What Is a QSR Franchise and Why Mediterranean Is Standing Out in the Category

by Andrea Golindano | Jun 13, 2026 | Fast Casual Restaurant Franchise, Blog

What is a QSR franchise? A QSR franchise is a quick service restaurant franchise, a restaurant model built around speed, convenience, counter ordering, limited or no table service, and repeat customer demand. Fast casual restaurants share some of those same traits, but they typically place more emphasis on ingredient quality, customization, brand experience, and a slightly more elevated customer perception.

For franchise investors, the distinction matters because each model can come with different operational considerations. QSR and fast casual concepts may vary in investment profile, staffing needs, menu complexity, average ticket, customer experience, real estate strategy, and growth potential. One model is not automatically better than the other. The right fit depends on the concept, the market, the support system, and the owner’s goals.

Within that broader restaurant franchise landscape, Mediterranean concepts are gaining attention because they align with several consumer preferences at once: fresh ingredients, bold flavor, customization, convenience, and food that feels both satisfying and better aligned with modern eating habits. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill brings those qualities into a fast casual model built around approachable Mediterranean food, efficient service, and multiple customer occasions, including dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering.

QSR vs. Fast Casual: What Is the Difference?

QSR stands for Quick Service Restaurant. It is the industry term for what most people think of as fast food. Brands like McDonald’s, Subway, and Taco Bell are common examples. QSR restaurants are usually built around speed, counter ordering, limited service, and a lower price point.

Fast casual is a restaurant category that sits between traditional QSR and full-service dining. It keeps the convenience and counter-service format of QSR, but usually offers higher-quality ingredients, a more elevated customer experience, more customization, and a slightly higher average check. Chipotle is one of the best-known examples of the fast casual model.

Here is a straightforward way to compare the two:

Area	QSR	Fast Casual
Service style	Counter service with a focus on speed and convenience	Counter service with a more elevated food and brand experience
Price point	Typically, lower average check	Generally higher than traditional QSR, but still below full-service dining
Food positioning	Convenience, affordability, and consistency	Freshness, quality, customization, and perceived value
Customer experience	Fast, familiar, and functional	Fast and convenient, but often more experience-driven
Buildout	Often designed for speed, volume, and sometimes drive-thru service	Often includes a more developed dining room, brand environment, or customer-facing preparation area
Catering potential	Varies by concept and menu	Often strong when the menu is portable, customizable, and group-friendly

In everyday conversation, people sometimes use QSR and fast casual interchangeably. Many restaurant franchise opportunities are also grouped together under the broader QSR category, even when they technically operate more like fast casual concepts.

For a franchise buyer, the label matters less than the actual business model. The better questions are: How does the restaurant serve customers? How is the menu prepared? What does staffing look like? How does the brand compete? Does the concept fit the way people want to eat today?

That is where Mediterranean and Greek fast casual becomes interesting. It combines the convenience and speed many customers expect from QSR with the freshness, customization, and flavor profile often associated with fast casual dining.

Why Fast Casual Continues to Gain Attention

Fast casual has become one of the most important categories in restaurant franchising because it meets consumers in the middle. It gives customers a faster, more convenient experience than full-service dining, while offering a more elevated food experience than traditional fast food.

Several factors continue to support interest in the model.

1. Consumer Preferences Have Changed

Consumers still want convenience, but many also want food that feels fresher, more customizable, and more aligned with how they think about quality. Younger consumers in particular have grown up with brands that let them build their own meals, choose their ingredients, and feel better about what they are eating. That shift has helped fast casual become a familiar part of everyday dining. Customers may still want speed, but they increasingly expect more than basic fast food. They want meals that feel flavorful, fresh, and worth the price.

2.The Operating Model Is Efficient

Fast casual concepts can offer a more streamlined operating model than full-service restaurants because they typically do not require traditional table service. Customers order at the counter; the menu is usually designed for repeatable preparation, and the model is built around speed, consistency, and throughput. For franchise owners, that can create a business format that is easier to understand than a full-service restaurant while still offering a more elevated brand and menu experience than many traditional QSR concepts.

3. Catering Expands the Opportunity

Another reason fast casual is attractive is that many menus work well for catering. Bowls, platters, salads, wraps, proteins, sides, and shareable items can translate naturally into office lunches, events, meetings, parties, and group orders. For a restaurant owner, catering can create another way to reach customers beyond the dining room. It can also introduce the brand to groups of people who may later become individual customers.

