Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill

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Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill
Type Public (NASDAQ: RUBO)
Founded San Diego, CA (1983)
Headquarters Carlsbad, CA
Key people Ralph Rubio, founder
Industry Restaurants
Products Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, salads
Revenue 137,400,000 USD (2005)
Employees 3,000
Website www.rubios.com

Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill, formerly known as Rubio's Baja Grill, also simply known as Rubio's, is a fast casual Fresh Mex restaurant chain specializing in Mexican food, with an emphasis on fish tacos. As of 2007, Rubio's operates, licenses or franchises more than 160 restaurants in California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Nevada.

According to founder Ralph Rubio, he and some buddies were on spring break from San Diego State University in San Felipe when he first encountered fish tacos at a local stand, and was inspired to open a restaurant serving them in his hometown, San Diego, California. The first location was opened at a former Orange Julius stand at 4504 E. Mission Bay Dr., where it still remains (and is marked as such). Since then, the popularity of fish tacos has spread throughout California, although they remain uncommon elsewhere. Rubio’s fish tacos are made from Alaskan pollock, which is battered, fried, and served in a corn tortilla, although optionally offered with a flour tortilla.

Rubio’s concept of “upscale Mexican fast food” was used as a blueprint by competing chains, including Fins, Baja Fresh, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Wahoo's Fish Taco.

A 2005 class action lawsuit brought against the company complained that the “Lobster Burrito” offered at the restaurant contained squat lobster (also known as Langostino) rather than clawed lobster from the Nephropidae family. Rubio’s subsequently changed the name of their product to the “Langostino Lobster Burrito” to avoid future confusion. The burrito is currently only occasionally sold as a “Limited Time Offer”. According to Rubio, this is not due to the lawsuit, but because of dwindling langostino lobster supplies. Rubio's announced the return of the burrito with the tagline “pinch yourself”, reflecting the item's popularity and the dismay created among local fans when the item was discontinued.

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