The menu items, promotional tools, and business strategies that will affect quick serves this year.

Whether analyzing politics, the silver screen, or stock markets, experts try to offer a peek at the trends we can expect in the coming year. The restaurant industry is no different. Throughout 2012’s fourth quarter, various consultants, chefs, and operators gazed into their crystal balls and forecasted the hot restaurant ideas and issues of 2013.

The following 8 trends, according to those experts, seem most likely to impact quick-service and fast-casual restaurants this year.

1. Going Local

Despite disagreement about what local really means, there is little doubt that consumers increasingly see it as a positive attribute. Locally grown or sourced ingredients fill three of the 10 spots in the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) annual “What’s Hot” culinary forecast, a survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs who are members of the American Culinary Federation.

2. Healthy kids’ meals

Healthful and creative kids’ meals will continue to make an impression on the quick-service industry.

Operators are now going to great lengths to improve the nutritional profile of kids’ meals. Restaurants can improve the health quality of kids’ meals by taking steps like grilling instead of frying, cutting calories and fat. These efforts aren’t just satisfying parents; kids are also becoming more comfortable with healthier foods.

At Yolanda’s on Colorado Blvd. – we know the importance of using quality ingredients. Our drink menu is no exception. We believe in the difference good tequila can make, which is why we use Arta Tequila for drinks at our Colorado Boulevard location. Triple distilled for ultimate purity and versatility, Artá Tequila Silver pair’s classic agave taste with touches of citrus and honey. Made from 100% organic Weber Blue Agave matured for 8 to 10 years, each variety carries a consistency of flavor and an authenticity of character worthy of the Artá name. But this is only one type of tequila.

Here are a few different ways to identify perfect examples of each of the eight types of quality — that is, 100 percent agave — tequila. It comes in four official aging categories, which you’ll find on the label: blanco, reposado, añejo, and the relatively new extra añejo.

Blanco

This can rest in any sort of container up to 60 days before bottling.

Reposado

Aged 60 days to a year. (This is our favorite category: The oak-aging mellows them without killing the agave, as often happens with añejos.)

Añejo

Aged on to three years in oak barrels (usually old bourbon ones).

Like hard shell tacos, soft shell tacos feature meat, vegetables and cheese. But that’s where the similarities stop.

The biggest asset of the soft shell taco is its soft shell. Soft shell tacos feature a durable, yet delicious shell that doesn’t disappoint by breaking under pressure.

In addition to staying together, soft tacos actually hold more toppings than the standard hard shell taco.

Yet another benefit of the soft shell taco is the taste of the squishy shell. While hard tacos have great texture, they lack the great corn tortilla taste.

Which is why Yolanda’s serves our tacos with standard taco fixings including lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, cilantro, serrano peppers served on a fresh, white corn tortilla.

Bag the Bloat

To flatten your stomach, try cilantro, a natural diuretic, says Sara Snow, green-lifestyle expert and author of Sara Snow’s Fresh Living. (The herb also aids digestion and prevents nausea.) Just chop it up and sprinkle it on top of your salad.

Make Meals Safer

Cilantros essential oils kill salmonella and E. coli, according to studies in the Journal of Agricultural Chemistry. Try this zesty cilantro marinade from Fiona Beckett, author of The Frugal Cook. Combine 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon white pepper, and 1 small bunch chopped fresh cilantro (stalks included) in a blender; marinate meat or poultry for 1—2 hours.

Ease Post-gym Aches

Got sore joints and muscles? Ease them fast with a rub made from cilantro, an anti-inflammatory, recommends Maoshing Ni, PhD, who practices traditional Chinese medicine and is the author of Secrets of Self-Healing. Finely chop 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, and combine with 1/4 cup aloe vera gel; apply rub to tender areas.

Get Smooth Skin

Who knew the oils in cilantro calm irritated skin? Soothe and hydrate the natural way with this body mask from La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. Blend 1/2 avocado, a squeeze of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, and 1/4 cup avocado oil in a food processor; apply mask to skin, let sit for 20 minutes, and rinse in the shower.

For those that take the steps to operate a restaurant franchise in Colorado, one of the most important aspects is what kind of food will be served. There are sub sandwich franchises, burger franchises, and Mexican franchises all across the state, but if you’re about to become a Yolanda’s Tacos franchisee, one thing you can count on is that you will be serving delicious and authentic food to every person that visits your restaurant. Our recipes are always fresh and traditional, and offer something for every taste.

