Bubbakoo’s Burritos is the sixth fastest-growing restaurant chain in America, according to Nation’s Restaurant News’ list released July 21. The burrito chain’s 2020 store count was 44 with a 41.9% year-over-year change.

While 2020 was a year of unimaginable difficulties for restaurants and other industries alike, 198 of NRN’s Top 500 restaurant list grew the number of units they had open. Bubbakoo’s graced the list alongside chains including Wahlburgers, Shake Shack and Wetzel’s Pretzels.

“Holy Moly! Bubbakoo’s Burritos Ranked #6 out of 500 for the fastest growing brands,” wrote Bubbakoo’s co-founder Paul Altero in a post on LinkedIn. “Humbled to be in the top lineup with Wahlburger’s, Mission BBQ, Shake Shack, Donato’s Pizza and many other big dawgs.”

Altero opened the first Bubbakoo’s in Point Pleasant in 2008 with co-founder Bill Hart, whom he’d met when they both worked at a Johnny Rockets in Albany, N.Y. Bubbakoo’s has been nabbing spots on growth-focused lists since landing the 498th spot on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list in 2019.

NRN’s Top 500 report is created using Datassential’s Firefly platform, a strategic tool that includes an operator database, lead generator, customer marketing and intelligence platform.

Bubbakoo’s now has 51 locations open nationwide, according to its website. Dozens more are in the works.