What Pokeworks does

Pokeworks is a privately held fast-casual restaurant franchise founded in 2015 and headquartered in Irvine, California (operated by Beyond Restaurant Group, LLC). The company operates 80 locations across 22 U.S. states, Taiwan, and Canada through a mix of company-owned and franchised units, with the brand's mission to popularize the native Hawaiian dish of poke in a "premium fast-casual" format. Its core product is a customizable poke meal (bowl, burrito, or salad) assembled by the customer along the proprietary Poke Your Way™ assembly line using fresh, sustainably-sourced proteins such as salmon, ahi tuna, chicken, shrimp, and tofu, paired with chef-inspired proprietary sauces (Bang Bang Chicken, Yuzu Ponzu Salmon, Spicy Ahi, Hawaiian Ahi, Umami Ahi, Sweet Sesame Chicken, Sweet Shoyu Tofu) and a rotating slate of limited-time offerings including Poke Bombs, Black Garlic Aioli, and a High-Protein Surf & Turf Bowl.

The business is built on a franchise-first go-to-market model. The company sells franchise development rights to multi-unit operators and investors with food-service experience, who commit to building out protected territories. Franchise qualification requires $250K in liquid assets and $750K in net worth, with turnkey startup costs of $308K-$602K per restaurant (FDD Item 7). Unit economics are favorable for franchisees: company-owned locations averaged $1.15M in gross sales in 2023, while top-performing franchise locations reach $2.4M-$2.5M, yielding a better-than-2:1 sales-to-investment ratio. Pokeworks generates revenue through (1) company-owned restaurant sales (dine-in, takeout, delivery), (2) franchise royalties and development fees, and (3) a catering program expanded in 2025. Average check is $21+ and 66% of customers visit weekly or more.

The technology layer is digital-first but built on third-party integrations rather than proprietary AI/ML systems. Online ordering runs on the Olo platform, third-party delivery is integrated through Olo, and the Pokeworks Rewards loyalty program is operated via Thanx with retention reportedly exceeding fast-casual benchmarks. The brand targets health-conscious, affluent Millennials, Gen Y, and Gen Z consumers (ages 19-45, household income above $100K) seeking quick, customizable, ethnic-cuisine dining, while the franchise sales motion targets multi-unit restaurant operators and food-service-experienced investors. Leadership includes CEO Steve Heeley, founders Michael Chen, Warren Ahner, Billy Chen, and Wen Wei, with Mike Wu as CCO; the company is privately held with no disclosed institutional ownership.

Name

Pokeworks

Legal name

Beyond Restaurant Group, LLC

Website

https://pokeworksfranchise.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Pokeworks is a privately held fast-casual poke restaurant franchise founded in 2015, operating 80 locations across 22 U.S. states, Taiwan, and Canada, offering customizable bowls, burritos, and salads to health-conscious Millennial and Gen Z consumers through a mix of company-owned and franchised units.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast Casual Restaurant

NAICS

Snack Food Manufacturing (31191), Other Snack Food Manufacturing (311919)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Snack Foods Manufacturing (Ethnic/Regional, Gourmet, Functional) (AFAKAIAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Frozen Snacks & Appetizers (CRADADAD)

Keywords

• Fast casual poke
• Customizable poke bowls
• Poke franchise opportunities
• Premium quick service
• Healthy bowl concepts

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Company-Owned Restaurant Sales: Pokeworks operates company-owned locations generating revenue from dine-in, takeout, and delivery orders. Average gross sales for company-owned units was $1.1M-$1.2M per location. The company achieved record-breaking 2025 performance with unparalleled year-over-year store sales.
2. Franchise Royalties and Fees: Pokeworks generates revenue through franchise development agreements, royalties from franchise locations (franchise locations achieving $2.5M in sales), and franchise fees. The company offers franchise opportunities with investment requirements of $250K liquid assets and $750K net worth.
3. Catering Program: Expanded catering program contributing to 2025 growth, with strong catering orders reported at new locations including the Cambridge, MA franchise location.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pokeworks is a premium fast-casual poke restaurant chain that sells customizable poke bowls, burritos, and salads built through its signature Poke Your Way™ assembly system with proprietary Asian-inspired flavors and sustainably-sourced proteins (salmon, ahi tuna, chicken, shrimp, tofu). The brand operates 80 company-owned and franchise locations across 22 U.S. states plus Taiwan and Canada, generating revenue from dine-in, takeout, delivery, catering, franchise royalties, and franchise development fees.

