Qdoba to close 18chicago-area eateries by this fall

Qdoba plans to close 18 Chicago area restaurants by the end of September as part of a broader restructuring.

The fast-casual Mexican chain will close a total of 67 underperforming restaurants. It expects to more than offset the closings with new stores by the end of September. The chain had 647 restaurants at the end of its most recent quarter, of which 340 are franchised.

According to the company, the closings will let the company focus its marketing firepower on areas where it enjoys the greatest consumer affinity.

"By closing these locations and optimizing our company footprint, we can be more effective in focusing our advertising and marketing resources to support existing and planned restaurants in our core markets where we have high levels of brand awareness," Qdoba President Tim Casey said in a statement. "We also expect to provide an even better dining experience for our guests as our operations teams concentrate their efforts on supporting these markets."

Owned by San Diego-based Jack in the Box, Qdoba is part of two fast growing segments of the restaurant industry: Mexican and fast casual, generally representing higher quality, higher prices and longer waiting times than traditional fast food. But it's also a direct competitor to Chipotle Mexican Grill, which has been one of the fastest-growing chains in the restaurant industry for a number of years.

The local stores slated for closure, according to Qdoba's Facebook page, are:

·                                 20 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago

·                                 2191 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago

·                                 2427 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago

·                                 328 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago

·                                 227 E. Ontario St., Chicago

·                                  7343 W. Lake St., River Forest

·                                 587 E. Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn

·                                 5141 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn

·                                 31 Orland Square Dr., Orland Park

·                                 4430 Fox Valley Center Dr., Aurora

·                                 383 W. Army Trail Rd., Bloomingdale

·                                 1400 Butterfield Rd., Downers Grove

·                                 50 N. Mannheim Rd., Hillside

·                                 2701 E. Main St., St. Charles

·                                 2001 S. Naperville Rd., Wheaton

·                                 1001 75th St., Woodridge

·                                 556 W. St. Charles Rd., Elmhurst

·                                 17W639 Roosevelt Rd., Oakbrook Terrace