Secure Exclusive Rights to Develop The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Across MENA
The Great Greek's corporate systems and international communications operate in English, which is widely used in MENA business environments. The Master Licensee's leadership team should include strong English proficiency. Local-language operations with customers and franchisees are naturally expected.
About The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant franchise with 80+ locations worldwide. Founded by 3rd-generation restaurateurs, the brand brings Mediterranean culinary authenticity to accessible casual-dining format.The brand is part of Big Flavor Brands and UFG (1,600+ franchise locations in 60+ countries). In the MENA region, The Great Greek aligns with cultural and culinary affinity for Mediterranean food while offering professional franchise systems and operational excellence that match the region's preference for quality international brands.
The Master License opportunity: building at regional scale
A MENA Master License gives you exclusive rights to develop The Great Greek across a defined territory within the region. Depending on the scope of the agreement, this could encompass a single country or a group of countries. As Master Licensee, you serve as The Great Greek's official representative, opening flagship locations and building a franchise network.Revenue streams include profits from your own locations, franchise fees from franchisees, and ongoing royalty income. The MENA region's pace of commercial development, cultural affinity with Mediterranean cuisine, and expanding F&B sector mean the addressable market for quality Mediterranean casual dining is substantial.
The Middle East & North Africa (MENA) opportunity
The MENA region is experiencing rapid commercial and economic development. Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia, ongoing development in the UAE and Qatar, and growing business sectors across North Africa are creating demand for quality dining at every level. Cities like Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, and Casablanca are hubs of construction, retail expansion, hospitality, and business development.Critically, MENA consumers have deep cultural and culinary affinity for Mediterranean food. Mediterranean cuisine is not foreign to the region—it is part of the cultural and culinary landscape. This cultural affinity creates immediate consumer resonance for The Great Greek's authentic Mediterranean positioning.
The region's economic diversification away from hydrocarbons is creating thousands of new businesses annually in retail, hospitality, entertainment, and professional services. Affluent MENA consumers and expatriate business communities expect quality international dining options. For a well-connected partner in the region, the opportunity to build The Great Greek alongside this wave of economic development is substantial.
What this Master License delivers
- Exclusive development rights within a defined MENA territory, potentially spanning multiple countries
- A market aligned with major government-led economic development and diversification programs
- Multiple revenue streams from flagship locations, franchise development, and ongoing royalties
- Deep cultural and culinary affinity with Mediterranean food in the MENA region
- An internationally recognized quality brand that aligns with regional preference for proven global franchises
- Comprehensive training at UFG headquarters, plus on-site launch support in your territory
- Proprietary culinary systems and operational infrastructure
- The backing of a franchise organization with experience operating across the MENA region
Your role as Master Licensee
- Develop and execute a market growth plan aligned with commercial development in your MENA territory
- Open flagship The Great Greek locations in key commercial, business, and hospitality hubs
- Adapt menu and service offerings to local dietary customs while maintaining The Great Greek's Mediterranean brand identity
- Recruit franchisees through relationship-based business development appropriate to the region
- Build supplier relationships that deliver Mediterranean cuisine standards while leveraging local sourcing advantages
- Adapt marketing and client relationship approaches to regional business culture and consumer norms
- Maintain The Great Greek brand standards and culinary quality across all locations
Who this opportunity is for
The ideal partner for MENA is a well-established hospitality or F&B holding company with strong relationships across the regional commercial and business landscape. In the MENA context, the Master Licensee is typically an organization with existing investments in commercial services, real estate, retail, hospitality, or food service, with the relationships and credibility to open doors with government entities, developers, investors, and corporate decision-makers. Access to capital, a trusted reputation in the market, understanding of local business customs and regulatory environments, and the organizational structure to support multi-market operations are defining qualities. The Great Greek provides full operational and technical training.Training and support
Training begins at UFG headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, covering operations, culinary standards, supplier management, franchisee recruitment, and brand positioning. UFG then provides on-site support during your initial MENA market launches. Ongoing support includes proprietary culinary systems, regional supplier relationships, marketing resources, strategic expansion guidance, and regular communication with the international team. UFG has operated franchise brands in MENA for years and understands the region's business customs, regulatory landscape, and commercial rhythms.Take the next step
If your organization has the market relationships, commercial infrastructure, and capital to develop The Great Greek across MENA, we invite you to request our Master License Information Pack or arrange a confidential discussion about available territories.The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Celebrates Strong First Half of 2026
Mediterranean fast-casual concept continues milestone 15th anniversary year with domestic and international expansion, technology innovation, and momentum toward 100 locations
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill®, the award-winning fast-casual restaurant brand known for its elevated Mediterranean cuisine and hospitality-driven dining experience, announced today its notable performance through the first half of 2026, advancing franchise development, expanding its global footprint, driving strong sales growth, and earning multiple industry accolades. The brand currently has 92 restaurants open across 22 states and internationally.
