Fast growing Mediterranean franchise concept to expand internationally in 2024.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, a leading fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant franchise, is reporting 2023 as a milestone year where it achieved record unit growth and systemwide sales increases. The brand nearly doubled its nationwide footprint in 2023, opening 21 new restaurants throughout the year including its first in six new states: Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, Oregon, and Utah. With this growth, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill surpassed 50 locations, ending the year with 51 restaurants operating in 16 U.S. states. The brand also achieved a double-digit increase in gross system sales year-over-year including an increase in online transactions across all digital sales channels.
“We are thrilled with our brand performance in 2023 as we continue to forge our path to be the worldwide franchise leader in the fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant category. Our passionate franchise owners and ongoing commitment to innovation is fueling our rapid development and we have no intention of slowing down,” said Bob Andersen, President of The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. “Leveraging the momentum of our compounding success, 2024 is poised to be an explosive year of growth for us and we’re looking forward to bringing our brand to more markets around the world this year and beyond.”
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill also kicked off an accelerated growth initiative in 2023 with the rollout of five non-traditional dining formats including a to-go-only restaurant and digital kitchen model. The brand has already begun to fill its development pipeline with these off-premises-focused outlets which are intended to provide the convenience of on-the-go dining to its 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. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill opened its first to-go-only restaurant in College Park, Maryland (near the University of Maryland) in October 2023 and launched several digital kitchens in high-density metros like Miami, Los Angeles, and Dallas-Fort Worth.
In 2024, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is on track to surpass sales and development benchmarks with a robust development pipeline and 40 locations in active development that are slated to open by year’s end. The brand will also expand abroad this year, with its first international location planned for Toronto in Canada and development in Australia on the horizon. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is an affiliated brand of United Franchise Group, giving it access to expertise and resources to seamlessly and successfully deploy international operations.
“The Great Greek continues to break records each year, reinforcing that it is a total standout among other Mediterranean fast-casual concepts. With a no-compromising philosophy on quality ingredients, portions, and guest experience, the brand has captured the hearts and earned the trust of its loyal customer base,” said Ray Titus, CEO of United Franchise Group. “2023 was a year that solidified the foundation for The Great Greek’s growth in 2024 and we’re excited to kick off its international expansion in Canada with more countries to come.”
Named a Top Mover & Shaker by FastCasual, a QSR 50 Contender and Franchisor to Watch by QSR magazine, and a Future 50 chain on Restaurant Business and Technomic’s list of the fastest-growing emerging concepts, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill continues to stand out in the increasingly popular Mediterranean category, offering a “fine fast casual” experience to its customers.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill® is a part of the Big Flavor Brands foodservice division of United Franchise Group (UFG), the global leader for entrepreneurs with over 1600 franchises in more than 60 countries and 2500+ franchisees.
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 an affiliated brand of United Franchise Group, the global leader for entrepreneurs. For more information about The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill locations, menu and catering visit TheGreatGreekGrill.com and for franchise information, visit 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. From fast-casual restaurants with authentic third-generation recipes like The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, to specialty concepts like the grazing innovator and charcuterie board caterer Graze Craze, and the super-fast, fresh Italian experience of 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 United Franchise Group which is comprised of innovative concepts pushing the boundaries with an unwavering commitment to quality, variety, and the pursuit of joyful eating.
