Curry Up Now
Curry Up Now is a private fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2009, serving Indo-Californian street food — including its signature tikka masala burrito — across approximately 20 halal-certified locations in five states, plus catering, franchising, and national shipping via Goldbelly.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Curry Up Now does
Curry Up Now is a private fast-casual restaurant operator founded in 2009 by Akash and Rana Kapoor as a single food truck in Burlingame, California. The company serves an Indo-Californian menu — Indian street food adapted into California fast-casual formats including the signature tikka masala burrito, deconstructed samosa, naughty naan pizza, bowls, kathi rolls, and chaat — with halal-certified meats supplied by default across all proteins (chicken tenders and wings excepted), plus vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free coverage. It now operates approximately 20 units (restaurants, food trucks, and Mortar & Pestle craft cocktail bars) across California, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Alabama, with planned expansion into Tennessee (Summer 2026) and Seattle.
The business generates revenue through six streams: counter-service retail (walk-in and dine-in), proprietary iOS/Android mobile app ordering with a points-based rewards program, catering and live-station events (from $15/person for 15–50+ guests), corporate and consumer gift cards, a national shipping partnership with Goldbelly for packaged menu items, and franchise fees and royalties from franchisee-operated locations developed through Fransmart. Customer segments include individual consumers, corporate/enterprise catering accounts (notably Bay Area tech corridor clients in Palo Alto and San Jose), weddings and South Asian events, and franchise operators. Distribution combines company-owned storefronts, franchised locations, food trucks, third-party delivery platforms, the direct mobile app, and Goldbelly's national e-commerce channel.
Curry Up Now has been featured in Netflix's Ugly Delicious, the Michelin Guide, Fast Casual Top 100, Inc. 5000, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Forbes, and QSR Magazine, and holds a 4.8/5 aggregate customer rating across 4,000+ reviews. The company previously raised capital from Kitchen Fund (October 2017) and Liquid 2 Ventures (June 2019), and acquired Tava Indian Kitchen in May 2017. No institutional-scale growth equity round, public listing, or private equity transaction is disclosed in the available material.
Curry Up Now firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Curry Up Now
- Legal name
- Curry Up Now
- Website
- https://curryupnow.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Curry Up Now is a private fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2009, serving Indo-Californian street food — including its signature tikka masala burrito — across approximately 20 halal-certified locations in five states, plus catering, franchising, and national shipping via Goldbelly.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Curry Up Now industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fast-casual Indian restaurant
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Healthy/Salad/Grain Bowl QSR (THAFAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Plant-Based & Vegan Fast Casual (THAFABAK)
Keywords
Where Curry Up Now is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices12 records
Markets served
Curry Up Now business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Food Service: Counter-service restaurant revenue from walk-in customers ordering at the counter; fast-casual format with counter service rather than table service; customers pay at counter
- Mobile App Ordering: Direct ordering through proprietary iOS and Android apps; order ahead, skip the line; earn rewards with every order; direct customer relationship with lower fees than third-party delivery platforms
- Catering & Events: Corporate catering, weddings, office lunches, birthday parties with individual boxed meals or family-style spreads; live food station setups; quoted per-person pricing from $15/person; provides additional revenue stream beyond individual dining
- Gift Cards: Digital eGift cards delivered by email (instant or scheduled) and physical gift cards available in-store; bulk corporate gifting for team rewards and client gifts; redeemable at all 10+ locations and online; no fees, no expiration
- National Shipping (Goldbelly): Partnership with Goldbelly for shipping CUN favorites (tikka masala burritos, samosa kits, family packs) nationwide; extends brand reach beyond physical locations
- Franchise Fees: Franchise expansion model generating franchise fees and ongoing royalties from franchisee-owned locations across multiple states; managed through Fransmart franchise portal
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard menu items (burritos, bowls, naan, snacks) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Catering packages for office lunches and events |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Curry Up Now product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Curry Up Now is a fast-casual Indian street food restaurant chain operating counter-service locations, food trucks, and Mortar & Pestle craft cocktail bars serving Indo-Californian cuisine such as tikka masala burritos, bowls, naughty naan pizza, kathi rolls, chaat, and thali platters. The company complements dine-in, takeout, and delivery with a corporate and event catering program, a proprietary mobile app for ordering and rewards, gift cards, and national shipping via Goldbelly, with all meat proteins halal-certified by default since 2009.
Product overview
Curry Up Now is a fast-casual Indian street food restaurant chain that operates as a unified brand offering dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering services. The company was founded in 2009 and has expanded from a single food truck to approximately 20 locations across California, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Alabama. The core product portfolio includes Curry Up Now restaurants serving Indo-Californian cuisine (tikka masala burritos, bowls, naughty naan pizza, kathi rolls, chaat, thali platters), three Mortar & Pestle craft cocktail bars, food truck operations with live-station catering capabilities, and supporting digital products including a rewards mobile app and gift card program. All meat proteins are halal-certified by default, with comprehensive vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu coverage.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mortar & Pestle: Craft cocktail bars serving cocktails alongside Curry Up Now Indian street food, including weekend brunch.
Products and services
- Curry Up Now Restaurant Fast-casual counter-service restaurant serving Indo-Californian Indian street food including tikka masala burritos, bowls, naughty naan pizza, kathi rolls, chaat, and thali platters; features halal-certified proteins by default and covers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets from a single menu for dine-in, takeout, and delivery customers.
- Food Truck Operations Mobile food truck units serving Indian street food at events and street locations, including live-station catering setups for private events. The format anchors the brand's origins and supports event-driven catering bookings.