During the first six months of the year, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill signed 20 domestic franchise agreements – including four multi-unit development agreements – totaling 30 future restaurants across high-growth markets, while also securing its first-ever franchise agreement in Massachusetts. Development activity included:
- Six locations for Nassau County, New York
- Five locations for Dallas, Texas
- Three locations for Naples, Florida
- Five locations spanning Omaha, Nebraska and Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Two locations for Bakersfield, California
- Single locations in Dothan, Alabama; Reading, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; Boynton Beach, Florida; Rocklin, California; Suffolk County, New York; and additional locations in New Jersey, California and Indiana
Building on its international growth strategy, the brand also signed a master franchise agreement for Guyana and seven Caribbean countries, further expanding its global development pipeline.
“The Great Greek is entering its next chapter from a position of real strength. Our franchisees are seeing the benefits of a differentiated concept with compelling unit-level economics, while consumers continue to embrace fresh, authentic Mediterranean cuisine,” said Bob Andersen, President of The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. “The restaurant industry continues to create exciting opportunities for brands that can deliver both operational excellence and a strong value proposition, and we’re confident The Great Greek is primed to lead that next wave of growth.”
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill also opened eight new domestic restaurants during the first half of 2026, welcoming guests in Cedar City, Layton, and Hurricane, Utah; Salem, New Hampshire; Chandler, Arizona; Bolingbrook, Illinois; Epping, New Hampshire; and Las Vegas, Nevada. Internationally, the brand opened its first restaurants in Australia and Egypt while continuing its expansion in Canada with an additional location. With these openings and a strong development pipeline, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill remains on track to surpass 100 locations open and operating by the end of 2026, marking another milestone during its 15th anniversary year.
Operational performance remained equally strong. Through the first half of the year, the brand saw increases in both same-store sales and same-store transactions for its franchised restaurants, reflecting continued consumer demand for its fresh Mediterranean menu and differentiated dining experience.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill also continued investing in digital convenience and menu innovation. The brand launched its new mobile app, providing guests with an enhanced ordering experience and expanded loyalty capabilities. In addition, its limited-time Seared Tuna Salad generated more than 2,500 transactions, demonstrating guests’ enthusiasm for premium seasonal offerings.
The brand’s strong positioning and sustained momentum earned its placement with several prestigious industry accolades. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill was recognized as a Fast & Serious brand by Franchise Times for the second consecutive year, and it earned a spot on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list for the fourth year in a row. The brand was also named as one of the top three Emerging Restaurant Chains in the U.S. by Datassential and appeared on Technomic’s Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report again this year, highlighting the brand’s continued rise among the nation’s leading restaurant concepts.
“Fifteen years ago, The Great Greek was built around a simple idea: serve exceptional food with genuine hospitality. Today, that vision has evolved into an internationally recognized franchise brand with remarkable momentum,” said Ray Titus, Chairman and CEO of United Franchise Group. “The team’s disciplined growth strategy, commitment to operational excellence, and focus on best-in-class franchisee support continue to position The Great Greek as one of the most exciting restaurant franchise opportunities in the industry.”
