Dos Coyotes Border Cafe

What Dos Coyotes Border Cafe does

Dos Coyotes Border Cafe is a privately-held, founder-owned fast-casual restaurant chain founded by Bobby Coyote on January 5, 1991 in Davis, California. The company operates 12+ company-owned locations concentrated across the Sacramento-Davis corridor in Northern California, with a single San Ramon Bay Area location. Its core offering is Southwestern and New Mexican-influenced cuisine built around flame-broiled chicken, citrus-marinated seafood, Premium Certified Angus Beef, Certified New Mexican tortillas, and Certified Hatch Chiles, with full menu categories spanning appetizers, salads, burritos, burrito bowls, taco plates, full entrees, vegetarian and gluten-free options, and a children's menu.

The business operates on a traditional fast-casual model: per-item pricing at physical locations, supplemented by direct online ordering through the company website, third-party delivery via DoorDash, location-specific online ordering via Incentivio, and proprietary iOS and Android mobile applications launched in 2021. Catering services (corporate events, weddings, conferences) and gift cards add incremental revenue streams. In 2020 the company began franchising through a separate Nevada LLC, Dos Coyotes Development Company, seeking multi-unit operators for area development agreements with a minimum three-location commitment, representing a strategic pivot from purely company-operated growth to a capital-light expansion model.

The company differentiates through 35 years of regional brand equity, multiple local "Best Burrito," "Best Mexican," and "Best Vegetarian" awards, a Gold Level environmental certification from Partners for a Greener Davis, and an approved-caterer relationship with UC Davis. Headcount is reported as 11-50, which appears to reflect corporate staff given the multi-unit footprint; field operations are likely staffed separately. No AI, proprietary technology platform, or institutional investment is disclosed.

Name

Dos Coyotes Border Cafe

Legal name

Dos Coyotes Border Cafe

Website

https://doscoyotes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dos Coyotes Border Cafe is a privately-held, founder-owned fast-casual Southwestern restaurant chain founded in 1991 in Davis, California, operating 12+ company-owned locations across Northern California with catering, mobile ordering, and a recently launched franchising program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast-Casual Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAFABAM

Regional/Ethnic Specialty Fast Casual (e.g., Indian, Caribbean, African, Eastern European)

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Fast Casual Restaurants

Keywords

• Southwestern restaurant chain
• Fast casual dining
• Catering services
• Online food ordering
• Restaurant franchising

Headquarters

HQ city

San Ramon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and Takeout Sales: The primary revenue stream comes from food and beverage sales at 12+ restaurant locations across the Sacramento-Davis area, including dine-in, takeout, and online ordering.
2. Catering Services: Full-service catering for events including office parties, weddings, conferences, and graduations. Offers drop-off service and individually boxed lunches.
3. Franchising: The company has recently begun franchising through Dos Coyotes Development Company, LLC, seeking experienced multi-unit operators to open a minimum of three locations.
4. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards at restaurant locations and via email orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dos Coyotes Border Cafe operates a fast-casual restaurant chain serving Southwestern cuisine across 12+ locations in the Sacramento-Davis area of California. The company offers dine-in, takeout, online ordering via website and mobile apps, third-party delivery through DoorDash, and full-service catering for events. Core menu items include flame-broiled chicken, citrus-marinated seafood, and Premium Certified Angus Beef prepared with Certified New Mexican tortillas, alongside vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Product overview