Why Mediterranean and Greek Food Are Standing Out Within Fast Casual

Not every fast casual category is positioned in the same way. Mediterranean and Greek cuisine have become especially relevant because it connects with several major consumer trends at once: health-conscious eating, fresh ingredients, bold flavor, customization, and convenience.

Mediterranean and Greek Food Aligns with Health-Conscious Eating

Mediterranean and Greek food has strong recognition among consumers who are looking for meals that feel fresh, balanced, and satisfying. Ingredients such as grilled proteins, vegetables, olive oil, herbs, grains, legumes, yogurt-based sauces, and fresh salads are familiar to many people who are trying to eat better without giving up flavor.

That balance is important because Mediterranean and Greek cuisine does not feel like a restrictive diet. It feels like real food people can enjoy regularly.

The Cuisine Is More Familiar Than Ever

Mediterranean flavors have become much more mainstream. Items like gyros, hummus, pita, falafel, tzatziki, Greek salads, souvlaki, and rice bowls are no longer unfamiliar to many consumers.

Food media, travel content, social media, and the growth of global cuisine have all helped introduce these flavors to a wider audience. That makes Mediterranean and Greek food more approachable for everyday diners while still feeling differentiated from more saturated restaurant categories.

Menu is Built to Be Customizable

Mediterranean and Greek food works especially well in a fast casual format because it is naturally customizable. Customers can choose a base, protein, toppings, sauces, and sides. They can build a bowl, plate, wrap, or salad based on their preferences. That flexibility matters because modern fast casual customers expect options. One person may want a lighter salad. Another may want a hearty gyro plate. Another may want a protein bowl with extra vegetables and sauce. The same menu can serve different tastes, dietary preferences, and meal occasions.

Mediterranean & Greek Franchise Concepts Are Still Developing

Many restaurant categories are crowded with established franchise brands. Burgers, sandwiches, pizza, chicken, and Mexican-inspired fast casual all have significant competition.

Mediterranean fast casual is different. Consumer interest has grown, but the number of well-supported franchised Mediterranean concepts is still more limited compared with larger, more mature categories. That creates an opportunity for brands with strong operations, clear positioning, and the ability to deliver a consistent customer experience across locations.

What Makes a Strong QSR or Fast Casual Franchise Investment?

Whether you are evaluating a Mediterranean concept or another restaurant category, the fundamentals of a strong franchise opportunity are similar. Buyers should look closely at the brand, operating model, support system, and customer demand behind the concept.

A strong QSR or fast casual franchise opportunity should have:

A concept with clear consumer demand, not just a trendy idea
A franchisor that provides real operational support, not only a brand name
A menu that works for dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering
A site selection process supported by data and experience
Training and systems that help owners understand operations before opening
A brand position that aligns with where consumer preferences are going
A model that can deliver consistency across multiple locations

The best franchise opportunities are not built on food alone. They are built on systems, training, real estate strategy, marketing support, operational discipline, and the ability to create a consistent customer experience.

Where The Great Greek Grill Fits

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is a fast casual Mediterranean concept built around fresh ingredients, bold flavors, generous portions, and a menu that can work across multiple occasions. Customers can visit for lunch, dinner, takeout, family meals, catering, or group events.

The concept is positioned in a category that benefits from several consumer trends at once. Mediterranean food is familiar, flavorful, customizable, and aligned with the way many people want to eat today. At the same time, the fast casual format gives customers the convenience they expect from a modern restaurant experience.

The Great Greek also operates with the support of United Franchise Group, an established franchise organization with experience developing and supporting franchise systems. For franchise candidates, that support structure can be an important part of evaluating the opportunity.

Summing Things Up

QSR and fast casual franchises remain popular pathways into restaurant ownership because they are familiar, scalable, and built around repeat consumer demand. But not every restaurant category offers the same growth story or competitive landscape.

Mediterranean fast casual stands out because it brings together convenience, customization, fresh ingredients, strong flavor, and broadening consumer awareness. It also offers a menu that can work for individual meals, family dining, takeout, delivery, and catering.

