In the ever-changing Pittsburgh real estate Promised Land that is Market Square, Moe’s Southwest Grill will close on Wednesday for three months to double its size in a build-out into the former Cherries Diner space on Forbes Avenue.
Opened Downtown in 2008, the Atlanta-based made-to-order burrito chain also will update the facade, double the outdoor seating capacity and add an entrance on Forbes Avenue for mobile app and online pickup.
“We are making a significant investment in our Market Square location to set a new standard for the integration of technology, guest experience and the highest-quality product,” says Mike Geiger in a press release about the current 1,500-square-foot restaurant. “We plan to dramatically reduce the time you wait and give the Pittsburgh business community their lunch-hour back.”
With more than 700 locations, Moe’s dethroned Chipotle in 2016 as the top fast-casual Mexican restaurant, according to a Harris Poll, and held the spot for the second year in row in 2017. By comparison, Chipotle has more than 2,000 locations.
With menu items such as the Close Talker salad named for a “Seinfeld” reference and the John Coctostan quesadilla with a name inspired by the movie “Fletch,” Moe’s has attracted a growing customer base that connects the chain’s dialogue with pop culture.
The app has also drawn customers with eclectic extras such as an “augmented reality campaign,” an art-focused food-and-music experience intended to encourage customers to connect with the actual art and music in various locations. Moe’s stands for “Music, Outlaws and Entertainers.”
Other national fast-casual chains are pouring resources into tech-enhanced ordering, including McDonald’s, which rolled out its touch-screen kiosk on McKnight Road in Ross in the fall. It follows chains such as the Philly-based Honeygrow, with a location in East Liberty, that only allows for kiosk ordering. Sit-down chains such as Chili’s, Applebee’s and Olive Garden have incorporated tablets at the table.
Moe’s Market Square location follows the renovation of its Robinson location, which reopens Thursday.
As for Cherries Diner, it relocated to 115 Forbes Ave., off Market Square, in October.
Melissa McCart: mmccart@post-gazette.com.
First Published: January 23, 2018, 5:53 p.m.