Dos Coyotes Border Cafe is a fast-casual Southwestern cuisine restaurant chain with a single unified restaurant concept operating across 12+ California locations. The core offering includes flame-broiled chicken, citrus-marinated seafood, and Premium Certified Angus Beef prepared with Certified New Mexican tortillas and Certified Hatch Chiles. The product portfolio spans a full-service menu with Antojitos & More (appetizers), Ensaladas (salads), Burritos, Seafood Burritos, Burrito Bowls, Mesa Taco Plates, Southwest Plates, Vegetarian and Gluten-Free options, and a Billy the Kid's Menu for children. Supporting services include Catering Services for events of all sizes, Gift Cards, Online Ordering via third-party platforms (DoorDash, Order.Online, Incentivio), Mobile Applications for iOS and Android, a Franchising Program through Dos Coyotes Development Company, and Community Fundraising Programs. The company sources seasonal produce daily and participates in the farm-to-table movement, emphasizing fresh, local ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dos Coyotes Border Cafe Restaurant Fast-casual Southwestern cuisine restaurant offering dine-in and takeout service at 12+ California locations.
• Catering Services Full-service catering for corporate events, office parties, weddings, conferences, and graduations with customizable menus, party platters, taco bars, and individually boxed lunches; approved caterer for UC Davis with purchase order acceptance.
• Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards available for purchase at restaurant locations or via email, with balance checking through Valutec.
• Online Ordering Digital ordering system for pickup and delivery through integrated third-party platforms including DoorDash, Order.Online, and Incentivio.
• Mobile Applications iOS and Android mobile applications for customer ordering and engagement with the restaurant brand.
• Franchising Program Franchise opportunity managed through Dos Coyotes Development Company, LLC seeking experienced multi-unit operators for area development with a minimum of three locations.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cool Davis InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDos Coyotes is a proud community partner of the Cool Davis Initiative, supporting environmental sustainability initiatives in the Davis community.
• Davis Farm to SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time sponsor of Davis Farm to School, an organization dedicated to increasing farm fresh foods in school food, reducing solid waste, and providing educational opportunities through garden-based learning.
• UC DaviscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDos Coyotes is an approved caterer for UC Davis and accepts purchase orders for campus events.
• Local Food BanksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with multiple local food banks including Yolo Crisis Nursery, Twin Lakes Foodbank, Elk Grove Foodbank, Orangevale/Fair Oaks Foodbank, Feeding the Foothills, and Food Literacy for fundraising initiatives and community support.
• California AvocadosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProudly serving California Avocados throughout the menu, prominently featured in marketing materials.
• Los StraitjacketsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLos Straitjackets' song 'Aerostar' featured as hold music at most Dos Coyotes stores. Band promoted through website and menu materials.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Moe's Southwest Grill: Fast-casual chain explicitly positioned on Southwestern cuisine (versus generic Tex-Mex), similar to Dos Coyotes' New Mexican-influenced menu. Overlaps on burritos, tacos, queso, salsa bar, and customizable proteins.
• Wahoo's Fish Taco: California-founded (1988) Southwestern-inspired fast-casual chain with strong fish-taco specialty and SoCal-Brazilian-Asian heritage. Comparable on California roots, Southwestern menu positioning, and regional chain scale.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill: Largest U.S. fast-casual Mexican chain serving burritos, tacos, bowls, and salads with similar counter-service format and menu architecture as Dos Coyotes. Direct competitor on core product (flour-tortilla burritos, tacos, bowls) and customer occasions in the Sacramento and Bay Area markets.
• Qdoba Mexican Eats: National fast-casual Mexican chain with comparable menu (burritos, tacos, quesadillas, salads, bowls) and Southwestern-influenced flavor profile. Competes for the same lunch and casual-dinner occasions and now operates in Northern California markets adjacent to Dos Coyotes' footprint.
• Chronic Tacos: California-based fast-casual Mexican chain with a similar regional operator profile, customizable burrito/bowl/taco menu, and a recent franchising push. Comparable in scale and operating model to Dos Coyotes' current and future footprint.
• Freebirds World Burrito: Regional burrito-centric chain with Texas/Mexican-border culinary DNA, similar Southwestern flavor identity and counter-service burrito focus. Comparable as a sub-scale regional fast-casual Mexican concept pursuing multi-unit expansion.
• Baja Fresh Mexican Grill: California-originated fast-casual Mexican chain founded in 1990 (same era as Dos Coyotes) with similar farm-fresh, flame-grilled positioning. Closest analog on heritage, regional DNA, and emphasis on fresh ingredients over processed foods.
• La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill: California-rooted fresh-Mexican fast-casual concept with similar emphasis on fresh, made-to-order burritos and salads. Closely comparable on California regional positioning, fast-casual format, and similar unit count and unit economics profile.
• Rubio's Coastal Grill: Long-standing California-based Mexican chain (founded 1983) known for fish tacos and Baja-inspired menu. Comparable on California regional heritage, fish-taco offering (overlapping with Dos Coyotes' Crunchy Fish Tacos and seafood burritos), and fast-casual service model.

Broad incumbents

• Chevys Fresh Mex: California-based casual-dining Mexican chain operating full-service restaurants with comparable Southwestern-Mexican menu architecture. Not a direct format competitor (full-service vs. fast-casual), but a relevant incumbent benchmark for menu pricing, brand affinity, and California consumer expectations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mydoscoyotes

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dos Coyotes Border Cafe