Product overview

Pokeworks is a premium fast-casual poke restaurant chain offering customizable poke bowls, burritos, and salads through its signature 'Poke Your Way™' system. The core product portfolio includes Poke Bowls, Poke Salads, and Poke Burritos as the main offerings, supplemented by protein-specific menu items like Bang Bang Chicken Bowl, Sweet Sesame Chicken, Spicy Ahi, Hawaiian Ahi, Yuzu Ponzu Salmon, Umami Ahi, and Sweet Shoyu Tofu. Recent expansions include Signature Drinks and Hawaiian Hot Plates product lines launched in 2025, along with limited-time offerings such as Poke Bombs (grab-and-go snack), High-Protein Surf & Turf Bowl, and Black Garlic Aioli sauce. The company also operates a Pokeworks Rewards loyalty program and catering services. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Irvine, California, the brand operates 80 locations across 22 U.S. states with international presence in Taiwan and Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pokeworks Restaurant (Poke Bowls, Burritos, Salads) Customizable poke bowls, burritos, and salads built via the Poke Your Way™ system at Pokeworks restaurants for individual diners seeking healthy, fresh, ethnic-inspired fast-casual meals for dine-in, takeout, or delivery.
• Pokeworks Franchise Opportunity Multi-unit and single-unit franchise development rights for the Pokeworks brand sold to qualified franchisees, generating franchise fees and ongoing royalties in exchange for protected development territories, training, and brand support.
• Pokeworks Catering Program Catering service enabling large group orders of poke bowls, burritos, and salads for events, gatherings, and corporate customers delivered through Pokeworks restaurant locations.
• Pokeworks Rewards Loyalty Program Loyalty rewards program enabling repeat customers to earn points, redeem promotions, and access member-only offers across Pokeworks' U.S. restaurant network via mobile app and email.
• Poke Bombs Grab-and-go snack offering inari tofu pockets filled with rice and topped with fresh poke in four varieties, sold across Pokeworks restaurants nationwide and for online ordering.
• High-Protein Surf & Turf Bowl Limited-time entrée bowl featuring ahi tuna, chicken breast, avocado, edamame, and ramen noodles providing 44 grams of protein per serving, sold across participating Pokeworks locations.
• Black Garlic Aioli Sauce Limited-time proprietary sauce made with roasted black garlic, sold across Pokeworks locations as a topping/finishing sauce for bowls, burritos, and salads.
• Signature Drinks Signature beverage line sold alongside poke meals at Pokeworks restaurants, launched in 2025 to expand menu offerings.
• Hawaiian Hot Plates Hawaiian-inspired hot plate meals sold at Pokeworks restaurants, launched in 2025 as a hot entrée alternative to the cold poke bowl menu.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average gross sales of $1.1MM-$1.2MM for company-owned locations; franchise locations achieving $2.5MM
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Bidosh Acharya and Amita Khanal (Franchisees)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 April 2026Franchisees who signed a two-unit development agreement to bring Pokeworks to Boulder, Colorado. First Boulder restaurant expected to open in late 2026, marking expansion of Colorado presence beyond existing Greenwood Village location.
• Joe Magnotta and Sanchit Sharma (Franchise Operators)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 January 2026Local franchise operators expanding Pokeworks' New York footprint with four new locations in Long Island and Manhattan. Magnotta planning to open a location in Long Island by mid-2026 and Sharma targeting late summer 2026 for Manhattan.
• Rong Cong and Lelin Kandel (Franchise Partners)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Franchise development partners who signed a seven-unit development deal with Pokeworks in 2024. Opened a new Cambridge location at CambridgeSide Galleria in February 2026 and a reopened Somerville restaurant, with additional locations underway in Burlington and Hanover Crossover. Early results particularly strong in Cambridge with remarkable surge in catering orders and high repeat business.
• Olo (Mobo Systems, Inc.)coreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party ordering service provider powering Pokeworks' web-based ordering application. Customers are directed to Olo when placing orders, with personal information provided to Olo governed by Olo's privacy policy.
• Thanx, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology provider for Pokeworks Rewards loyalty program, special offers, and similar customer engagement programs. Operates the Pokeworks Rewards App and web-based ordering under separate privacy policy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sweetfin Poké: Direct competitor operating a fast-casual poke restaurant chain with customizable bowls and a similar premium positioning. Most direct head-to-head rival to Pokeworks in the U.S. poke QSR segment.
• Poke House: Fast-growing poke chain with similar build-your-own bowl concept and franchise ambitions. Closely comparable in menu, customization platform, and target health-conscious millennial consumer.
• Bibibop Asian Grill: Fast-casual build-your-own Asian bowl concept (Korean-inspired) that competes head-to-head with Pokeworks for the customizable Asian-bowl occasion.
• Teriyaki Madness: Franchise-focused Asian fast-casual chain with comparable footprint, franchise investment range, and customizable bowl concept. Closely comparable business model and franchisee profile.

Broad incumbents

• CAVA Group: Large public fast-casual Mediterranean concept. Comparable in customizable bowls, health positioning, and small-footprint model; broader incumbent that competes for the same health-conscious lunch/dinner occasions.
• Sweetgreen: Public fast-casual salad/bowl leader with strong digital and loyalty infrastructure. Comparable in customizable healthy bowls, millennial target, and tech-enabled ordering — a benchmark for where Pokeworks' digital stack could evolve.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill: Largest customizable fast-casual concept with assembly-line build model. Pokeworks' 'Poke Your Way' mirrors Chipotle's customization platform; competes for the same lunch daypart and value-conscious consumers.
• MOD Pizza: Fast-casual custom-pizza chain with similar small-footprint, high-throughput model. Comparable on unit-level customization and franchise/unit economics benchmarking.

Emerging players

• Just Salad: Health-focused fast-casual salad and bowl chain with reusable bowl sustainability program. Comparable on health positioning, customizable menu, and millennial/female skew.

Others

• Olo: SaaS ordering platform used by Pokeworks' own digital ordering infrastructure and by many of the same restaurant peers. Included as an ecosystem/technology dependency rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/pokeworksco
• Facebookfacebook.com/pokeworksco
• Instagraminstagram.com/pokeworksco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pokeworks