- Mortar & Pestle Craft Cocktail Bar Craft cocktail bar sub-brand operating alongside Curry Up Now restaurants, featuring Indian-inspired cocktail programs and weekend brunch. Currently three locations, with the Flower Mound location co-located with an in-house bar adjacent to the restaurant.
- Catering and Events Corporate and event catering program offering individual boxed meals, family-style spreads, buffet service, and live cooking stations for 15 to 200+ guests. Covers halal, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dietary requirements from a single order, with pricing from $15 per person; serves weddings, office lunches, corporate holiday parties, and birthday celebrations.
- Curry Up Now Rewards Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android that enables direct online ordering at all Curry Up Now locations, accumulating 10 reward points per $1 spent, with points redeemable for free meals, exclusive deals, and early access to new menu drops; includes a 300-point birthday month bonus, with points expiring after 12 months.
- Curry Up Now Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards redeemable at all Curry Up Now locations and online orders, with values from $10 to $200, no fees, and no expiration. Digital cards can be sent instantly or scheduled for future delivery, and a corporate bulk gifting option supports team rewards and client gifts.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4.8/5 rating from 4,000+ customer reviews
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Curry Up Now
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Curry Up Now technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature4 records
Curry Up Now partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- FransmartcoreFranchise development partner managing franchise sales and recruitment for Curry Up Now expansion; website links directly to Fransmart franchise portal for prospective franchisees
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Curry Up Now competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sweetgreen: Sweetgreen is a publicly traded fast-casual leader (NYSE: SG) operating a national build-your-own bowl/salad model; comparable in counter-service fast-casual format, mobile-app-led ordering, and franchise-like unit growth strategy.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill: Chipotle is the prototypical fast-casual chain with assembly-line counter service and a menu-engineered approach to a non-Western cuisine (Mexican) — directly analogous to Curry Up Now's positioning of Indian cuisine through a fast-casual lens.
- CAVA Group: CAVA is a scaled Mediterranean fast-casual incumbent and publicly traded peer (NYSE: CAVA); comparable in fast-casual format (build-your-own bowls), counter-service model, and digital ordering leadership — sets the benchmark for fast-casual valuations and unit economics.
- Roti Modern Mediterranean: Roti is a fast-casual Mediterranean chain with a similar counter-service, build-your-own-pita/bowl model and catering program — overlapping on occasion (lunch catering, corporate orders) and unit-level operating model even though cuisine differs.
Emerging players
- IndiCrave: IndiCrave is an emerging Indian fast-casual concept offering build-your-own bowls and wraps, with a smaller but overlapping menu and target customer that intersects with Curry Up Now's halal/inclusive Indian positioning.
Direct peers
- Choolaah Indian BBQ: Choolaah is a fast-casual Indian chain operating multiple East Coast US locations with a build-your-own bowl and tandoor-driven menu — a direct competitor for Indian fast-casual occasions in overlapping markets and consumer occasion sets.
- Biryani by Kilo: Biryani by Kilo is an Indian fast-casual concept focused on biryani and Indian entrées for delivery and dine-in, with a comparable menu (rice bowls, Indian proteins) and growing US footprint that competes for the same Indian-craving fast-casual diner.
- Tava Kitchen: Tava Kitchen is an Indian fast-casual concept that was acquired by Curry Up Now in 2017, making it the closest historical direct peer — same category (Indian fast-casual bowls, wraps), similar California roots, and now operating under the Curry Up Now umbrella.
Others
- Fransmart (Franchise Partner): Fransmart is Curry Up Now's franchise development partner and a leading US restaurant franchise broker (also behind Five Guys, Halal Guys); comparable as an ecosystem enabler for capital-light multi-unit expansion rather than a direct competitor.
Regional players
- Paradise Biryani (US): Paradise Biryani is a large Indian restaurant brand originally from India expanding into US markets focused on biryani-led menus; overlaps with Curry Up Now on Indian entrée occasions but is a stronger dine-in/restaurant player than fast-casual.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Curry Up Now social profiles
Digital presenceCurry Up Now compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Curry Up Now financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Curry Up Now leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Curry Up Now subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Curry Up Now funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Curry Up Now M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Curry Up Now
What does Curry Up Now do?
Curry Up Now is a fast-casual Indian street food restaurant chain operating counter-service locations, food trucks, and Mortar & Pestle craft cocktail bars serving Indo-Californian cuisine such as tikka masala burritos, bowls, naughty naan pizza, kathi rolls, chaat, and thali platters. The company complements dine-in, takeout, and delivery with a corporate and event catering program, a proprietary mobile app for ordering and rewards, gift cards, and national shipping via Goldbelly, with all meat proteins halal-certified by default since 2009.
Is Curry Up Now a public or private company?
Curry Up Now is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Curry Up Now founded?
Curry Up Now was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Curry Up Now based?
Curry Up Now is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Curry Up Now make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Retail Food Service is the primary driver. The others are mobile App Ordering, catering & Events, gift Cards, national Shipping (Goldbelly) and franchise Fees.
Who are Curry Up Now's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sweetgreen, Chipotle Mexican Grill, CAVA Group and Roti Modern Mediterranean. IndiCrave is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Choolaah Indian BBQ, Biryani by Kilo and Tava Kitchen. Fransmart (Franchise Partner) is listed as an others. Paradise Biryani (US) is listed as a regional player.
Does Curry Up Now have an API?
No public API is recorded for Curry Up Now.
What industry is Curry Up Now in?
Curry Up Now's product category is Fast-casual Indian restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAAAJ, Healthy/Salad/Grain Bowl QSR, with a secondary code of THAFABAK, Plant-Based & Vegan Fast Casual. Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 5812.