For franchise investors who are interested in the QSR or fast casual space but want a concept that feels aligned with where consumers are heading, Mediterranean food is worth a closer look.

Interested in learning more about The Great Greek franchise opportunity?

Explore the investment overview or connect with the franchise development team to start the conversation.

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Why Mediterranean Fast Casual Is the Fastest-Growing Franchise Category

by Andrea Golindano | Jun 10, 2026 | Fast Casual Restaurant Franchise, Blog

Fast casual dining is the most competitive segment in the restaurant industry. Inside that segment, Mediterranean food has separated from the pack, not because of a moment, but because of a structural shift in how Americans want to eat.

The numbers behind this shift are real. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill grew sales by 114.5% between 2022 and 2024, reaching $73 million. Over that same period, unit count grew 153.6%. It’s not surprising that at the same time the Mediterranean diet has been ranked the number one diet by U.S. News & World Report for nine consecutive years. And the broader fast casual market is on a growth trajectory that shows no meaningful signs of reversal.

For franchise investors, this convergence of consumer demand, category growth, and operational model creates a unique opportunity.

Fast Casual in 2026: The Category That Rewrote the Restaurant Industry

To understand why Mediterranean is winning, it helps to understand first why fast casual has become such a powerful restaurant model.

Fast casual emerged as the answer to a consumer need that neither traditional fast food nor full-service restaurants could satisfy: high-quality, customizable, freshly prepared food delivered quickly and without a server. The model turned out to be more durable than a trend. It filled a structural gap in the market and kept growing because it keeps delivering on what consumers actually want.

	QSR	Fast Casual	Full Service
Price point	$5–$10	$10–$18	$20–$50+
Service model	Counter, drive-through	Counter-order, table delivery	Full table service
Ingredient quality	Standardized, often processed	Fresh, made-to-order	Chef-driven, variable
Labor model	High volume, lower skill	Moderate, specialized	Full FOH/BOH team
Franchisability	Highly systematized	Full FOH/BOH team	Harder to scale
Mediterranean cuisine fit	Poor — complexity mismatch	Ideal — quality + speed	Possible but higher cost

The table above shows why fast casual sits in a strategic sweet spot. It delivers the speed and service of QSR alongside the food quality and menu flexibility closer to a full-service restaurant at a price point that drives repeat visits without the labor and complexity burden of a full-service model.

For franchise investors, fast casual has an additional structural advantage: it franchises well. The format is operationally replicable, the unit economics are transparent, and the customer experience can be delivered consistently across locations with the right systems and training. These are exactly the characteristics that make a restaurant concept scale.

Why Mediterranean Is Leading the Category

Mediterranean is not the only cuisine thriving in fast casual, but it has a specific set of characteristics that have made it one of the most durable and broadly appealing categories because it caters to consumers’ preference for healthier alternatives. Understanding those characteristics explains why the category keeps growing while others have plateaued.

Health Credibility That Cannot Be Manufactured

The Mediterranean diet comes with a level of credibility few food trends can match. It has been ranked the number one diet overall by U.S. News & World Report for nine consecutive years, recommended by the American Heart Association, and supported by extensive research into its cardiovascular and metabolic benefits. That reputation was not created by a marketing campaign. It reflects decades of scientific research and growing consumer interest in eating well and still enjoying it.

For restaurant brands, that matters. Diners are more likely to return when a meal feels satisfying in the moment and consistent with the way they want to eat over time. Built around olive oil, lean proteins, legumes, fresh vegetables, and whole grains, Mediterranean food delivers that balance while appealing to a wide range of tastes and dietary preferences.

Dietary Versatility Without Menu Compromise

Mediterranean cuisine naturally appeals to a wide range of dietary preferences without forcing operators to build a separate menu for every type of guest. Grilled proteins, vegetables, legumes, fresh herbs, grains, and olive oil-based dressings can be combined and adapted across the menu, giving diners flexibility without making the food feel like a compromise.

That flexibility also creates a meaningful operational advantage. A well-designed Mediterranean menu can serve vegetarian, vegan, gluten-conscious, high-protein, and lower-carbohydrate diners using many of the same core ingredients and preparation methods. Operators can reach a broader customer base while avoiding the cost and kitchen complexity that often come with maintaining separate workflows for specialty diets.

