PARTNER CONTENT
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AMBITION SERVED AT SCALE
Dive into JAI Restaurant Group’ s growth and legacy as a passion-driven, philanthropic franchise leader
Founded in 2007 by Owner, Chairman, and entrepreneur Jhonny Mercado, JAI Restaurant Group was established on one simple but powerful core principle: passion. Over the last 19 years, what began as a vision has grown into a thriving restaurant group with more than 4000 employees and locations spanning five states. Today, JAI Restaurant Group is the proud operator of 105 Wendy’ s and Taco Bell locations, all structured around the same values of quality, consistency, and – most importantly – joy. Throughout the company’ s evolution, it has upheld a belief that“ dining is more than just a meal: it’ s a moment – a moment to enjoy great food, warm service, and meaningful connections”.
When Jhonny Mercado and his business partner, Andres Garcia, created JAI Restaurant Group almost 20 years ago, they were no strangers to the restaurant industry. Both began their journey in 1998 when they joined the Wendy’ s family, operating several units across Venezuela. Those early years shaped the leadership philosophy that would be crucial to JAI Restaurant Group’ s success, centered around operational excellence, strong team culture, and an unwavering commitment to brand standards. Less than ten years later, the two took a significant step by entering the US market and purchasing three Wendy’ s sites in Miami, Florida, under a new business, JAI International Investment. This move marked an evolutionary shift for the company – a new era that would change its trajectory. As well as signifying the official founding of JAI Restaurant Group, these three locations were the beginning of an ambitious expansion strategy that would quickly stretch across multiple states and decades.
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