Moe's Southwest Grill
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Fast Casual |
| Founded | December 9, 2000 in Garden Hills, Georgia (Atlanta) |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 600+ (2024) |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Tory Bartlett (Chief Brand Officer) |
| Products | Mexican style cuisine and other Southwestern fare |
| Parent | GoTo Foods |
| Website | www |
Moe's Southwest Grill, referred to informally as Moe's, is an American fast casual restaurant franchise chain that was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 9, 2000,[1] by Raving Brands. The name "Moe's" originated as an acronym for "Musicians, Outlaws and Entertainers", and this theme led to the music-related artwork found in the original design.[2]
Moe's Southwest Grill—together with Schlotzsky's, Carvel, Cinnabon, McAlister's Deli, Jamba and Auntie Anne's brands—is part of the GoTo Foods portfolio of brands.
The restaurant chain originally featured artwork depicting deceased music legends and licensed a special rock soundtrack from Muzak that consisted of music from deceased musicians or bands with a notable deceased musician. After a lawsuit from the estate of Jerry Garcia, depictions of actual people were removed from the decor.[3] The menu, which initially featured puns based on people and popular phrases from music, television, and movies was revamped to remove nearly all phrases that may result in legal issues.[4]
Fare
Moe's offers various types of food on its menu, including burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, stacks, burrito bowls, and house-made seasonal salsas. Ingredients can be added or subtracted from the standard entree for customization. Every order comes with chips and salsa on the side.[5]
International locations
In 2010, Moe's signed a deal to open 40 of its restaurants in Turkey,[6] the first of which opened in 2011.[7]
In September 2012, Moe's opened its first Russian franchise[8] located in the center of Moscow near the Kremlin on Pyatnitskaya Street.[9][10]
Franchise partners also existed in Costa Rica[11] and Jamaica.[12]
References
- ^ FOCUS Brands press release, FOCUS Brands to Acquire Moe’s Southwest Grill, April 11, 2007
- ^ "9 Things You Might Not Know About Moe's Southwest Grill". December 27, 2015.
- ^ Grinberg, Emanuella (January 13, 2005). "Jerry Garcia's heirs sue over burrito chain's use of his image". CNN.
- ^ "[EXCLUSIVE] Moe's Southwest Grill Debuts Boring New Look, Higher Prices and Tortas in Sandy Springs". Tomorrow's News Today - Atlanta. October 22, 2018.
- ^ "Mexican & Tex Mex Food Menu: Tacos, Burritos - Moe's Menu". Moes.
- ^ "Moe's Is Hungry for Turkey". qsrmagazine.com. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
- ^ "Leading restaurant franchisor partners with seasoned entrepreneur to Open First of 40 Locations in Turkey". franchising.com. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
- ^ "Сеть ресторанов Moe's". Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
- ^ "13 Pyatnitskaya Street". Google Maps.
- ^ Moe’s Southwest Grill to Open 50 Restaurants in Russia. moessouthwestgrill.wordpress.com, Retrieved July 18, 2014
- ^ "With Moe's, finally a real Burrito in Costa Rica". ticotimes.net. November 24, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- ^ Moe’s Southwest Grill Opens First Jamaican Location. moessouthwestgrill.wordpress.com, Retrieved July 18, 2014