Yolanda’s serves much more than tacos, and our menu includes tostadas, burritos, and much more. Customers can choose a taco salad or nachos as an appetizer, and then enjoy a main course of entrees filled with chicken, beef, pork, and other options prepared in various ways. We also have several salsa and sauce options, including habanero, mango, and pico de gallo. Add in a side of homemade chips and fresh guacamole, and everyone will have the perfect Mexican meal to enjoy. Your franchise will be built on the regular customers that come in for their favorites, and you can guarantee that you’ll serve authentic cuisine each time they visit.

If you’d like more information about our recipes or how to open your own Yolanda’s restaurant franchise in Colorado, please contact us today. You can find nutritional information on everything that we serve, and we know that even though you own and operate the restaurant, you’ll take the time every so often to enjoy fine Mexican cuisine.

People love to eat, and while many choose to cook in their own home on most days of the week, they also love taking the family out to eat and not having to worry about finding a recipe, making it, and then cleaning up afterwards. If they can find affordable and delicious food in their community, they may even make a certain restaurant their go-to spot. At Yolanda’s Tacos, we want to be that go-to spot, and we love helping families find nutritious cuisine at less expensive prices. We also provide a fun and festive atmosphere that creates a complete experience for everyone in the restaurant. If you had your own Mexican restaurant franchise in Colorado, you could provide families with a fun alternative to eating at home every night of the week.

At Yolanda’s, we want to set franchise owners up for success, and by providing excellent recipes, as well as a formula for outstanding customer service, you’ll quickly be up and running as the best place to eat in the neighborhood. As winter passes and the weather grows nicer in Colorado, people will feel like going out to eat more often, and if they’re hosting family and friends that are in town for a visit, they won’t want to cook three meals a day for their houseguests and Yolanda’s can provide tasty meals for the entire group.

The one thing that families search for when they want to go out to eat is a restaurant that offers outstanding food at affordable prices. This is especially true if they have children with them and want to stick to a certain budget when eating at a restaurant. At Yolanda’s Tacos, we love offering families fantastic cuisine at great prices, and we also love helping business-minded individuals provide that food to families in their community. If you have an interest in owning a Mexican restaurant franchise in Colorado, we’d love to talk with you.

Yolanda’s employs what’s known as a “fast casual” restaurant model, which has some significant differences from “fast food” establishments. While “fast casual” is a relatively new term in the industry, it’s quickly becoming a popular model for many restaurants. By combining a healthy menu with fast service, as well as comfortable seating where you can wait for your order to be brought to you, Yolanda’s allows our patrons to pick exactly what they want and have it served to them fresh and hot. For our new franchise owners, that level of excellence would carry over into your restaurant, and we know that people would soon come to appreciate the fast service and the fantastic Mexican food.

If you’re looking for a new career or a new business opportunity, there can be several choices that present themselves. If you have a background in business ownership or food service, owning a restaurant franchise could be the ideal situation for you. In Colorado, Yolanda’s Tacos is looking for business-minded professionals to expand the delicious menu and family atmosphere that our fast casual Mexican restaurants offer, as well the commitment to excellent customer service.

Yolanda’s offers many benefits to owning one our franchises, including a streamlined staffing system, where you know who is responsible for what, and a festive atmosphere, where both employees and patrons can have fun when the restaurant is open. We also strive to provide high-quality and healthy food, making sure our ingredients are fresh every time an order is prepared for a customer. By combining all of these things, you franchise can see a higher volume of ticket sales, boosting your overall profits.

If you’d like to learn more about the “fast casual” restaurant model that we employ, please feel free to call us at 303-378-2221 or check out our blog about owning a Mexican restaurant franchise in Colorado. With our franchise model and proprietary recipes, you can get off the ground quickly and bring your new restaurant into a community or town that will soon come to love authentic and delicious Mexican food. We know that if you have a mind for success, you’ll find owning a Yolanda’s franchise could be the very boost that you were seeking.

As a business-minded person, you’re always on the lookout for successful companies. You may have even owned your own business at some point, but had to rethink things when the economy took a hit a few years ago. At Yolanda’s Tacos, we’re always excited to meet people that share our passion for successful business and excellent customer service. If you’ve recently been looking for Colorado franchise opportunities in the food service industry, we’d love to talk with you.

We know that you may have encountered several franchise models, any maybe Mexican cuisine wasn’t your first thought. There are plenty of successful franchise sandwich shops and other fast food establishments, but only Yolanda’s blends original Mexican recipes with a “fast casual” setting that serves delicious food that’s both fresh and fast. We serve traditional Mexican food that’s made to order every time a customer steps up to the counter, and then bring it to them in a festive dining room. Our model has proven to work and can be profitable for any franchise owner that truly wants to succeed.

If you’ve spent the last few months researching Colorado franchise opportunities, take the time to look into our history and business model. If you’d like to learn more about our recipes and how you can get started with your own franchise, you can reach us at 303-378-2221 or you can request more information at your convenience. A member of our team will respond as soon as possible and talk with you about why Yolanda’s is a fantastic opportunity.

