Baja Fresh Mexican Grill is a casual Tex Mex restaurant with locations in the United States as well as other countries. The restaurant features fresh traditional fire-grilled Mexican favorites. The establishment is passionate about providing high quality food with the freshest ingredients to its customers. The establishment believes in providing its guests with delicious food that is always prepared by hand, from real farm fresh ingredients, and from real recipes. The freshly prepared meats, produce, and salsas contribute to a bold menu that is Baja Fresh.

Setting itself apart from the average typical unhealthy fast food store, this Mexican grill provides something different for its guests. Customers love the restaurant’s famous flame-grilled flavor and its self-serve salsa bar. The establishment believes in the advantages of eating well, being active and contributing to the communities it serves. Its philosophy is “Live Fresh”, an attitude that the restaurant exudes in everything it does.  There are no freezers, can openers, or microwaves at any of the chain’s locations. Guests can therefore enjoy delicious, fresh food in a bright and clean environment.

History

Baja Fresh is operated through Fresh Enterprises, Inc., which is based in California. The first restaurant was opened in August 1990 by Jim and Linda Magglos. They opened this restaurant in Newbury Park, California. The establishment started franchising in 1995. In 1998, the Magglos sold a controlling interest in Fresh Enterprises, Inc. to Greg Dollarhyde and Pete Siracusa. Dollarhyde and Siracusa worked towards re-capitalizing the company. They also purchased shares from other investors to gain control over the restaurant. Dollarhyde eventually became the Chief Executive Officer and Siracusa became the Chairman. Jim Magglos remained as the President.

Dollarhyde remained committed to maintaining quality control of the restaurant. As a result, design was a priority over expansion. Systems were implemented to ensure integrity of the supply chain and consistency among the restaurants. Once the foundation was laid to maintain quality control, the restaurant was able to expand without compromising its principles. In 2002, the company signed a franchise agreement with Northern Foods Services, Inc. for the Greater Boston area. Northern Foods agreed to develop at least 14 restaurants in five years. The restaurant also entered into a franchise agreement with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises to develop 16 restaurants in the Chicago area.

Wendy’s International purchased 100% of Fresh Enterprises, Inc. in 2002. By the end of 2002, the establishment had 210 units and revenues had reached the $250 million mark. However, same-store sales started to decline by 4.6 percent in 2003. The slow economy and the restaurant’s rapid expansion were said to be factors in the decline. There was also saturation in the southern California market where the restaurants were inadvertently competing with each other for customers. Dollarhyde was eventually replaced by William Moreton as chief executive officer in April 2004. Moreton reviewed the operations to assess the store’s decline. He then began to implement measures for improvement.

In 2004, the company decided to close five underperforming restaurants, and also slow down plans for expansion. As a result of the closures, the company exited a number of markets in the U.S. It also reduced the size of its menu and improved its advertising as ways towards improvement. The chain also started to rotate some items on and off the menu as a way of introducing new products and keeping the menu fresh. In 2006, BF Acquisitions Holdings LLC purchased the chain from Wendy’s International, Inc. with the goal of reviving the struggling chain. Today, the restaurant has over 250 locations within the United States as well as other countries, such as Dubai and Singapore.

Review

The restaurant serves a variety of Mexican food. The menu includes burritos, tacos and taquitos, favorites, salads, and sides. There is also a kids menu and a 500 calorie menu. Burritos are priced between $6 and $8.  The burritos come in two styles, Enchilado® style and Bare style. The burritos include the Baja Burrito, Burrito Mexicano, Burrito Ultimo, Diablo Burrito, Grilled Chicken Salad Burrito, Nacho Burrito, and Grilled Veggie Burrito. Side dishes are between $2 and $4.  The Sides include Pronto Guacamole, Guacamole and Chips, Smoky Queso Fundido, and Chips and Salsa.

Tacos and taquitos include original Baja Tacos, Grilled Soft Tacos with chicken and steak, Americano Soft Tacos, Fresh Line Caught Wahoo Tacos, Taco Combos, and Fire-Grilled Taquitos. The tacos and taquitos are between $2 and $7. The Favorites include the Baja Bowl, Quesadilla, Fajitas, Fire-Grilled Chicken Tortilla Soup and Nachos. The Favorites are priced between $5 and $9. Salads include the Baja BBQ Chicken Salad, Grilled Shrimp and Chile Lime Salad, Baja Ensalada, and the Tostada. The salads are priced between $6 and $8.

The 500 Calorie Menu includes the Baja Ensalada, Chicken Tortilla Soup, the Baja and Mexicano Burritos “Bare Style”, and the Americano, Wahoo, and Baja Tacos. The Kids Menu is priced between $4 and $5. This menu includes the Original Baja Taco, Wahoo Taco, Chicken Taquito, Bean and Cheese Burrito, and the Quesadilla. The restaurant also provides catering services and provides its own catering menu. The catering menu includes the Sampler Platter, Salads, Classic Party Packs, Mix and Match, Fajita Fiesta, and Desserts and Sides.

The restaurant’s hours of operation are generally from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Customers may dine in or place orders for take-out either over the phone or online. The service is friendly and quick. The restaurant is generally clean. Customers are able to see the cooks prepare and cook their food. The food is tasty and always made to order. However, customers have complained about small portions. The burritos and fish tacos are highly recommended. The salsa bar is also a favorite. Overall, Baja Fresh is a great place for customers to relax and enjoy their favorite Mexican food.