Global Flavors With Deep Familiarity

Mediterranean food holds a valuable position in the restaurant landscape. In the United States, dishes such as gyros, souvlaki, hummus, pita, and falafel are familiar enough to feel approachable, yet distinctive enough to stand apart from the burger, sandwich, and pizza concepts that dominate much of the quick-service category.

That same accessibility supports international growth. Mediterranean cuisine is rooted in ingredients and preparation methods that are already recognized across many parts of the world. The result is a concept that can enter new markets without feeling entirely unfamiliar, while still allowing room for local tastes and preferences. For a growing restaurant brand, that balance is difficult to create. Mediterranean cuisine offers it naturally: recognizable without being generic, differentiated without requiring extensive consumer education, and flexible enough to travel across markets.

A Revenue Model Built for Multiple Channels

Mediterranean cuisine translates naturally across dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering. Grilled proteins, bowls, wraps, salads, and platters tend to travel well and maintain their quality beyond the restaurant, making the menu well suited to off-premise ordering. Spreads, mezze, and shareable platters also create an easy bridge into catering without requiring an entirely separate product offering.

For The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill franchisees, catering can provide a meaningful revenue stream alongside the core fast-casual business. Corporate lunches, family gatherings, community events, and other group occasions give operators additional ways to serve their local markets and generate sales beyond the dining room.

The Numbers Behind the Growth

Category-level trends only matter if individual brands are executing against them. The Great Greek’s recent performance data shows that the category growth is not just a macro story — it is translating into unit-level and system-level results.

114.5% sales growth, 2022–2024

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill grew system-wide sales from a 2022 baseline to $73 million by end of 2024 — a 114.5% increase over two years.

Source: TGG press coverage, 2026

153.6% unit growth, 2022–2024

The brand grew from its 2022 unit count to 71 locations by end of 2024 a 153.6% increase, reflecting both new franchise openings and consistent franchisee retention.

Source: TGG press coverage, 2026

#1 Diet for 9 Consecutive Years

The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the number one overall diet by U.S. News & World Report for nine consecutive years, cementing its status as the most credentialed eating pattern in mainstream American health culture.

Source: U.S. News & World Report annual diet rankings

The fast casual sector overall is projected to reach $337.8 billion by 2032, according to Nation’s Restaurant News, driven by continued consumer preference for high-quality, convenient dining. Mediterranean fast casual is positioned to capture an outsized share of that growth relative to more saturated QSR categories.

Why The Great Greek Is the Right Franchise for This Opportunity

Being in the right category at the right time is necessary but not sufficient. What separates a strong franchise investment from a category bet that happens to work out is the quality of the system behind the brand.

Authentic Third-Generation Recipes

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill’s menu is rooted in third-generation Greek family recipes, giving the brand a foundation that goes deeper than trend-driven menu development. That heritage comes through in the flavors, preparation methods, and range of dishes served across the menu.

For guests seeking authentic Mediterranean food, that connection matters. For franchisees, it provides a distinctive product story backed by recipes that have been refined across generations and adapted into a consistent restaurant system.

Three Revenue Streams from One Location

A growing category creates opportunity, but the brand and franchise system determine how well an operator can capture it. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill combines the broader appeal of Mediterranean food with an established menu, a recognizable brand, and the systems and support needed to deliver a consistent guest experience across locations.

That combination gives franchisees more than exposure to a growing segment. It gives them a defined restaurant model built to turn consumer demand into a sustainable local business.

Scratch Kitchen Without Full-Service Complexity

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill operates a scratch kitchen, with meals prepared fresh from whole ingredients rather than assembled from heavily processed components. That approach gives the food the freshness, flavor, and quality guests expect from Mediterranean cuisine.

At the same time, the model is designed for fast-casual operations. Franchisees can deliver a scratch-made menu without taking on the larger footprint, labor demands, and complexity typically associated with a full-service restaurant. The result is a restaurant model built to maintain product quality while remaining efficient, consistent, and scalable across locations.

Backed by United Franchise Group

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is backed by United Franchise Group, a global franchising organization with more than 40 years of experience and brands operating across more than 60 countries. That experience gives The Great Greek access to established operational resources, supplier relationships, technology, legal guidance, and franchise development expertise.

