MOOYAH

What MOOYAH does

MOOYAH is a Texas-based better-burger fast-casual restaurant franchise founded in 2007 in Plano, TX. The company operates and supports a franchised system of approximately 80+ restaurant locations across 19+ U.S. states and five international sites in the Middle East (Qatar, Bahrain, Oman), with a new c-store-adjacent format launched at a Marathon Petroleum site in Flint, MI in December 2025. Its core product offering centers on made-to-order burgers using 100% never-frozen Certified Angus Beef under a licensed partnership, hand-cut fries prepared through a proprietary 24-hour six-step process, real ice cream shakes hand-spun in-house, and buns baked daily at each location. The menu is supported by a Lifestyle Burger sub-line (Vegan, Paleo, Keto, gluten-free), a secret menu branded as the 'Burger Hall of DANG!', a continuous cadence of limited-time offerings (Dude Perfect Pack, Hot Bacon Jam Burger, Cream Pop Sodas, seasonal shakes), and the federally registered MOOYAH Sauce and brand trademarks.

MOOYAH's operating model is franchise-driven: each restaurant is independently owned and operated by a franchisee, while corporate (MOOYAH Franchising, LLC) generates revenue through initial franchise fees, ongoing royalties (typically ~5% of unit sales), marketing/ad fund contributions, gift card sales, and catering services. Distribution channels include dine-in, takeout, online ordering via order.mooyah.com, the proprietary MOOYAH Rewards App (500,000+ members, launched 2016), DoorDash third-party delivery across nearly all U.S. locations, in-restaurant and mobile catering (including a DFW catering truck), and physical gift cards sold in $10-$100 denominations. The brand markets through a multi-channel strategy anchored by the rewards app, social media managed by creative agency Agency Habitat, seasonal National Day promotions, co-branded partnerships (Dude Perfect, YETI, No Kid Hungry, Certified Angus Beef), and franchise recruitment campaigns targeting Atlanta, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tampa, and Charlotte. Notably, the company has operated without any disclosed external funding rounds, indicating self-funded or profitable operations, and is led by President & COO Tony Darden.

Name

MOOYAH

Legal name

MOOYAH Franchising, LLC

Website

https://mooyah.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

MOOYAH is a Texas-based fast-casual burger franchise founded in 2007, serving made-to-order Certified Angus Beef burgers, hand-cut fries, and ice cream shakes through 80+ franchised U.S. locations, a Middle East footprint, and a new c-store channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Frisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and Takeout Sales: Revenue from customers dining in or placing takeout orders at franchised restaurant locations. Each restaurant is independently owned and operated by a franchisee. Individual location hours and pricing may vary.
2. Online and App Ordering: Revenue from orders placed through order.mooyah.com and the MOOYAH Rewards App, including third-party delivery integration through DoorDash.
3. Catering Services: Many MOOYAH locations offer catering for group events. The company also operates a catering truck in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
4. Franchise Fees and Royalties: MOOYAH generates revenue through franchising by collecting fees from franchise owners. The brand actively recruits new franchisees across the U.S. and internationally.
5. Gift Card Sales: Physical gift cards sold in $10, $15, $20, $25, $30, $50, and $100 denominations, available at all U.S. restaurants and online. Gift cards are not currently available as digital/e-gift cards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

MOOYAH operates a fast-casual franchise restaurant chain serving made-to-order customizable burgers, hand-cut Idaho potato fries, and hand-spun real ice cream shakes. Each restaurant uses 100% never-frozen Certified Angus Beef, bakes its own signature potato buns daily, and prepares fries through a six-step 24-hour process. The brand distributes its food through dine-in, takeout, online ordering (order.mooyah.com), the MOOYAH Rewards App, third-party delivery via DoorDash, catering services, and physical gift cards.

