By Jamie Salter
There were long lines in Pakenham on Tuesday as locals joined the queue to pick up $5 burritos and bowls and free coffee at the Guzman y Gomez (GYG) grand opening event.
The new store is about two years in the making, offering fresh Mexican food including tacos, enchiladas and burritos.
The restaurant currently employs 100 staff members, with 30 more roles to be filled.
The Pakenham restaurant is headed by Berwick resident and franchisee Simon Baker, who has also run the GYG in Fountain Gate for seven years and a branch at Monash University for six years until it was recently sold.
Mr Baker said he was excited to see the branch open in Pakenham.
“We’re really excited; we’ve been working hard in the last couple months recruiting and training our staff at the Fountain Gate store,” he said.
“It’s also giving Pakenham residents another option for fast, clean, fresh food.
“We’re totally preservative free, so we focus on being a real restaurant with unprocessed fruit and vegetables – it’s showing that fast food doesn’t have to be rubbish.”
Throughout Covid-19 lockdowns, the brand’s popularity continued to grow as takeaway and delivery orders picked up.
“A lot of people discovered us through delivery during lockdown and it stuck – now they’ve converted to walk-in customers,” Mr Baker said.
The restaurant will deliver food via Menulog, Uber Eats, Deliveroo and DoorDash, and customers will also have the option to order through the new Guzman y Gomez app.
The family-friendly business will be open for breakfast from 7am and offers lunch and dinner until 11pm daily.
With frozen margaritas and a new line of soft serve, there’s something for everyone.
GYG Pakenham officially opened on Tuesday 26 July and is at 74 Princes Highway.
For more information or to join the team, visit guzmanygomez.com.au