For franchisees, this means joining a growing restaurant brand without relying on an emerging support structure. The Great Greek brings the energy and expansion potential of a developing concept together with the infrastructure and experience of an established global franchise organization.

Awards and Industry Recognition

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill has earned recognition from across the franchise and restaurant industries. The brand was named by Global Franchise magazine as one of 50 exciting food franchises to watch in 2025 and has also appeared on the Future 50 list, highlighting emerging restaurant concepts positioned for continued growth.

Recognition like this adds an outside perspective to the brand’s momentum. For prospective franchisees, it shows that The Great Greek’s growth and potential are being noticed beyond the organization by publications and industry observers tracking the future of franchising and fast-casual dining.

Who Invests in a Mediterranean Fast Casual Franchise Franchise

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill appeals to investors who want the growth potential of a restaurant business without the operating complexity of a full-service concept. While franchisees come from different professional backgrounds, strong candidates often share several characteristics.

Business-minded operators. The model is well suited to owners who want to lead a team, build a customer base, and manage the performance of the business. Success requires active involvement, but the goal is to create an operation that can grow beyond the owner’s working every shift.
Investors with multi-unit ambitions. The Great Greek offers development opportunities for franchisees who want to expand beyond a single location. Multi-unit agreements and reduced franchise fees for additional units can support a longer-term market development strategy.
Owners who connect with the food and the brand. Genuine enthusiasm for Mediterranean cuisine helps franchisees represent the concept with credibility. Owners who understand the appeal of fresh ingredients, scratch-made recipes, and a balanced menu are often better positioned to build that connection with their customers.
Investors seeking a differentiated restaurant concept. In markets crowded with burgers, pizza, sandwiches, and fried chicken, Mediterranean fast casual offers customers something recognizable but less saturated. That distinction can help a new location earn attention, encourage trial, and establish a clear position in its local market.

Taking the Next Step

If the Mediterranean fast casual category resonates with you as an investor, the logical next step is to understand whether The Great Greek is the right vehicle to participate in it. That conversation starts with our franchise development team, who can walk you through territory availability, the investment structure, and the path from inquiry to opening.

You can also explore the investment details on our Turnkey Investment page, review the brand’s awards and recognition, or speak directly with current franchisees through our validation process.

Visit our Get Started page or call 561-578-2708.

Why the Mediterranean Diet Is Creating a Fast Casual Franchise Opportunity You Can’t Ignore

by Andrea Golindano | May 15, 2026 | Fast Casual Restaurant Franchise, Blog, Mediterranean Food

Something significant has happened to the way Americans think about food over the past decade, and it has meaningful implications for anyone evaluating fast casual franchise investments.

The Mediterranean diet; long championed by nutritionists, cardiologists, and longevity researchers, has crossed over to a mainstream consumer preference. It’s no longer a clinical eating plan prescribed in a doctor’s office. It’s what a growing segment of American consumers actively seeks out when they decide where to eat lunch or dinner.

For franchise investors, that shift isn’t just a food trend. It’s a demand signal, and one that the restaurant industry is still catching up to.

From Niche to Mainstream: What Drove the Mediterranean Diet’s Rise

To understand the strength of the Mediterranean food franchise opportunity, it helps to look at why Mediterranean eating has become so mainstream. This is not a sudden fad. The Mediterranean diet has had decades of research behind it, but today it also has something just as important for restaurant growth: broad consumer demand. Several factors have helped bring it into the spotlight:

Health credibility reached critical mass

The Mediterranean diet has built one of the strongest research records in nutritional science, with studies pointing to cardiovascular benefits, anti-inflammatory properties, cognitive health associations, and links to longevity in some of the world’s longest-lived populations. As those findings moved academic journals into mainstream health and wellness conversations, consumer awareness grew. Today, many health-conscious consumers do not just recognize the Mediterranean diet; they are actively looking for ways to incorporate healthier alternatives into their diet.

The definition of “healthy eating” shifted

Earlier diet trends often focused on restriction, whether that meant cutting fat, avoiding carbs, counting calories, or following strict rules. Mediterranean eating takes a different approach. It centers on whole foods, fresh ingredients, satisfying meals, and real flavor.

That shift matters. As more consumers move away from rigid diet culture and look for healthier ways of eating that feel sustainable, Mediterranean cuisine fits naturally. It does not feel like a temporary plan people have to force themselves to follow. It feels like a lifestyle they can actually enjoy and maintain.

