• by Teresa Buyikian , September 24, 2024

Tastes in QSR and fast-casual restaurants have been heating up. According to the Food Institute, more than 80% of Americans in 2024 enjoy hot and spicy foods. And restaurant menus have reflected as much, with new even hotter sauces, and jalapeños on everything from burgers to pizza.

Last week, in honor of National Queso Day on Sept. 20, QDOBA launched its newest menu addition, the Queso Apocalypto, which combines the chain’s Queso Diablo with hot crunchies, salsa roja, habanero salsa and pickled jalapeños.

To promote the hottest item on the chain’s menu, the brand mailed out Emergency Queso Kits, containing a specially engraved Yeti Queso Canteen mug inside of a “Break for Emergency Box,” complete with mallet, in the event the new Apocalypto gets a little too hot to handle.

QSR Insider spoke with QDOBA Vice President of Marketing Kim Zamir about the launch.

The interview has been edited for space and clarity.

QSR Insider: What was the inspiration behind Queso Apocalypto?

Zamir: QDOBA is synonymous with Queso. Our 3-Cheese Queso is a guest favorite, but what is slightly lesser known is our spicy Queso Diablo. We pride ourselves on having more flavors to customize entrées than our competitors. We took advantage of National Queso Day to highlight all of our spiciest flavors.

QSR Insider: How are you marketing Queso Apocalypto?

Zamir: Over the past (two) weeks, we teased and hyped QDOBA’s limited-time Queso Apocalypto across digital ads, content creator posts and owned social media channels to create buzz among guests, [alerting them] that something special was coming.

We included messaging on our website and leveraged a dedicated fictitious character called the “Heatstranaut” to help bring the campaign to life and communicate the incredibly spicy nature of the item.

Additionally, targeted emails were sent out earlier in the week to fans, teasing the National Queso Day holiday and sharing launch messaging. Text and push notifications were also distributed on National Queso Day.

QDOBA social channels also promoted the event. The brand invited seven influencers to Flavor Central, our company headquarters in San Diego, to join Executive Corporate Chef Katy Velazquez in the kitchen and be among the very first to experience the heat of Apocalypto firsthand.

On-site, each influencer created a series of videos to ignite interest in the limited time offer and encourage new audiences to try it for themselves.

We have seen some amazing engagement from each of them, which has helped extend reach and heighten interest for not only Queso Apocalypto but also the QDOBA brand overall.

QSR Insider: In addition to spicy foods, queso itself seems to be becoming more prominent in QSR/fast casual (Taco Bell's Nacho Fries, Chipotle Chips and Queso). Why do you think that is?

Zamir: Queso is what QDOBA is known for. Other brands are likely leaning in in an attempt to capitalize on the queso’s craveable and premium nature.

QSR Insider: How does the launch of Queso Apocalypto fit into the QDOBA brand?

Zamir: With spicy foods among one of this year's hottest (literally) food trends, we played into our passion for innovating new menu items our fans will love, as a direct answer to our guests’ desire to raise the bar on heat. As a brand, we enjoy meeting and exceeding consumers’ evolving taste preferences.

QSR Insider: What is QDOBA doing as far as overall brand marketing?

Zamir: This is a really exciting time for the QDOBA brand, between new culinary innovations and promotions, expanding our nationwide footprint alongside a growing list of franchise owners, agency partners and technological advancements. Leaning into our core audience’s preferences, our marketing will reflect the brand’s bright and bold flavors with global influence, have a warm, welcoming and authentic feel and highlight the value we bring our consumers every day.

QSR Insider: What should we expect to see in the upcoming year from QDOBA?

Zamir: Look for ongoing flavor innovation. In terms of marketing, we just finalized our three-year digital strategy to provide greater ease and convenience for guests. We continue ideating and executing buzzworthy campaigns around the brand’s key moments, while refining our brand position in the market.