Product overview

MOOYAH is a Texas-based better burger fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2007, operating on a franchise model with both corporate-owned and locally owned locations across the US and internationally (Qatar, Bahrain, Oman). The company offers made-to-order burgers using never-frozen Certified Angus Beef, hand-cut fries (including sweet potato fries since 2010), and hand-spun ice cream shakes. The core product portfolio centers on customizable burgers, fries, and shakes available through multiple channels: dine-in, online ordering (order.mooyah.com), the Rewards App for loyalty/payments/ordering, and third-party delivery via DoorDash. Supporting services include catering, fundraising programs for organizations, and gift cards. The menu features signature offerings (Cheeseburger, MDC, specialty burgers), limited-time LTO items (Hot Bacon Jam Burger, seasonal shakes), specialty lines (Burger Hall of Dang secret menu, Lifestyle Burgers for dietary preferences), and value bundles (Classic Combo, The Big Deal). Every location bakes buns in-house daily (since 2011), and the company emphasizes quality ingredients including canola oil for frying and 100% real ice cream.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MOOYAH Rewards App Standalone mobile application available on iOS that powers the MOOYAH customer loyalty program and order-ahead functionality. Customers earn 1 point per $1 spent, redeem 50 points for a $5 reward, and receive exclusive discounts, free-item sign-up bonuses, and seasonal promotions.
• Online Ordering Platform Direct-to-consumer e-commerce ordering platform that lets customers place customized pickup and delivery orders from MOOYAH's full menu. Powers both the brand website and mobile-app ordering flows.
• MOOYAH Catering Group and corporate catering service offering customizable meal packages for events of various sizes. Available at many U.S. MOOYAH restaurant locations and through a mobile catering truck in Dallas/Fort Worth.
• MOOYAH Gift Cards Physical gift cards redeemable at any U.S. MOOYAH restaurant for menu purchases, sold at restaurant counters and online with mail delivery.
• Burger Hall of 'Dang!' Secret Menu Proprietary secret menu line of chef-inspired premium burgers and hot dogs exclusive to MOOYAH, accessed by name or through the Rewards App. Registered as the trademark "Burger Hall of 'DANG!'®".
• Lifestyle Burgers Specialty burger line catering to dietary-restricted and lifestyle-focused diners, offering vegan, paleo, keto, low-calorie, and gluten-free options alongside the core Certified Angus Beef menu.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voted #1 burger in DFW for 4 consecutive years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Marathon PetroleummajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 December 2025MOOYAH opened its first c-store-adjacent location at a Flint, Michigan Marathon gas station site in late 2025, representing both its first convenience store adjacent format and a new store design. This marks a new distribution channel partnership with Marathon Petroleum, bringing MOOYAH's brand to a captive fuel and convenience retail audience.
• Dude PerfectmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 January 2025MOOYAH partnered with global family entertainment sensation Dude Perfect to launch the 'Dude Perfect Pack' — a limited-time meal featuring four customizable cheeseburgers, family-sized hand-cut fries, and two Little MOO shakes for $39.99. The partnership included exclusive content, trick shot and family game night challenges, and a sweepstakes for Dude Perfect World Tour 2025 tickets. Available at all participating MOOYAH locations nationwide.
• YETIminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 June 2023MOOYAH partnered with YETI for a summer promotional contest in July 2023. Four limited edition Rescue Red YETI bundles were given away as prizes to customers who ordered the Campfire Burger or S'mores Shake through the MOOYAH app. One random winner was selected each week throughout July 2023.
• Agency HabitatcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 August 2021Agency Habitat is a creative agency specializing in strategic branding and audience-driven content creation. They handle MOOYAH's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. Their on-staff photographers, videographers, and motion-graphic designers create content for the brand. Sister company Lowtown Studios enables high-quality studio content production. This is a core ongoing marketing partnership for MOOYAH's social media and brand communications.
