VISALIA – Quesadilla Gorilla (QG), a local Visalia favorite, is gearing up to host their 10th anniversary bash, which will include food from various local vendors, games and activities, and reduced prices on their acclaimed cuisine.

The build-your-own quesadilla shop has been a Central Valley staple since they first opened their doors in 2013. Since then, QG has grown across the Valley, a feat which Miguel Reyes, one of the business’s co-founders, attributes to their food truck.

“It feels unreal, like it’s been like just one long year, but at the same time, it feels like it’s been 20,” he said. “We started our original location in Visalia — super tiny — and then we got our food truck, which allowed us to expand and grow different markets, (specifically) our location in Fresno.”

To celebrate their 10th year, Reyes and his team are throwing a celebration to thank their loyal customers who have supported them through the years. The anniversary bash is open to the public, or as the event’s press release puts it, “devoted Quesadilla Gorilla (enthusiasts) or (people) looking to explore the flavors that have made this restaurant chain a local legend.”

“We’re hoping for about 500 people,” Reyes said. “I initially thought 1,000 to 2,000, but my team was like ‘no, it’ll probably be closer to 500,’ so I said ‘I hope you guys are wrong.’”

The event will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the Woodlands, Bello Vita Event Venues outdoor portion.

According to their press release, the anniversary bash will feature a delicious array of quesadillas, refreshing drinks, exclusive merchandise and an exciting raffle with fantastic prizes.

“I feel like it’s not just our party, it’s everyone’s party,” Reyes said. “We really couldn’t have done it without the people that are coming into our stores, who will hopefully come out to the party as well to kind of support and celebrate alongside us.”

In addition to QG’s custom quesadillas and prizes, the event will showcase a stellar lineup of local vendors who are sure to delight foodies of all ages: Big Papa’s Pizza, Roots Jamaican and Ampersand Ice Cream, with activities provided by Rage Cage and Visalia Bounce Houses.

“We’ll have a couple of bounce houses, make it really kid friendly,” Reyes said. “While we’ll have some tables and chairs, we’re kind of hoping people come and bring some blankets and have a picnic of sorts with their family.”

To make this celebration even more special, Quesadilla Gorilla will be selling their famous quesadillas at their original opening price of just $6. It’s a nostalgic nod to where it all began, and a fantastic opportunity for both longtime fans and newcomers to enjoy their scrumptious creations.

“The past ten years have been an incredible journey for us,” Reyes said in a press release. “We’re truly grateful for the support of our amazing community. This event is our way of saying thank you and celebrating with the people who have made our success possible.”

To announce the event, the company posted a ‘little trip down memory lane’ video, which made Reyes realize how much of an impact the restaurant has had both on his life and others as well.

“After watching our post last night, I realized that we’ve touched so many people, and so many people come into our lives,” he said. “We’ve met so many really cool people.”

A COOK INTO THE FUTURE

According to their website, since opening their doors in 2013, Quesadilla Gorilla has acquired seven more store fronts with more growth on the horizon. A past article by The Sun-Gazette detailed Reye’s goal to expand outside of California, specifically their goal of having 30 total locations by the end of 2023.

While this is no longer the case, as they are now focusing on managing their current assets while they continue to plan their expansion, a location in Idaho in the works as well as a new Tulare location, which will be finalized within the next six weeks.

“We’re pivoting a little bit and selling off some of our corporate stores,” Reyes said. “We’re going to put all our focus on franchising; we’ll plan to keep the Visalia location for our training headquarters.”