Bruce Horovitz

USA TODAY

Next time you order guacamole on your burrito at Qdoba Mexican Grill, there's one thing you won't get: dinged.

One of its most popular "extras," which previously cost customers $1.19 to $1.50 per serving when ordered with a burrito, taco or quesadilla, guacamole will now be free, effective Oct. 14.

Ditto for the rest of the "extras" at Qdoba, the nation's second-largest fast-casual Mexican chain.

The move, to be announced on Friday, is certain to be watched by the rest of the dining industry — from fast-casual chains to some fancy steakhouses that like to tack on charges for every item beyond the steak itself.

A 638-unit chain in the midst of a growth spurt and under new leadership, Qdoba says it recognizes that the surcharges that can make dinner checks swell can make customers steam.

Some other Qdoba "extras" that will be free: queso (a hot three-cheese dip) that used to cost $1; fajita vegetables that went for 69 cents; and chile BBQ sauce that also cost 69 cents.

"We heard complaints from guests and from team members," says Tim Casey, brand president of Qdoba Mexican Grill. "They view (the extra charges ) as nickel-and-diming them."

There are few things restaurant customers hate more than paying for extras -- particularly millennials, who often order extras to add flavor. Nobody knows that any better than Casey, whose company researched that question shortly after he came on board about 18 months ago. Many customers who were surveyed said that they were fed up with the surcharges. Some 78% of those surveyed said they "hate" having to pay for extras, and 81% said they don't think that they should have to.

But, in the never-ending quest for more flavor, they do anyway. Depending on the market, 20% to 35% of Qdoba guests order guacamole or queso as an extra. The fajita veggies vary from 12% to 40% of guests. By the company's own estimates, extras typically add up to 30% -- or about $2 -- to the average customer check.

That's a lot of additional income the company is leaving on the table in an attempt to make customers feel better about the brand. In some cases, the company will slightly increase menu prices and, in other cases, decrease prices, as part of this change.

But Casey is convinced that the new price transparency will keep customers happy -- and coming back. Next month, when the chain rolls out a seasonal menu with three new sauces available to for its burritos, there will be no charge for the sauces that formerly would cost customers an extra buck or two, says Casey.

One industry consultant believes customers will reward Qdoba by coming back.

"It's much more important to get a customer back five times than to make the most you can off of them one time," Gregg Rapp, an industry consultant and menu engineer.

Off-beat moves like this are particularly important for chain restaurants, says Rapp, because many younger consumers, in particular, avoid chains "because they don't think chains do anything risky or interesting."

To promote its new stand against "nickel-and-diming" customers, Qdoba on Friday will send a dump truck filled with nickels and dimes to an empty lot not far from its Denver headquarters. It will dump the coins in the lot, and let consumers scoop them up by the cupful for keeps.