WASHINGTON — Miami-based fast-casual restaurant chain Pincho Factory plans to open 10 restaurants in the D.C. market over the next five years, with the first opening by the end of 2018.
The company did not say if it had finalized its first D.C. area lease or where its D.C. area locations would be.
Pincho Factory’s menu includes burgers, wraps, rice bowls and salads. “Pincho” are, in the case of this eatery’s menu, grilled kebabs with a Latin twist.
The chain was founded in 2010 by three cousins, Nedal Ahmad, Otto Othman and Nizar Ahmad, who opened their first restaurant in Miami with a $77,000 investment. It has since grown to five company-owned and five franchised locations throughout south Florida, with plans to expand to 100 locations nationwide.
The D.C. franchise expansion comes after a new round of funding and is Pincho Factory’s first multi-location franchise agreement outside of south Florida.
“The investment provides us with the funds to execute on our growth strategy and continue on the path to becoming a multiunit, nationwide brand over the next years,” CEO Nedal Ahmad said in a statement.
Its chicken, steak or shrimp pinchos are served in styles that include Tex-Mex, Latin, chimichurri and Mediterranean. Burgers include variations such as the Toston Burger, with two fried plantains as the “buns”; a Pincho Burger topped with potato sticks and a “secret pink sauce” and a black bean and sweet potato veggie burger.
The Pincho Factory menu also includes chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and beer. And if you’re confused about the pronunciation, it’s PEEN-cho.
