---
title: "Eater Chicago Unpacks A Southern-Born Taco Franchise’s Strategy to Dominate the Chicago Suburbs"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/fece4598-732e-4b28-88b6-713c6beb0655
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/eater-chicago-unpacks-a-southern-born-taco-franchises-strategy-to-dominate-the-chicago-suburbs-2711739
category: "Mexican"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Mexican"
published: 2019-12-02T19:14:37.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:30:32.269Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/1dc160cfe06dc2abecf99b5dd83c72698651.jpg
---

# Eater Chicago Unpacks A Southern-Born Taco Franchise’s Strategy to Dominate the Chicago Suburbs

**TL;DR:** Fuzzy's Taco Shop, a fast-casual concept, is expanding into the Chicago suburbs with a strategy to bring its tacos, burritos, and quesadillas to Cook, DuPage, and Lake counties. The brand plans to open 40 locations in the greater Chicago area within the next decade.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2019-12-02. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/eater-chicago-unpacks-a-southern-born-taco-franchises-strategy-to-dominate-the-chicago-suburbs-2711739).*

## Story

**Since 2003, the Fort Worth-based fast-casual concept** **Fuzzy’s Taco Shop** **has quickly made its way to 17 different states through franchising. As it enters a new phase of growth behind Chief Development Officer Michael Mabry, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is on track to open 40 locations in the greater Chicago area within the next decade.**

**In a recent Eater Chicago article****, Mabry discussed the brand’s strategy to bring its tacos, burritos and quesadillas to Cook, DuPage and Lake counties before making its big break into the city. “Mabry hopes the ‘family-friendly, value-conscious’ brand will attract attention for its low costs — a family of four can dine for under $30,” the article reads.**

**Mabry said he is excited for Fuzzy’s Taco Shop to leverage the massive growth opportunity in the area by adding more than 40 franchisees to the team in Chicago.**

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- unit expansion (topic)
- franchising (topic)
- location growth (topic)
- Chicago (location)
- Fuzzy's Taco Shop (company)
- Michael Mabry (person)
- Lake County (location)
- Cook County (location)
- DuPage county (location)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/eater-chicago-unpacks-a-southern-born-taco-franchises-strategy-to-dominate-the-chicago-suburbs-2711739). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/fece4598-732e-4b28-88b6-713c6beb0655).