At Yolanda’s Tacos, we love meeting people that come into one of our restaurants for the first time and experience the delicious food and festive atmosphere that we offer. Sometimes, they’re families that are traveling and others are those that have just moved to the area. Regardless of why they’re there, we’re just happy that they came and we do our best to serve them fresh food that’s made to order. If your community has several eateries but is lacking a quality Mexican restaurant, a Yolanda’s franchise in Colorado could be the very thing to spice up the neighborhood.

As a franchisee, you’ll have access to the recipes and service platform that have made Yolanda’s a successful restaurant in Castle Rock, Greenwood Village, and Denver. We strive to equip our franchisees with everything they need to hire a quality staff and begin providing exceptional Mexican cuisine to every person that walks through the door. We know that people have their “regular” eating spots, and we want you to make an impact on your neighborhood and attract people with excellent food and even better service.

Yolanda’s has many specials and delivery options that you can put into use in order to reach even more people in your community. If you feel that a quality Mexican restaurant could boost your area’s culinary variety, give us a call today. We’ll explain everything that goes into operating a Yolanda’s franchise and what you can expect in terms of a timeline and opening date. We look forward to speaking with you!

At Yolanda’s Tacos, we’re always keeping up with the changing trends in the restaurant industry and looking at what’s coming down the road in terms of customer preference and cuisine choice. We’ve spoken before about the fast casual model and why it’s growing in popularity, and trends in 2015 should prove to solidify that popularity even more. People are always searching for new flavors and new menu choices and at Yolanda’s, we strive to give an authentic Mexican experience every time someone dines with us. That authenticity extends to every new owner that takes advantage of our Colorado franchise opportunities.

Most Colorado residents have had Mexican food before and they may have their regular spots that they stop by when they’re feeling peckish. They don’t always have lots of time to grab lunch or dinner, and they don’t necessarily want to settle for something ordinary or that they’ve had a dozen times before. Yolanda’s menu honors the fresh and traditional tastes of Mexico, and we make everything to order once a customer has made their choice. As a franchise owner, you will have repeat customers that order the same thing they may have had a dozen times before, but it won’t matter to them because they know it will be delicious each and every time.

Colorado is a beautiful place that attracts thousands of tourists each summer. People come to hike and camp in Rocky Mountain National Park, take in a Rockies game, and enjoy the nightlife of downtown Denver. When they’re here, tourists often want to experience sights and tastes that they can’t find in their home state. At Yolanda’s Tacos, we can provide the taste of authentic Mexican cuisine and make someone’s summer visit unique. With a restaurant franchise in three locations, people can find fantastic food whenever they want.

If you have a large influx of summer visitors to your Colorado town, opening a Yolanda’s franchise can provide a better selection of restaurants when people want to go out for lunch or dinner. We can help you establish a new location and provide you with our delicious menu options and successful customer service plan so that you can be up and running in no time at all. We’ll provide the support you need to hire a qualified staff that can help you serve delicious Mexican food to everyone that comes into your restaurant.

Summer isn’t too far away and before long, tourists will arrive and need somewhere to eat between their various Colorado adventures. Contact Yolanda’s Tacos today to learn how you can open a restaurant franchise in your hometown and provide visitors with authentic and delicious Mexican food. We can give you all the information you need to make the best decision and will gladly answer any questions you have about our fast casual business model.

Deciding to open your own business isn’t an easy choice, but if it makes sense for you, it’s important to gather all of the necessary information on what kind of business you would operate. At Yolanda’s Tacos, we love meeting business-minded people that always strive for success, and when we talk with them about our Mexican restaurant franchise in Colorado, we always tell them that they’re going into business for themselves, but that they’re not by themselves. That’s because the Yolanda’s team is always there to provide information and support that will make each restaurant a standalone success while serving outstanding food that can only be found here.

Many people operate as sole proprietors, providing a product or service that appeals to some, but may not have mass appeal. Trying to be a business owner, an accountant, and a marketing strategist can take a lot out of a person, in terms of both money and energy. Yolanda’s will provide each franchise owner with the tools they need to succeed, and the menu options that will have a wide appeal to all kinds of people. We don’t leave you stranded when there’s an issue – we come alongside you and help you overcome the challenges that any new business can face.

At Yolanda’s Tacos, we understand that potential franchise owners want all the information they can get their hands on before they make a final decision. Perhaps you were considering a retail franchise before, but that opportunity fell through, and now a restaurant franchise is at the top of your list. It’s important to consider what kind of investment, both financially and personally, you’re willing to make to create a successful franchise. The Yolanda’s team will give you all the support and information that you need regarding our Colorado franchise opportunities, but when the time for the final decision comes, the ball will be firmly in your court.