• No Kid HungryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 May 2020MOOYAH partnered with No Kid Hungry for National Hamburger Day 2020, donating 50 cents to the charity for every Certified Angus Beef burger sold on May 28, 2020, up to a maximum donation of $5,000. This addressed child hunger exacerbated by COVID-19 school closures across the United States.
• Certified Angus Beef® LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOOYAH is a licensed partner with Certified Angus Beef® LLC, using only 100% never-frozen Certified Angus Beef that meets 10 science-based specifications more selective than USDA Prime. Only 3 in 10 black Angus cattle meet the brand's standards. The partnership includes a commitment to rural Angus farming and ranching families. The brand's 'Freedom Rings' burger won the 'Best Burger of the United States' award using these beef specifications.
• DoorDashmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDoorDash powers third-party delivery for nearly all MOOYAH U.S. locations. The partnership enables customers to order MOOYAH for delivery through the DoorDash platform. MOOYAH has run periodic free delivery promotions through this channel, including during the COVID-19 pandemic and on National Hamburger Day promotions ($1.99 delivery offer).
• Dr. Praeger'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOOYAH's Vegan Lifestyle Burger features Dr. Praeger's Black Bean Vegan iceburger. The product was introduced in February 2020 as MOOYAH expanded its Lifestyle Burgers lineup. Dr. Praeger's is the sole vegan burger patty supplier for MOOYAH's plant-based offering.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Smashburger: Smashburger is a better-burger fast-casular chain that competes directly with MOOYAH on customizable premium burgers, hand-spun shakes, and franchise-led expansion across U.S. markets.
• Culver's: Culver's is a Midwestern fast-casual chain known for ButterBurgers and frozen custard, with a strong franchise model. It competes with MOOYAH in the better-burger + dessert/custard occasion and shares the franchise-led growth playbook.
• Shake Shack: Shake Shack is a publicly traded premium fast-casual chain offering customizable burgers, crinkle-cut fries, and frozen custard. It competes with MOOYAH in the better-burger segment with similar quality positioning, customizable toppings, and a focus on fresh, premium ingredients.
• Five Guys: Five Guys is a leading national better-burger fast-casual chain with a similar focus on customizable burgers, fresh (never-frozen) beef, and hand-cut fries. It directly competes with MOOYAH for premium-burger occasions at similar price points across U.S. metros.
• Wayback Burgers: Wayback Burgers is a franchise-based better-burger chain offering hand-made burgers, fresh frozen custard, and craft beverages. Its franchise-led growth model and burger-and-custard product mix make it a close operational and menu comparable to MOOYAH.
• The Habit Burger Grill: The Habit is a California-based better-burger chain (acquired by Yum! Brands in 2020) offering chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, and shakes. It is a direct competitor to MOOYAH in the premium-burger fast-casual segment with a similar franchise model and menu structure.
• Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers: Freddy's is a fast-casual franchise chain combining steakburgers with frozen custard — directly analogous to MOOYAH's burger + hand-spun ice cream shake concept. Both target similar value-conscious families and operate franchise-led U.S. expansion.
• BurgerFi: BurgerFi is a publicly traded better-burger chain emphasizing natural Angus beef and eco-friendly design, with a menu (burgers, fries, shakes, natural chicken) that closely parallels MOOYAH's positioning and customization model.

Regional players

• Whataburger: Whataburger is a Texas-based regional burger chain with strong loyalty in MOOYAH's home market. While not a direct better-burger competitor, it competes for the same Texas-based burger occasions and franchisee talent pool.

Broad incumbents

• Steak 'n Shake: Steak 'n Shake is a long-established burger-and-milk shake chain operating primarily through franchising, with a comparable burger-and-shake menu and value-oriented price points. It competes with MOOYAH in the burger + shake occasion across U.S. markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mooyahburgers
• Facebookfacebook.com/mooyah
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mooyah-burgers-fries-and-shakes
• Instagraminstagram.com/mooyahburgers
• TikToktiktok.com/@mooyahburgers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 MOOYAH