Downing Barber, the founder & CEO of Barberitos, believes now is the perfect time to purchase a franchise. Barber opened his first Barberitos in 2000 and has grown the fast-casual Southwestern Grille and Cantina to more than 50 locations across seven Southeastern states.

“I’ve heard others say that the restaurant industry is bottoming out, but that’s not what Barberitos is experiencing,” says Barber. “We have been creative to discover ways to differentiate ourselves with marketing and creating unique sales opportunities.”

Barber’s “Top Five” reasons to become a franchisee today:

Real estate prices are depressed – with a glut of property available, the ability to secure a good location is on the rise and landlords are willing to negotiate on price

Money is cheap to borrow – loans are readily available with low interest rates

Gas prices are down – transportation costs for goods continue to remain at low prices

Food prices are down – cost for food is down compared to recent times

Increase in sales opportunities – restaurants have become more creative and have implemented additional avenues to sell, including curbside and mobile

Barberitos is a Southwestern Grille dedicated to serving farm-fresh, high-quality food in a fast-casual restaurant environment. Many of the restaurants’ menu items are prepared or cooked in-house daily, including hand-smashed guacamole, home-made salsas, fresh-cut vegetables as well as chicken, steak, pork, turkey, tofu, rice and beans.