Across the country, restaurant menus have been taken over by birria.

• The popularity of birria, a regional Mexican dish, has increased more than fivefold on U.S. menus in the past four years, as per Datassential.
• Restaurants like Qdoba and Del Taco have added their own versions of the dish, while those with broader menus have also adopted it.
• The adaptability and taste of Birria have contributed to its expansion from a unique dish to a widely available protein source in various menu items and cuisines.

In the U.S., Birria, originally a regional Mexican dish, has gained popularity and become a social media sensation and fast-food favorite.

Typically, birria is a beef or goat stew that is slowly cooked with spices and chiles to infuse the meat with a rich flavor. The slow-cooked meat is then used as a filling for birria tacos, which often come with a side of consommé for dipping.

Restaurant menus have seen a 412% increase in the presence of birria over the past four years, mainly due to midscale and casual-dining chains. This dish has moved from being a staple in Mexican-focused restaurants to being featured in eateries with broader menus, such as Sugar Factory's American dining spots and Dave & Buster's bowling alleys.

Fast-food chains such as Qdoba, Chipotle, Del Taco, and even have introduced their own versions of birria, making it a popular menu item. According to Datassential, the dish's menu penetration is expected to more than double over the next four years.

From Jalisco to TikTok

Jalisco, a Mexican state on the Pacific Ocean, has been serving birria for centuries, although it may be less familiar to U.S. diners.

Goats, brought over by Spaniards, became an invasive species. Eating them was an easy solution, according to Steven Alvarez, a professor at St. John's University who teaches a class on taco literacy. However, making goat taste good required spices and chiles. Slow cooking the meat made it tender.

Alvarez stated that the goat originated in Europe, while the guajillo and ancho peppers, which are native to the Americas, are used to create a unique dish.

In the 1950s, a taco vendor named Don Guadalupe Zárate replaced goat with beef in his tacos, which he sold in Tijuana, Mexico. He did this because beef was cheaper than goat, and he added water to make it a stew to prevent the meat from burning.

In recent years, birria has become increasingly popular in Los Angeles, with Mexican immigrants selling tacos and consommé from food trucks such as Birrieria Gonzalez.

Alvarez stated that the beauty of southern California lies in the fact that its Mexican cuisine is always renewed due to the ongoing events in Mexico and the immigration patterns.

In recent years, birria has gained popularity in New York City, with various restaurants and food trucks offering tacos and consommé throughout the five boroughs.

Instagram food influencers' photos of birria tacos sparked interest in the dish, introducing it to a new audience. TikTok videos of birria followed, showcasing restaurant and food truck reviews or homemade recipes.

Finding opportunity

Social media is partly why birria became a staple on Qdoba's menu.

Qdoba's director of culinary innovation, Katy Velazquez, discovered birria while in Mexico for a previous job. She later became familiar with the dish through social media, particularly "sexy cheese pull shots."

During the Covid-19 pandemic, brisket prices increased, prompting Qdoba to remove its Tex-Mex-inspired brisket from its menu.

Velazquez stated that we were incurring a loss on every dish sold.

The loss of the original recipe gave Velazquez and her team the chance to create their own version of birria using brisket as the base. The fast-casual chain's final product may not be made the same way as traditional birria, but the team aimed to replicate the same flavor and tenderness.

"By using pre-cooked tomato sauce, we can achieve the same flavor and benefits as if we had spent hours reducing and simmering our own, without the time-consuming process," she explained.

Qdoba replaced its brisket entree with birria two years ago and charged customers extra for the new protein option. The chain, owned by Butterfly Equity, does not disclose its financial results, including details about the success of the launch.

This autumn, the chain is relaunching its birria menu items, hoping that their taste will attract customers seeking a comforting meal, Velazquez stated.

She stated, "We're proud of our ability to bring a regional Mexican cuisine to a large audience through our brand."

Birria everything

While Qdoba and other large restaurant chains have added Birria to their menus, it is not the sole reason for its growing fanbase. Its own versatility is also a significant factor, according to Christine Couvelier, a culinary trendspotter and founder of the Culinary Concierge, as reported by CNBC.

"This dish is not about heat, but flavor. When consumers try it, they won't be afraid or surprised. It's a flavor that is cooked low and slow."

Birria can be imagined in various forms by Couvelier, such as on top of poutine, in soups, and stuffed in ravioli. Additionally, she has observed packaged food companies trying out sauces infused with birria's flavors.

Claire Conaghan, Datassential trendologist and associate director, stated that it has changed from a particular dish to a protein and is now available throughout the menu.

Conaghan stated that since birria is typically made with beef, it can be combined with a wide range of items.

While tacos are the most popular birria dishes on menus, according to Datassential, the Menu Trends platform has also discovered birria quesadillas, grilled cheese, breakfast dishes, and even ramen as popular choices.

Alvarez claims that Birria ramen originated in Tijuana, Mexico. However, it has since spread to the United States and can be found on Del Taco's menu.

In 2022, Jeremias Aguayo, Del Taco's senior director of culinary research and development, returned to the chain's culinary team after it was acquired by Yum Brands. His mission was to develop Del Taco's version of birria.

Aguayo spent four months and 17 attempts perfecting his consommé recipe, while Del Taco developed its beef birria recipe and launched three new menu items featuring birria last November.

Over two promotional windows, Del Taco sold more than one million birria ramen at over 600 restaurants, resulting in significant increases in sales, traffic, and check average, as stated by Aguayo.