Crave

What Crave does

Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ is a US fast-casual restaurant franchisor founded in 2018 by Samantha and Sal Rincione and headquartered on Long Island, New York. The company sells a multi-format franchise system built around an all-beef hot dog and BBQ menu, offering three distinct unit types: full-service Brick & Mortar restaurants (800-1,500 SQFT, $45,000 franchise fee), Express kiosks inside Walmart stores ($45,000 fee, under a master tenant agreement), and Food Trucks ($30,000 fee, lower capital requirements). The operating technology stack is assembled from third-party platforms rather than proprietary AI: Applova and Apptizer power online ordering, DoorDash and EZCater handle delivery and catering, Roaming Hunger and FoodTruck Pub support food truck bookings, Untappd tracks beer selection, and ActiveBooker manages ax throwing lane reservations at select locations. An iOS mobile app provides a rewards program and a Secret Menu feature to drive repeat visits.

The revenue model combines upfront franchise fees ($30,000-$45,000 per new unit), undisclosed ongoing royalties, marketing fund contributions, and direct food and beverage revenue at franchised locations. The company targets two primary customer segments: prospective franchisees and multi-unit operators (who must meet net worth thresholds of $150K-$1M+ and credit score minimums of 700-720+), and end consumers comprising families and casual diners seeking affordable, entertainment-adjacent dining. Geographic reach spans approximately 30 US states with a target of 12-15 new unit openings annually and an active pipeline approaching 100 locations. The company has no disclosed institutional funding, operates with a lean 1-10 person corporate team, and is currently subject to a Minnesota regulatory dispute over credit card surcharge practices.

Name

Crave

Legal name

Crave Hot Dogs & Barbecue

Website

https://iwantcrave.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ is a US fast-casual restaurant franchisor founded in 2018, selling Brick & Mortar, Walmart Express, and Food Truck franchise units serving all-beef hot dogs and BBQ to families and casual diners nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees: One-time franchise fees for opening new locations: Brick & Mortar $45,000, Express (Walmart) $45,000, Food Truck $30,000. These fees are charged upfront upon signing franchise agreements.
2. Royalty/Ongoing Franchise Fees: Franchisees pay ongoing royalty fees as part of their franchise agreement, though specific percentages are not publicly disclosed on the website.
3. Restaurant Food & Beverage Sales: Revenue from direct customer purchases at brick-and-mortar locations, food trucks, and Express (Walmart) locations. Menu items include all-beef hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, mac & cheese bowls, wings, and sides, with beer and beverage sales contributing additional revenue.
4. Catering Services: Crave offers catering for events including buffet platters, party platters, family packs, boxed lunches/dinners, and football kickoff packages. Available across all format types (Brick & Mortar, Express, Food Truck).
5. Delivery & Third-Party Platform Fees: Revenue from third-party delivery platforms including DoorDash, Roaming Hunger, and FoodTruck Pub. Take-rate/commission costs are absorbed as part of the delivery model.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ operates a fast casual restaurant franchise featuring all-beef hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, mac & cheese bowls, wings, and craft beer across three formats: Brick & Mortar restaurants (800-1,500 SQFT), Express kiosks inside Walmart stores, and mobile Food Trucks. The franchise generates revenue through one-time franchise fees ($30,000-$45,000), ongoing royalties, and supports franchisees with 25 hours of classroom training plus 80 hours of on-the-job training, real estate assistance, and marketing support.

Product overview

Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ is a fast casual restaurant franchise established in 2018, operating a multi-format business model consisting of three core products: Brick & Mortar full-service restaurants (800-1500 SQFT with self-pour beer walls and optional ax throwing), Food Trucks for mobile operations and catering, and Express locations within Walmart stores. The company also offers catering services, a mobile app with secret menu and rewards program, and self-pour beer wall technology across locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crave Express: Walmart-based Express format locations offering streamlined menu options
• Crave Food Truck
• Crave Brick & Mortar
• Crave Catering

