2025 is proving to be a difficult year for the economy. Not even delicious Mexican fast food restaurants are being spared. Although a freshly made quesadilla, with melted cheese and a side of nachos, can be a delight, people don’t have the money to eat out as often as they used to. That’s why industry giants like Del Taco have gone bankrupt, and chains like Taco Cabana are closing all their underperforming restaurants.
The next favorite restaurant of many Californians, the Gorilla Quesadilla, is next in line to close its doors. It is a beloved regional brand that pioneered the quesadilla niche.
Although the company says it is not a total closure, but rather a calculated restructuring, its most loyal customers are anxiously waiting to see when they can eat there again.
Goodbye, Quesadilla Gorilla
The restaurants in the Central Valley area are closing for now; the first location is in Tulare, California, which closed on November 9, 2025. The next location is in Hanford, California, which will close its doors on December 20, 2025. If you are one of those sentimental people who have a favorite restaurant, we advise you to make the most of this restaurant before it closes its doors forever.
The Quesadilla Gorilla company was founded in 2013 by the couple Miguel and Mikayla Reyes. The young entrepreneurs opened their first restaurant in downtown Visalia, California. While all Mexican restaurants at that time served some type of quesadilla, the couple preferred to focus solely on this unique dish. They were inspired by Chipotle and Subway, which offer the option to customize your meal. From there, they offered a “create your own quesadilla” model similar to those other franchises.
This innovative business model, along with the use of family recipes and fresh, high-quality ingredients, allowed them to grow rapidly and build strong loyalty among local customers. After all, there are few things Californians love more than authentic Mexican food made with fresh ingredients.
By 2019, the Quesadilla Gorilla franchise had already been mentioned in Fortune magazine as one of the fastest-growing companies in US city centers. Not only was their food delicious, but they also conveyed good vibes: their slogan “Peace, Love & Dillas” seemed to encapsulate the hipster vibe of the time. They had managed to establish a very distinctive brand image.
Top Quesadilla Gorilla menu items
As cool as the restaurant is, people don’t come back and the food isn’t delicious. That’s why Quesadilla Gorilla was all the rage among Californians. It had that every-day-diet touch that mixed traditional flavors with imaginative and unexpected twists.
Fans would line up at lunchtime to get an Evan Boling quesadilla, stuffed with cilantro-lime chicken, crispy bacon, and fresh jalapeños. Another fan favorite was The Classic quesadilla, with rich homemade green chili pork, black beans, and Spanish rice.
And of course, they didn’t stop at main dishes, but also served desserts. These “Sweet Dillas” included the surprisingly popular PB&J (peanut butter and jelly) quesadilla and the decadent Nutella quesadilla. Quesadilla Gorilla would put whatever you wanted inside two wheat tortillas and cook it on a griddle. Only the sky was the limit.
What went wrong?
Although the restaurant was perfect, if it wanted to expand, it was not going to need external capital. That is why they became a franchise model, which helped them expand but also introduced operational developments and features beyond corporate control. The two locations that have closed were owned by franchisees, not the original owners.
The Quesadilla Gorilla restaurants in Fresno, Visalia, and San Luis Obispo will stay—for now. So head there and enjoy your favourite menu while you can. And remember, savour every quesadilla as if it were your last!