If Rubio's is the David to Chipotle's Goliath, David is catching up.
The San Diego-born chain, founded by a college-aged surfer and made famous for its fish taco recipe, rose to fame when it toppled Chipotle to become the top-rated Mexican restaurant chain in America in a 2015 Consumer Reports survey.
Since then, Rubio's has expanded from 163 locations on the West Coast to 206 nationwide, with an East Coast launch planned for 2017. By comparison, Chipotle has over 2,000 restaurants across the US.
We visited Rubio's in Vallejo, California, to see what the buzz is about.
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During a sunny weekday afternoon, we stopped by a newly renovated Rubio's restaurant.
Here's a photo of a Rubio's location before the brand-wide remodel. The kitschy, beach-themed décor featured thatched umbrellas, surfboards, and laminated bikinis on the wall.
"The brand has grown up," Rubio's president and CEO Marc Simon told Business Insider. The new look on display in Vallejo felt modern and sleek, with natural wood tables, glass bauble lighting fixtures, and blue and green hues to match the chain's ocean-inspired menu.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider