49. California Tortilla
California Tortilla reinvented itself over the last few years with a new service model called ACE, a new decor package, and cutting edge food. COO Keith Goldman has been the driving force behind the California Tortilla menu for decades. This year, he created the Grill Melt, which quickly became a fan favorite.
This completely new category is a portable, accessible new item that opened up new dining occasions for the brand. This new offering kicked off with a cheeky social media campaign that had the Grill Melt photoshopped into outrageous pop culture events. This scrappy approach resonated with guests and became one of the most popular launches in the brand’s history. From a tech perspective, Caltort launched its cloud-based catering platform and developed a modular menu for off-premises.
In 2023, the Rockville, Maryland-based brand invested in integrations to help make catering easier for guests to order and easier for franchisees to manage. With 31 units total, the brand is planning to open three locations in 2024, said CEO Bob Phillips.
“Our ACE model is giving guests what they want, including order accuracy and choice over their meal,” he said. “These innovations, coupled with a menu that people crave, is our recipe for success.”
To read the full list, CLICK HERE.