Products and services

• Crave Brick & Mortar Franchise Full-service fast casual restaurant franchise featuring all-beef hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, mac & cheese bowls, wings, and self-serve beer walls. Standard locations include 800-1,500 SQFT with options for drive-thru and patio seating. Franchise fee $45,000.
• Crave Express (Walmart) Franchise Compact express-format kiosk franchise operating inside Walmart stores, serving a streamlined menu of hot dogs and BBQ items with catering capabilities. Franchise fee $45,000, Crave signs master tenant agreement with Walmart.
• Crave Food Truck Franchise Mobile food truck franchise serving hot dogs and BBQ at events, private bookings, and public locations. Lower investment entry point at $30,000 franchise fee with $75,000 liquid cash requirement and valid drivers license.
• Crave Catering Services Off-site catering for corporate events, parties, birthday gatherings, office lunches, and weekend events. Options include buffet platters, party platters, family packs, boxed meals, and football kickoff packages with optional wait staff. Available across all format types.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 13 Fast Casual Movers & Shakers list (2022), up from #20 in 2021 — 7-spot improvement in rankings
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WalmartcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 July 2024Crave signed a master tenant agreement with Walmart to open Express-format locations inside Walmart stores nationwide. This enables rapid expansion with built-in foot traffic in high-visibility retail locations. The agreement positions Crave as the preferred food venue for Walmart shoppers.
• Every Bud's PlaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvery Bud's Place nationwide will include a Crave Restaurant as their food venue of choice. This cross-promotional partnership positions Crave as the exclusive food provider within Bud's Place entertainment venues.
• Applova / ApptizercoreTechnology or IntegrationCrave uses Applova and Apptizer platforms to power online ordering for restaurants and food trucks. The ordernow.applova.io and ordernow.apptizer.io platforms enable customers to browse menus, place orders, and pay ahead for pickup.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDoorDash serves as the primary third-party delivery partner for Crave Express locations (New Philadelphia OH, Uvalde TX) and select Brick & Mortar locations. Enables delivery convenience for customers ordering via the DoorDash platform.
• Roaming HungerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRoaming Hunger is a food truck ordering platform used by Crave food trucks in Fayetteville NC, Morristown TN, Midlands SC, Stafford VA, Leesburg GA, and Chandler AZ for event bookings and online ordering.
• EZCaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEZCater is used by Crave locations (New Philadelphia OH, Queensbury NY, Kings Mountain NC) as a catering ordering and management platform, enabling corporate and event catering orders.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dickey's Barbecue Pit: The largest BBQ franchise in the U.S., operating hundreds of locations with a comparable franchise-led growth model, menu positioning around brisket and smoked meats, and multi-unit franchisee recruitment strategy.
• Sonny's BBQ: Established BBQ franchise with dine-in and catering focus, directly comparable to Crave's Brick & Mortar and catering offerings across similar customer segments.
• Mission BBQ: Fast-growing BBQ franchise with a strong brand identity and multi-unit franchise model targeting family and casual diners, overlapping Crave's target customer profile.
• Wayback Burgers: Multi-format franchise burger brand with brick-and-mortar and non-traditional formats, comparable franchise fee structure, and aggressive U.S. franchise expansion playbook.
• Portillo's: Hot dog-focused fast casual brand with company-owned and franchised growth, directly comparable to Crave's all-beef hot dog core offering and family casual diner positioning.
• Beef 'O' Brady's: Family sports pub franchise with a similar franchise-led growth model, multi-unit operator recruitment, and family-friendly casual dining positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Famous Dave's: Public BBQ concept with both company-owned and franchised locations, catering, and a broader menu. A larger incumbent operating in the same category as Crave's BBQ line.
• Fatburger: International franchise fast casual burger brand with multi-format locations including non-traditional, comparable in franchise model and multi-unit expansion approach.
• Wingstop: Large fast casual franchise brand demonstrating the trajectory a multi-unit, franchise-led chicken concept can achieve, relevant as a comparable scaling benchmark for Crave's system growth.

Emerging players

• PDQ: Fast casual chicken concept with a comparable franchise growth strategy and limited-service restaurant positioning in the same competitive set as Crave.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iwantcrave
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkp43fitiU3G8JTKEP75pZQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/iwantcrave
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crave-hot-dogs-and-bbq
• Instagraminstagram.com/iwantcrave
• TikToktiktok.com/@cravehotdogsbbq

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Crave