Opening a franchise is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, but that doesn’t mean that the process shouldn’t be enjoyable. We know that you’ll have your positive days, as well as those days where you’re discouraged and wondering why you ever started down this path. Owning a franchise is a business endeavor, but it’s also a personal journey, where you learn a lot about yourself and what drives you. Yolanda’s Tacos will give you the recipe for success and we know that with the proper skills and motivation, you can make a franchise work in your town or city.

You’re looking for a franchise to start, particularly a Mexican restaurant franchise. There are many available in Colorado. However, they are not all equal. The type of restaurant is different, for example, sit down, fast food and fast casual dining. Each restaurant is going to have a different appeal for a different customer. When you are looking at a franchise to buy into, consider the following when looking at the company structure and goals.

Training: Each franchise will offer a different set of training ideals. However, they should offer training in how to create the food with a consistent manner. The franchise also has a set of branding that is ingrained in the training so you can install the franchise brand into your location. Training should offer tips on how to grow your brand and location so you are successful.

Support: Getting support for starting your Mexican restaurant franchise is one of the best things about buying into a franchise. The degree of support will range among franchises, however, so it’s important to find out how the corporate office offers support to the franchisees before signing the contract to make sure it is what you are expecting.

Find the training and support you need to get your Mexican restaurant franchise off the ground when you start a Yolanda’s Tacos franchise in Colorado. We offer our franchisees both training and support so you can have a successful Mexican restaurant franchise without having to take your focus away from what’s important. Our experience is at your fingertips so you can do well.

Starting a franchise has many benefits, some of which you can read about in this blog. There are many things to be aware of when you are getting started with one of the many Colorado franchise opportunities. Doing your research and getting advice from people who have experience will be helpful. Take advantage and learn as much as you can from others’ mistakes and don’t feel you have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to your new franchise business. Be careful not to fall into any of these mistakes.

• Don’t advertize your opening. The success of your franchise isn’t likely to happen on the first day open. Just because you opened a delicious Mexican restaurant franchise in Colorado doesn’t mean people will automatically flock to your restaurant. You will have to work for it through advertizing and pounding the pavement before you open the doors.
• Don’t get legal help. In the world of franchise opportunities, ignorance isn’t bliss. The contracts you sign are binding and have been looked over and combed through to perfection. Find a lawyer who is experienced in franchises to help advise you. Then listen and weigh their advice. You’re paying them to tell you if the contract is going to work for your rights and interests.

Owning a franchise is a lot of work. If someone tells you differently, you can bet they’ve never done it before. Having said that, it can be very rewarding and challenging, which is a plus for many franchisees. One thing that is important to remember, even when you’re in the trenches with starting up your franchise or digging through the multitude of Colorado franchise opportunities—keep learning. When are you going to keep learning when you’re in the midst of opening? Here are a few suggestions about how you can squeeze learning into your life when it’s busy with opening a new franchise.

• Listen to books on business, leadership and similar subjects while you are driving or getting ready for the day. This is time that can be utilized for passive learning. Just plug the headphones into your phone and go about whatever you need to.
• Read books of the same subjects before going to bed at night. Reading is said to have a relaxing effect. Reading a book in print, rather than on an e-reader, will help your brain adjust and prepare so you get a better night’s sleep.
• Meeting with other franchisees and talking business. This may not seem to be a learning, but there may be strategies they are using that you can pick up on and learn more about.

Deciding on a Mexican restaurant franchise in Colorado may be overwhelming. The thing is, there are some ways you can narrow down a franchise to the specific franchise that will fall into your skill set and passions. Here are some ideas of how you can decide on your short list of Mexican restaurant franchises.

• Do your research. Understanding how the franchise works will be helpful to knowing if they will be a good fit for you when buying into this Mexican restaurant franchise.
• Visit a couple of the franchises you’re interested in. Visiting the franchises in person may give you a different view into the company culture. Look at how the employees interact with the customers. How do the servers and management work together? Does the culture feel natural? Is it consistent with the other location you visit or is it totally different?
• Meet with the owner of the franchises. Franchise owners are busy, but you can call and ask if they would be available for you to come and observe and shadow them for the day. This will give you insight into the operations of the location and the way the company is run.

Having experiences with a couple of different franchises with different owners will give you a glimpse into the uniformity of the franchise and how it functions. These tips will help you bring the long list of potential Colorado franchise opportunities down to a short list. Visiting multiple locations and talking with multiple owners will give you a more concrete idea of how consistent the product and service will be through the Mexican restaurant franchise.