WaBa Grill
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founders |
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Number of locations | 115 (2023) |
Area served |
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Key people |
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| Revenue |  US$175 million[1] (2023) |
| Website | www |
WaBa Grill is an American fast casual restaurant chain specializing in healthy foods. Based in the Southwestern United States and founded in 2006, it has been called "one of the nation's leading healthy rice bowl chains".[2]
History
[edit]WaBa Grill was founded in 2006 by Kyle Lee, Brian Ham, and Eric Lee, who still are involved in the business as of 2021.[3]
During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in April 2020, employees of the chain, along with other restaurant workers, went on strike demanding protection equipment against the virus, hazard pay, and to be paid while on quarantine.[4]
Products
[edit]The majority of WaBa Grill's menu items are rice bowls, with toppings like chicken, plant-based steak, rib eye steak, salmon, shrimp, and tofu. Salads are offered, along with "Boom Boom Tacos", which are covered with a sesame dressing, green onions, and a mayonnaise-based boom boom sauce. Sides include dumplings, wontons, sliced avocados, edamame dipped in kimchi, and jalapeños mixed with carrots.[5]
Locations
[edit]As of 2023, the chain has 115 restaurants in two states, Arizona and California. In Arizona, it has two restaurants, in Avondale and Tempe. California has the other 113, primarily concentrated in the southern part of the state.[5] It plans to expand into Nevada, with eight proposed stores in Clark County set to open by 2027.[2] Other expansion projects encompass a ten-unit deal in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, a thirteen-unit deal in Central California, and a ten-unit deal in Maricopa County, Arizona.[6]
Reception
[edit]Nation's Restaurant News included WaBa Grill on its list of the top 500 restaurant chains in America, placing it at #208.[1] It also debuted at #45 on Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers & Shakers List in 2021.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "2023 Top 500". Nation's Restaurant News. June 15, 2023. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "WaBa Grill Expands Into Nevada With Eight-Store Development Deal". Restaurant Magazine. May 23, 2022. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ Ruggless, Ron (March 3, 2021). "WaBa Grill promotes Andrew Kim to president, CEO". Nation's Restaurant News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ Thorn, Bret (April 9, 2020). "Workers at McDonald's and other quick-service restaurants strike for protective gear, higher pay and sick leave as they face exposure to coronavirus". Nation's Restaurant News. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "Official website". Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ "Waba Grill wraps up successful year with impressive 2022 sales, franchise growth & brand momentum". Nation's Restaurant News. February 15, 2023. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ Woods, Jessica (October 23, 2022). "WaBa Grill Named to Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers & Shakers". Shore News Network. Retrieved September 16, 2023.