Alumni Magazine - Fall 2008 - (Page 51) bio’s Fresh Approach By Kimberly Link-Wills Ru AN D PITTARD NEVER ATE A TACO AS A TECH student. Today he’s the president and CEO of Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill. Pittard, IM 71, was hired by the Californiabased chain in 2006 for his fresh ideas. “My predecessor was from Taco Bell, and she chose to compete on price. As a small chain, we don’t have the economy of scale of a big chain like Taco Bell or McDonald’s or Burger King,” Pittard says. “We really have to offer delicious, unique-tasting food. That’s what got Rubio’s started. I wanted to take it back to its roots.” The roots took hold in 1983, when Ralph Rubio opened a taco stand in Mission Beach, Calif. “Ralph Rubio introduced the fish taco to America,” Pittard says, pointing out that the recipe, which includes crispy, beer-battered seafood, shredded cabbage, salsa and a tangy white sauce, made food industry waves when it appeared in Gourmet magazine. CEO Dan Pittard is taking Rubio’s back to its Baja roots. Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine • Fall 2008 51
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