Grill, the Iowa-based brand known for its Burritos Better Built, recently gathered its franchise owners, corporate team, and vendor partners for its annual conference.

This year, the brand celebrated in Minneapolis, a market where Pancheros has built a significant presence and following. On the heels of the brand’s 30th anniversary in 2022, the entire Pancheros franchise system was eager to connect to discuss recent operational advancements, upcoming brand expansion, strategic marketing efforts, and more.

“Our annual conference always ignites our teams by celebrating the brand’s accomplishments over the past year,” said Rodney Anderson, founder and president of Pancheros. “It’s great to reconnect with our franchisees, team members, and vendors and it’s a chance for us to generate excitement for the year ahead.”

The brand highlighted an impressive increase in digital traffic and sales, which prompted the need for a new website design that will officially launch soon. This increase can be credited to the brand’s robust loyalty program, as well as continuous promotions and operational efforts, including a mobile pick-up window and second make lines at select locations.

“We’ve had an incredible year at Pancheros thus far, and our strong performance is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our franchisees and corporate team,” said Bill Adams, vice president of operations at Pancheros. “The energy and enthusiasm displayed at this year’s convention is a great indicator of what’s ahead, and we look forward to our continued success.”

In addition to discussions about the brand’s future, a hallmark of the annual convention is its tradition of honoring top-performing franchisees as franchisee of the year. This year’s winners were Mike Yurcho, James Kolzow, and Pat Lyons. The trio has been with the brand since 2008 and own three locations in South Jersey, with plans to open another location soon.

“We first joined Pancheros because we wanted to bring burritos to South Jersey, and we knew the brand was the best of the best,” said Yurcho. “Now, we’ve cemented ourselves as a go-to spot in the communities we serve, and we’re proud to be recognized for the success of our locations and our commitment to the brand. Pancheros continues to raise the bar in the Mexican fast-casual industry, and following this year’s conference, we’re more energized about the brand's future than ever.”

Pancheros has earned a loyal following by using fresh-pressed tortillas and perfectly-mixed ingredients with the help of Bob the Tool, a unique plastic spatula used to carefully mix ingredients together to create the perfect taste in every bite. Over the past three decades, the brand has remained committed to delivering a great guest experience by focusing on simplicity, convenience, customer loyalty, and serving excellent food. 

About Pancheros 
The beginning of Pancheros dates back to 1992 when Rodney Anderson opened the brand’s first restaurant in Iowa City, Iowa. Originally modeled after the Chicago taquerias that Anderson had visited often with his friends during his teenage years, the brand’s pursuit of constructing Burritos Better Built launched Pancheros into an evolution based on simplicity and fresh-pressed tortillas. 

Amid its popularity, the brand has successfully grown from its roots and today a robust franchising program has led to 73 locations across 13 states. 

For information about the company, visit https://www.pancheros.com. To learn about franchising opportunities with Pancheros, visit https://pancherosfranchise.com.