Food media made the flavors familiar

A decade of food media, travel content, and culinary exploration brought Greek, Lebanese, and broader Mediterranean flavors into the American mainstream. Dishes like gyros, souvlaki, falafel, hummus, and tzatziki moved from specialty-store imports to grocery staples. Consumers who once needed these foods explained to them now order them confidently. That familiarity dramatically expands the customer base for Mediterranean restaurant concepts.

The Gap the Diet’s Popularity Exposed

This is where the franchise opportunity becomes clearer. Consumer interest in Mediterranean food has grown significantly, but the fast casual options available to meet that demand have not expanded at the same pace.

When consumers want a burger, burrito, sandwich, or pizza, they have plenty of familiar franchise options to choose from. Those categories are well established, highly competitive, and crowded with mature brands that already have strong name recognition. Mediterranean food is different. In many American markets, a customer looking for a quality Mediterranean meal, such as a gyro bowl, souvlaki plate, fresh pita, hummus, or tzatziki, may have fewer consistent options. They may find a sit-down restaurant, a food truck, or a few independent operators, but the experience often varies from one location to the next.

That gap matters. Fast casual dining is built around convenience, consistency, accessible pricing, and speed. Yet the Mediterranean segment is still underdeveloped compared with the level of consumer interest in healthier, fresher, flavor-driven meals. That is where the franchise opportunity lives.

Why Fast Casual Is the Right Format for Mediterranean Cuisine

Not every cuisine works well in a fast casual model, but Mediterranean food is a natural fit. The menu, ingredients, service style, and customer expectations all align well with the way today’s fast casual restaurants operate.

The menu is naturally customizable

Mediterranean meals are easy to build around proteins, bases, toppings, sauces, and sides. Customers can choose bowls, plates, wraps, or salads and personalize the meal to fit their tastes. That kind of customization is exactly what fast casual customers have come to expect.

The ingredients are fresh but manageable

A Mediterranean menu built around marinated proteins, fresh vegetables, pita, rice, salads, olive oil, and house-made sauces can feel fresh and high quality while still being operationally repeatable. That balance is important for a franchise model because the food needs to be both craveable and scalable.

The price point fits the category

Mediterranean fast casual can sit comfortably between traditional fast food and full-service dining. Customers are often willing to pay more for food they see as fresh, flavorful, and better aligned with how they want to eat.

The model works beyond dine-in traffic

Mediterranean food also translates well to catering. Bowls, platters, proteins, dips, pita, salads, and sides work for office lunches, events, meetings, parties, and group orders. That gives operators another way to reach customers beyond everyday lunch and dinner traffic. Together, these factors make Mediterranean cuisine especially well-suited for fast casual growth. It gives consumers the freshness and flavor they want, while giving franchise owners a model that can be consistent, repeatable, and appealing across multiple customer occasions.

Why This Moment Favors Franchised Concepts Specifically

Consumer demand for Mediterranean fast casual exists in most American markets. The question for a franchise investor isn’t whether the demand is there; it’s which concepts are positioned to capture it.

The key dynamic working in favor of established franchise systems right now is that the most visible Mediterranean fast casual brand, Cava is not a franchise. It’s a publicly traded company that operates all of its locations corporately. Consumers who want Mediterranean fast casual and don’t have a Cava nearby have limited franchised alternatives with the brand recognition, operational systems, and multi-unit support infrastructure to deliver a consistent experience.

That’s the white space a well-supported franchised Mediterranean concept is positioned to fill.

How The Great Greek Is Built for This Moment

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill was founded in 2011 well before Mediterranean fast casual had its mainstream moment; around a simple conviction: that authentic Greek cuisine, prepared properly with quality ingredients, could work at fast casual speed and price points. That conviction has proven to be right, and the brand has expanded significantly as the category has grown.

What distinguishes The Great Greek as a franchise investment in this environment:

A full-service Mediterranean menu, not a pared-down one
The Great Greek’s menu covers the breadth of Greek cuisine from; gyros, souvlaki, pitas, bowls, salads, sides, and a full catering program. That depth keeps guests coming back with variety, and the catering program creates meaningful incremental revenue for franchisees beyond their dine-in traffic.
The infrastructure of a mature franchise system
The Great Greek operates under United Franchise Group, one of the most established franchise development organizations in the world. That infrastructure, site selection support, operations training, marketing systems, supply chain relationships, and ongoing field support; is exactly what franchise investors need to execute well in a category that’s still early in its growth curve.

