The fast-casual leader is wrapping up a milestone year with three new innovative formats that fit guests’ busy lifestyles while delivering fresh Mediterranean cuisine.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, an award- winning Mediterranean fast-casual dining franchise, announced today the launch of three new non- traditional dining formats developed to support the brand’s aggressive accelerated expansion plan. Including a to-go-only restaurant, a digital kitchen, and special venue buildouts designed for airports, universities, stadiums, and more, these new formats signify the brand’s commitment to innovation and guest satisfaction as well as its dedication to franchise owners.
“The development of our three new non-traditional formats began almost two years ago as we sought to identify changes in the habits and behaviors of our customers. Guest satisfaction has always been paramount to us, so we wanted to implement innovations that enhanced their overall experience while driving sales and profitability for our franchise owners,” said Bob Andersen, President of The Great
Greek Mediterranean Grill. “The new formats combine the best of both worlds for our brand; they offer the convenience of on-the-go dining for our customers while also giving existing and prospective franchise owners the opportunity to more cost effectively seize opportunities in prime areas while capturing more market share and increasing brand exposure.”
In addition to the convenience of off-premises dining, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill’s new non- traditional formats will expand the brand’s delivery and catering capabilities. They include:
- The Great Greek To Go: Guests can quickly pick up a meal with this takeout-only format in busy retail and shopping areas. Compared to The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill’s standard 30-45- seat, 1,700-2,000-square-foot dine-in model, The Great Greek To Go features a footprint between 500 and 900 square feet with a service counter and minimal to no indoor The first Great Greek To Go opened last month at 8900 Baltimore Ave. in College Park, Maryland, minutes away from the University of Maryland.
- The Great Greek Digital Kitchen: Diners can order online through the restaurant website or a third-party delivery platform and either have their food delivered or pick it up themselves from the Digital Kitchen Spaces are between 190 and 220 square feet. The first Great Greek Digital Kitchen is set to launch this month in Miami. Additional locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and San Diego are slated to launch before the end of 2023.
- Special Venues: The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill has developed buildout options for a variety of non-traditional venues, including airports and travel centers, colleges and universities, shopping malls, entertainment venues, stadiums, and more. Restaurants can range from 500 to 1,000 square feet and offer a service counter with optional communal seating, depending on the space. Rollout is slated for 2024.
The new formats arrive during the brand’s most successful year in company history. Year-to-date, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill has signed 27 franchise agreements and opened 15 new restaurants with 10 more projected to open before the end of the year, including five non-traditional locations. “2023 has been a milestone year for our brand in terms of growth and we plan to leverage the momentum we’ve achieved this year into 2024 as we offer these new formats to both new and existing franchisees. The best is yet to come,” added Andersen.
Demonstrating its strength in the highly competitive fast-casual dining industry, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill has been recognized with several prestigious industry accolades this year. The brand was ranked among the top 75 brands in Fast Casual’s 2023 Top 100 Movers & Shakers report; recognized as a QSR 50 Contender and named among 15 Franchisors to Watch by QSR magazine; included on Franchise Times‘ Top 400 ranking of the largest U.S.-based franchises; and dubbed a Future 50 chain on Restaurant Business and Technomic’s list of the fastest-growing emerging concepts.
Additionally, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill was selected as a Fast 50 honoree by the South Florida Business Journal as part of its list of the region’s 50 fastest-growing private companies and recently made the inaugural Private 100 list, spotlighting the top private companies in South Florida by 2022 revenue.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is a part of the Big Flavor Brands foodservice division of Starpoint Brands. Members of Starpoint Brands represent the very best in their industries and are the mark of quality for customers, providing the ultimate in service, reliability, and value.
The award winning Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is a leading franchise within the Greek, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern fast-casual restaurant industry, offering a vivacious and flavorful menu inspired by foods in the Mediterranean diet. Every dish is made fresh, in-house from authentic recipes passed down generation after generation. Co-founded by two culinary trained, third-generation restauranteurs, Nick A. Della Penna and Trent Jones, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is now among the Starpoint Brands constellation of trusted companies representing the very best in their industries. For more information about The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill locations, menu and catering visit www.thegreatgreekgrill.com and for franchise information, visit www.thegreatgreekfranchise.com.
Big Flavor Brands specializes in franchises dedicated to creative eating, offering a zesty menu of fast- growing, award-winning food brands with a proven track record of success. Redefining fast-casual restaurants by offering authentic third-generation recipes at The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, innovating the specialty concept, with charcuterie board caterer Graze Craze, and transforming Italian take out to fast-fresh Italian from Cannoli Kitchen Pizza, Big Flavor Brands dominate their niches with quality, value, and tasty fare for every occasion. Big Flavor Brands represents the food division of Starpoint Brands which is comprised of a family of trusted companies exemplifying the very best in their industries. For more information about Big Flavor Brands visit www.starpointbrands.com/big-flavor-brands/.
A family of trusted brands representing the very best in their industries, including retail, food & beverage and professional services, Starpoint Brands is the mark of quality for customers. It brings together a constellation of brands within United Franchise Group (UFG), including Signarama, Fully Promoted, Transworld Business Advisors, Exit Factor, Venture X, Office Evolution, Network Lead Exchange, and Big Flavor Brands food division with The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, Graze Craze and Cannoli Kitchen Pizza. A brand under the Starpoint Brands division is one that business-to- consumer and business-to-business customers can be sure will provide the ultimate in service, reliability and value.
- More from The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill
