Let Moe’s Southwest Grill take over the cooking and put a hot, delicious meal on your family’s table

By Olivia Bloom

Ashley and Ryan O’Hare have always known exactly what they wanted. Right away, it was each other. They were discussing marriage within days of meeting and, six years ago, when the decision was made to make a career change involving moving their family to Northeast Ohio from Virginia, they knew exactly what was up next on their plates.

“My father spent years in the hospitality industry and I found a passion for the restaurant business early on and have enjoyed the environment and hustle that comes with it,” says Ryan. “We were ready to move to Ashley’s hometown in the Cleveland area and start something we could call our own, while raising our children here among family.”

The O’Hares knew they wanted to continue their careers in the restaurant industry, but didn’t want to start from scratch. For their family, the franchise model was a happy medium of starting a business of their own, but not having to start from the ground up. The whole family had an affinity for Moe’s Southwest Grill, and decided it was time to bring the bold and fresh flavors of Moe’s Southwest Grill to the east side of Cleveland.

“With Ryan’s background in the restaurant industry and mine in event planning, our experiences complemented each other really well. Introducing this area to our family’s favorite restaurant made perfect sense,” says Ashley.

And the O’Hares aren’t the only ones loving Moe’s. They started in 2014 with one location in Mentor, added another in 2015, saw the popularity of these locations continue to grow, so they added two more—one in Mayfield Heights and another in South Euclid.

“‘Welcome to Moe’s.’ That’s the warm signature greeting you’ll receive from the crew as soon as you open the door,” says Ryan. “It’s an invitation to relax and enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere, fresh ingredients and endless options.”

Spicy, mild, veggies, proteins, grains and cheeses. Moe’s guests can create whatever they’re craving with the 20+ fresh ingredients. Famous for burritos, bowls, tacos, queso, handmade guacamole and the free chips and salsa that complement every meal. There’s something on the menu for everyone, even the most discerning eaters of the family.

“I love the tacos,” says 8-year-old, Tobin. “And when they yell, ‘Welcome to Moe’s,’ it makes you feel good.”

Riley, 10, likes Moe’s signature welcome and especially seeing her dad at work. Oh, and she also likes the cookie she gets with every kids’ meal.

“It’s fresh, delicious food that you can feel good about feeding to your family,” says Ryan. “You can get bursting flavor without spice or heat, or you can say ‘Bring it on!’ You decide and Moe’s delivers.”

Speaking of delivering, deliveries are a big part of the business these days, whether it be out to the car, curbside to guests, home delivery or to businesses who want to show their appreciation to employees with individual boxed meals. The boxed meals are a perfect solution to providing a safe catered holiday meal with the current pandemic. Moe’s is even seeing companies purchasing gift cards for employees so that the employee can be treated to a meal, or share it with their family when they choose to.

New this year and developed at the onset of the pandemic to offer a convenient and safe way to “eat out” yet eat at home, are the Moe’s meal kits. Kits generously feed four to six people with three kit options: taco, fajita and nacho kits. “The take-home meal kits are a safe and convenient way for Moe’s fresh ingredients to be served in the convenience of your home. They truly can be made your way,” says Ashley.

As a locally owned and operated business, Moe’s is dedicated to serving their surrounding communities with their General Managers leading the way. Offering taco meal kits as a fundraiser, where 25% of the total sales goes to your organization, is a way Moe’s gives back.

“We’ve modified the fundraising process this year due to the struggles fundraisers were having,” says Ashley. “This has been a great success for schools, especially with Covid-19 forcing the cancellation of so many school fundraisers.” The process is simple and the kits are distributed in a drive-by scenario, where the kits are placed directly in your car to limit contact.

Though much of business these days is take-out, Moe’s is also open for dine-in at all four locations. Safety during these unprecedented times is still the #1 priority for the Moe’s crew as they continue to work hard to serve valued customers while exceeding all CDC safety guidelines.

In every aspect of their lives as a couple, parents and business partners, Ryan and Ashley are a team. “It takes a special couple to raise kids and work together successfully,” smiles Ashley. “Ryan and I are lucky to have found each other and feel very lucky to bring Moe’s to this area.”

“We understand that 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone. The holidays will look a little different all around this year,” Ryan says. “With Moe’s, we hope to offer local families a fresh, easy way to put a meal on the table after a long day or a way to give a delicious ‘thank you’ gift to friends and/or employees. We hope that we can help you navigate this holiday season just a little bit easier.”

For catering and fundraising information, contact Ashley O’Hare at moescateringcle@gmail.com or 440-773-1128. Download the Moe’s app for exclusive deals, loyalty points and a free cup of queso. Visit Moes.com for more information.