Qdoba Mexican Eats is planning to open a new restaurant in Hoover, and is eyeing another four locations in and around the Birmingham metro area.

The fast casual franchise returned to Birmingham in 2024 after a hiatus of several years with a location on 20th Street South.

QSR CEO Chander Arora, the franchisee, said the next location will be in Hoover at 1539 Montgomery Highway with a projected opening sometime this fall, possibly in October.

The other restaurant locations are planned for along U.S. 280, as well as Trussville and Alabaster.

Arora said he is also looking at locations in perhaps another Birmingham suburb or Tuscaloosa.

Arora said he has been “very pleased” with the reception to the downtown Qdoba location.

“It’s very popular,” he said. “We have great reception. We have good sales right now, increasing every month as the weather improves, and the medical and corporate offices are within a mile. That’s why we’re encouraged to start the second one.”

San Diego-based Qdoba has approximately 800 locations in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and is in the midst of an aggressive nationwide expansion. Earlier this year, the company announced 500 development commitments ongoing in several markets.