A Mexican restaurant chain expanding into the United States via Australia plans to build its second North American location in Schaumburg. The first opened in Naperville two years ago.
Schaumburg administrators on Tuesday unanimously approved plans for a 2,800-square-foot Guzman y Gomez Mexican kitchen that would occupy the southwest corner of Golf and Plum Grove roads after demolishing the 5,800-square-foot building that would most recently housed Brousko Authentic Greek Cuisine.
Plans for the counter-order restaurant include space for about 50 indoor diners, a seasonal outdoor dining patio for about 20 more, and a driveway that can accommodate up to 15 vehicles at a time.
The restaurant chain serves burritos, nachos, enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, and soft drinks. Most of its 160 locations in the Eastern Hemisphere also serve margaritas and beer.
At the recent Schaumburg Appeal Board hearing, officials said a Brooklyn, New York native couple started the chain in Sydney, Australia in 2006.
The pair had first moved to work in London, where they met their future wives from Australia. After everyone moved to Australia, Americans recognized a shortage of Mexican restaurants in Sydney.
Proponents of the Schaumburg site told the zoning board that there are now 151 Guzman y Gomez sites in Australia and several more in Singapore and Japan.
Although the Naperville location remained the brand’s only pioneer in the U.S. barely pre-pandemic, the company envisions the Schaumburg restaurant as the first of five more this year, with another five or six planned for 2023.
A company representative said Tuesday that he was not free to comment on the expected timeline for the construction and opening of the Schaumburg site.