A concept positioned ahead of where consumer preferences are heading

Fast casual investors who got into Mediterranean a decade ago made a good decision. Fast casual investors who get into the category now; with an established, franchisable brand and the support infrastructure to scale, are making a decision backed by a decade of consumer data pointing in one direction.

The Mediterranean diet isn’t a trend. The consumer preference shift it represents is structural and durable. The fast casual franchise opportunity that shift has created is still early — and The Great Greek is built to capture it.

Ready to learn more about The Great Greek Grill franchise opportunity?

Request our investment overview or speak with our franchise development team to explore what’s available in your market.

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Franchising vs. Independent Small Business Ownership

by Marisa Cioffi | Sep 3, 2018 | Fast Casual Restaurant Franchise, Greek Food, Healthy Franchise

With countless decisions to be made, running a small business is a challenging endeavor for any entrepreneur. There are many factors to consider when taking the dive into small business ownership: location, business model, suppliers, product quality, employees and more. But first, you must decide how you would like to start your business — build out independently or invest in a franchise.

Thrive on Freedom

Many entrepreneurs elect to run their own business because they crave freedom. They want to take control of their career, break away from corporate America and strike out on their own. Unfortunately, small business ownership comes with a world of responsibilities. It can be a lot for one person to take on!

Through franchising, you can enjoy the independence of small business ownership with the added support of a corporate office. Franchisors are looking to set up franchisees for success. There are processes set in place to make the transition easier, without deterring from the franchisee’s independence.

Know Your Business

Regardless of what industry interests you most, it’s important to consider every aspect of your potential business. Beyond industry knowledge, an independent, small business owner must be well-versed in all things relating to his or her company — accounting, bookkeeping, finding suppliers, point of sale systems, insurance, permits, licensing, marketing, advertising, brand management and much more. It takes a tremendous amount of coordination and hard work to manage a business. It is not an endeavor to be taken lightly.

With franchise investment, much of that new-business stress is alleviated. Well-run franchises, such as The Great Greek, have protocols in place to help smooth the transition to business ownership. Franchisors are able to aid in everything from securing permits to sourcing reputable suppliers to providing employee training programs.

Building a Brand

Developing a company from the ground up is no easy feat and one that often ends badly. According to Forbes, eight out of ten businesses will fail within 18 months of opening. There is a myriad of reasons why a business may fail, but frequently a major factor is the lack of brand awareness.

With franchising, brand awareness is inherently a part of the investment. You aren’t just buying a single location, you are investing in the brand itself. Thus, careful franchise selection is warranted. Customers will often have preconceived notions of what to expect before even setting foot on your property. That can be a powerful tool when utilized correctly!

The Great Greek has an incredible reputation for top-quality customer service, mouth-watering food and a family-friendly atmosphere. To get started on your franchising journey with The Great Greek, click here.

Serving Up Success in a Restaurant’s First Year

by Marisa Cioffi | Aug 27, 2018 | Fast Casual Restaurant Franchise, Greek Food, Healthy Franchise

Food is a universal language — it brings people together in more ways than one. Some of the fondest memories in life are made when gathered around the table enjoying delicious food. A way to bring your love for food, and everything that it stands for, to another level is to open a franchise of The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. Maybe you love to cook, or you have an entrepreneurial spirit and the restaurant industry seems like a good place to invest. Although this is an exciting adventure for you to embark on in your professional life, opening up a restaurant takes a lot of hard work and dedication. This is true for even the most experienced restaurant owners. According to The Great Greek co-owner Nick Anthony Della Penna, “Making it out of the gate with a new restaurant is extremely difficult. That’s the benefit of franchising. You have the recipes, the pricing, the menu, you have all that stuff done for you.”

Regardless of your restaurant’s model — fast-food, fast-casual, or full-service — the first year getting started is always tough! But, with some simple tips and guidance on how to get your restaurant off the ground, you can quickly find success in your first year.

