Katy Velazquez

When the menu team at fast casual Qdoba Mexican Eats found themselves eating birria on the weekends, enjoying the on-trend social media star, it was a clear signal to Corporate Executive Chef Katy Velazquez that they needed to bring a version of the dish to their customers. The meaty menu item was also the perfect opportunity to bring back brisket, a much-missed protein that had been dropped during the pandemic due to supply chain challenges, says Velazquez. Soon the team had developed their own Brisket Birria, slow-cooking the meat in a combination of chiles, garlic, onions, paprika and citrus, creating a brand-new, craveable protein option that can be used across the menu in different formats.

The showcase platforms are the Quesa-Birria Quesadilla and Quesa-Birria Burrito, which take the new Brisket Birria to the next level, adding a three-cheese queso and shredded cheese. Following the Birria Brisket launch, Qdoba saw a 40 percent increase in brisket sales compared to its previous smoked iteration, which had been successful in its own right. “I think it combines all that we do best at Qdoba,” says Velazquez.