SOMERSET — In the battle for the best burrito, the local competition is stacking up.

Soon local foodies craving some Mexican fare will have yet another destination to get their Taco Tuesday fix as Pancheros Mexican Grill prepares to open its doors at Fairfield Commons Plaza, 550 GAR Highway.

With furniture arriving and signage being put into place this past week, the restaurant inches closer to completion. Franchise owner Dustin DeBoer expects to debut in mid- to late October.

"We can't wait for the day that we can finally open our doors and serve everyone ... and hit the ground running," said DeBoer, who co-owns Somerset's Pancheros with franchise partners Douglas Stack and Kevin O’Shea.

Stack and O'Shea own the nearby Sonic on Route 6, which opened in 2016, as well as another one in Rhode Island, and DeBoer serves as director of operations at both Sonic locations.

After exploring various franchise opportunities, the trio decided to embark on a joint endeavor with Pancheros, an Iowa City restaurant chain, in an effort to bring something new to the area.

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This will be the first Pancheros to open in Massachusetts, DeBoer said, and only the third so far in New England, the next closest being two hours away in Shelton, Connecticut.

"We've always loved the Mexican food concept," he said. "We took to the franchise because of how fresh the ingredients were and how good the food was. ... We knew that if we liked it as much as we did, the people here probably would as well."

Construction on the Route 6 location got underway in April, and they've since brought the roughly 2,300-square-foot space "from a basic shell to almost a full Pancheros now" featuring 56-seat dining room, DeBoer said.

Pancheros shares its commercial building — which sits directly below Fairfield Inn & Suites — with Starbucks as well as Jersey Mike's Subs, which opened this spring.

While go-to spots for fast-casual Mexican-style fare have recently grown — with the addition of a new Taco Bell just down the Route 6 stretch at 572 GAR Highway, Swansea, as well as a Chipotle in Fall River — DeBoer expects Pancheros will fare well against the competition.

"It's similar, but we consider it to be better" said DeBoer, who currently resides in Rhode Island.

Fall River also has two Taco Bell restaurants, and both Somerset and Fall River are home to an independently owned Mexican eatery called Fiesta Mexican Restaurant.

So what sets Pancheros apart from the others? DeBoer said it's fresh ingredients and phenomenal service.

The highlight of Pancheros menu are their burritos, which DeBoer notes is a huge seller, as well as their fresh-pressed tortillas.

They also pride themselves on their innovative method of burrito building utilizing a tool called the BOB, which stands for Better Overall Burrito, because that's exactly what it aims to create.

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First introduced to Pancheros patrons in 2007, the BOB mixing mechanism blends fresh ingredients together before they are wrapped into a tortilla to create the perfect taste in every bite, "so all of your food is evenly dispersed throughout the burrito," DeBoer said.

"Once people try it I think they're going to notice and be able to tell the difference between out tortillas, our ingredients," DeBoer said. "They're gonna see how fresh it is compared to a Chipotle or a Baja's."

The restaurant also features quesadillas, tacos, salads and bowls, and will offer a variety of bottled beer.

The debut of Pancheros will not only add to the array of fast-food options along the Route 6 stretch, it will also create about 50 jobs.

So far, about 20 employees have been welcomed aboard at the Somerset site and DeBoer said he's looking to hire about 20 to 30 more employees — from crew members and assistant managers. Those interested in applying can do so by visiting pancheroscareers.com.

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DeBoer and his partners' ultimate goal is to make Somerset's location the first of many. He said plans include building about three to five Pancheros throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

And based on the positive feedback DeBoer said they've received from the community since announcing their Somerset plans, it appears local foodies are ready when they are.

"Everyone we've talked to has said they're looking forward to it," he said.

Pancheros Mexican Grill is located at 550 GAR Highway, Somerset. For updates on the Somerset opening and a peek at their menu, go to https://www.pancheros.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Pancheros Mexican Grill to open at Fairfield Commons in Somerset