Marketing is a powerful tool, and it doesn’t have to be so complex. Simple marketing strategies have a big impact on the first year of success for any business. For restaurants, drawing in customers is essential to be profitable, especially in the first year. According to NextRestaurants.com, email marketing is a quick and easy way to get the word out on your new restaurant; and return on investment (ROI) is $40 for every $1 spent. Irresistible, mobile-friendly and interactive emails are sure to draw customers into your restaurant. Social media is another useful marketing tool for your restaurant; because you can easily engage with your customers and promote your restaurant with a specific brand image in mind.

When you open up your restaurant, make sure you have a reliable staff and network in place before you open your doors. Unenthused, unmotivated employees make for unenthused, non-returning customers. The Great Greek offers sufficient support to help train new owners and workers and get the right staff in place. Yes, the food does most of the talking, but providing good customer service is just as important as providing delicious, unique food.

The support doesn’t stop with training. When franchisees join The Great Greek family, they’re joining an operational process with ongoing support beyond their grand opening. After you open the doors of your new store, they’re there to answer questions and offer valuable insight to keep you on track or ahead of your goals. With a nose for business and the aroma of great food, you don’t have to picture a successful restaurant; The Great Greek will give you the keys to your fast-casual dining masterpiece.

Whatever your restaurant endeavors may hold, keep these tips in mind when heading into your startup year. This will ensure you’re creating a successful, efficient, and one-of-a-kind dining experience that allows customers to create many more memories gathered around the table.

To download a The Great Greek franchise brochure and to get started on your path to becoming a franchise owner, click here.

Eureka! Discovering Happiness with Restaurant Ownership

by Marisa Cioffi | Jul 13, 2018 | Fast Casual Restaurant Franchise, Greek Food, Healthy Franchise, Uncategorized

Another day at your corporate job means another day sitting at the same desk for eight hours doing the same things over and over again. For some, this is fine! Familiarity and consistency are what drives them in their professional lives. But for others, this is a drag. Luckily for these people, the restaurant business exists. A fast-paced environment with many different tasks to take on, and the opportunity to have a life outside of a nine-to-five office job? Count me in!

A franchise owner with The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill will experience the flexibility of business ownership, but there needs to be passion and commitment to make the venture succeed. Like any other professional endeavor, owning a restaurant can be grueling work and involve considerable financial risk. Looking past this though, it can be a profoundly satisfying and exciting way to make a living. Everybody eats, and food is a universal language. By owning a Great Greek restaurant, you get the opportunity to connect with your community and bring people together through your food.

A restaurant is a gathering place, and as an owner of The Great Greek, you are tasked with creating a place where people want to meet and create memories. Many successful restaurant owners owe their success to being able to connect with customers on a personal basis and establishing long-lasting relationships with them. Making these connections and making people feel welcome gives owners the emotional satisfaction of creating a nurturing community.

Values play a huge role in owning your own restaurant. When you’re the boss, you can decide what your restaurant will value and represent. Providing healthy, local, or organic foods can be a very personal and unique way to display your values through your restaurant and show your customers that what you’re advocating for is important! Owning your own restaurant is an opportunity to encourage people to eat in ways that are consistent with your values, broadening their horizons while warming your heart.

Another great aspect of owning a restaurant is being your own boss and having a flexible schedule. Operating a Great Greek restaurant is no different. When you first get started, you give your restaurant as many hours as you can to make sure it’s running the way you want it. Being the owner, you feel responsible for the performance of your restaurant — as you should be! Owning a restaurant comes with a different level of accountability and responsibility than just working in the restaurant business. When your restaurant is thriving, so are you and you feel a great sense of accomplishment. After establishing your restaurant and getting it up and running, you can step away and take a vacation. You shouldn’t feel like you have to be there every day. Hire the right people to be responsible while you’re gone to ensure success with or without your presence.

The Great Greek co-owner Nick Anthony Della Penna made a vow to his wife to not let his restaurant business impact his family. He stresses the importance of working hard for his wife and two daughters, and he takes time off to be with them when he can. He says, “They’re the whole reason I do this. If it was just for me, I’d be happy being back at the corporate job having a 401k and having a decent salary. Having two children makes it different. It’s about being able to provide for them and make their lives better.”

The Great Greek is a place for families, and opportunity. If you’re ready to provide your family with a promising future, click here.

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