Cilantro Taco Grill, the nation’s fastest-growing authentic Mexican fast-casual franchise, recently celebrated the grand opening of its 18th Chicago location—and its first franchise location—in Wheeling, on November 9th. Located at 749 N. Milwaukee Ave., converted from an old Dunkin’ Donuts, the event drew huge crowds, with guests enjoying a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony, live Mariachi music, and a special offer of a free Jarrito or Churro with the purchase of a protein. The franchise store is the first of three that the brand has announced opening in Illinois before the end of the year.
Roberto Sanchez, a technology entrepreneur and long-time business partner turned franchisee, was the first to open a franchise location in Chicago. He is joined in this venture by his son and business partner, Anthony Sanchez, who serves as the Operational Manager. Just as the Morfin family has built generational wealth through their success with Cilantro Taco Grill, Roberto and Anthony aspire to achieve the same in their own journey.
“Opening my own Cilantro Taco Grill is not just a personal milestone; it’s a huge milestone for my family. I believe deeply in our mission to bring authentic, high-quality Mexican food and culture to communities everywhere. My son and myself are so proud to be part of that,” said Roberto. “The support I’ve received from the team has been incredible, and I see this as only the beginning—we’re on a path to change the way people experience Mexican food across the country.”
“This grand opening with Roberto is a full-circle moment for us—a testament to the kind of family and community we’re building with Cilantro Taco Grill,” said Temoc Morfin, CEO of Cilantro Taco Grill. “Roberto’s journey from business partner and friend to franchisee is exactly what we envision for those who believe in this brand. Our Cilantro family brings authentic Mexican flavors and a welcoming experience to every community we enter and seeing everyone come together to support the Sanchez family today is a powerful reminder of the heart and soul behind everything we do.”
Cilantro Taco Grill was founded in 2013 by Temoc Morfin, who was inspired to bring the family’s treasured flavors and recipes to the masses by his father, ‘Don Javi’ Morfin. Cilantro Taco Grill has since thrived in the competitive Chicagoland market, expanding to 17 open locations with another in development opening in 2024. The brand is also expanding rapidly nationwide, with over 100 locations signed in Illinois, Texas, Florida, and California. The brand was also named one of America’s Hottest Startup Fast Casual Brands in 2024 by QSR.
Cilantro Taco Grill’s mission extends beyond sharing high-quality, authentic Mexican food; they are shattering barriers by empowering immigrant and Latino communities through franchising. In 2023, Cilantro Taco Grill launched its franchise opportunity with the support of the global leader in franchise development, Fransmart, and grammy-award winning artist, Armando Perez (Pitbull). Together, they aim to grow the next generation of Mexican fast casual concepts to more than 1,000 units worldwide over the next 10 years.
Ideal franchisees have prior franchise experience and share Cilantro Taco Grill’s vision to uplift local communities. Franchisees receive expert training and guidance from the Cilantro Taco Grill team through their Cilantro Academy, in addition to a high-end tech stack that features a consumer app launching in summer 2024, digital menu boards, and a highly popular rewards program. Cilantro Taco Grill also features multiple revenue streams for franchisees with a popular catering program and bottles of their ultra-popular house salsa consistently flying off shelves.
Franchisees who are interested in joining Cilantro’s mission to create wealth in marginalized communities can visit fransmart.com/cilantro-taco-grill to get started.
