Sharky's

What Sharky's does

Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill operates a 21-unit fast-casual restaurant brand founded in 1992 by Steve Paperno in Sherman Oaks, California, and currently owned under Passion Foods, Inc. (California corporation headquartered in Westlake Village, CA). The company serves Mexican-inspired menu items — tacos, burritos, bowls, salads — prepared via stone-fired ovens and mesquite grilling, with a stated emphasis on organic, natural, and locally sourced ingredients (non-GMO, grass-fed, wild-caught, rBGH-free). It operates primarily in Los Angeles County and Ventura County with expansion into Nevada (Las Vegas), and is building a franchise program targeting multi-unit operators.

The business combines company-owned restaurant sales with franchise licensing (5% royalty, 1.5% marketing fund, $40,000 initial franchise fee), catering services sold via the OLO platform to corporate and event customers, and a loyalty program (Sharky's Rewards / Fin-Addict) on the Thanx platform with 10 points per $1 spent. Customer segments include health-conscious individual consumers, corporate catering buyers (e.g., Daiichi Sankyo, CSUN Athletics), community organizations via fundraising nights, and qualified franchisees. Digital infrastructure includes iOS and Android apps, online ordering via Thanx, gift card management via MyGuestAccount, and a Nutrition Calculator for dietary customization.

The go-to-market relies on a mix of community-rooted organic social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter under @sharkyssocial), a trade-based influencer marketing playbook executed with BAM Media Group, earned media coverage, and grassroots fundraising programs. The brand has accumulated 10 consecutive years of "Best Mexican" recognition from Daily News Readers Choice and was named to QSR Magazine's 40/40 List and Nation's Restaurant News Next 20 in 2018. Technology differentiators are largely third-party platform integrations rather than proprietary IP, with the unique cooking method and ingredient sourcing serving as the primary functional moat.

Name

Sharky's

Legal name

Passion Foods, Inc.

Website

https://sharkys.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill is a 21-unit fast-casual restaurant chain in California and Nevada serving organic, stone-fired Mexican food to health-conscious consumers, with a franchise program, catering, and a Thanx-powered loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Westlake Village

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Company-Owned Restaurant Sales: Direct revenue from 21 restaurant locations across California and Nevada serving food and beverages including tacos, burritos, bowls, salads, and catering.
2. Franchise Royalties: 5% of net sales royalty fee from franchisees. Marketing Development Fund of 1.5% of net sales. Franchise fee of $40,000 for first location.
3. Catering Services: Catering orders for meetings, team lunches, corporate events, and private gatherings with party packs, fajita bars, and build-your-own options.
4. Loyalty Program Points: Points-based system where customers earn 10 points per $1 spent, redeemable for free food items and exclusive perks through the rewards marketplace.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill operates a fast-casual restaurant chain selling made-to-order tacos, burritos, bowls, salads, and sides prepared with organic, natural, and local ingredients cooked over stone-fired ovens and mesquite grills. The company runs 21 corporate and franchised locations in California and Nevada, supported by an online ordering and loyalty rewards app, an online catering platform, and a nutrition calculator tool that lets customers customize menu items and view ingredient transparency.

Product overview

Sharky's is a multi-location fast-casual restaurant chain (21 locations primarily in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, plus Nevada) operating under the Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill brand. The company offers its core restaurant products (tacos, burritos, bowls, and Mexican dishes) alongside several integrated service modules: Sharky's Rewards and Fin-Addict loyalty programs for customer retention, Catering services for events and group orders, a Nutrition Calculator for dietary tracking, Franchise opportunities for expansion, and Fundraiser Programs for community engagement. All menu items emphasize organic, natural, and local ingredients cooked in stone-fired ovens and grilled over mesquite.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sharky's Rewards: Loyalty rewards program that allows members to earn points, unlock perks, and redeem exclusive rewards when ordering Sharky's.
• Fin-Addict Card

Products and services

• Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill Restaurant Fast-casual restaurant offering made-to-order tacos, burritos, bowls, salads, and sides prepared with organic, natural and local ingredients cooked in stone-fired ovens and over mesquite grills; available dine-in, pickup, and delivery through company-owned and franchised locations.
• Sharky's Catering Catering service for corporate meetings, team lunches, events, school/athletic gatherings, and private parties; offers Taco Party Packs, Burrito Party Packs, Fajita Bars, and build-your-own options for groups of 6-8+, with delivery and pickup; requires 24-hour advance notice and $100 minimum for delivery.
• Sharky's Franchise Program Franchise opportunity offering qualified multi-unit operators site selection, design/construction support, training, marketing support, and purchasing/distribution assistance; $40,000 franchise fee for first location plus 5% royalty and 1.5% marketing fund on net sales, with area development agreements for 3-5 or 6-10 locations.
• Sharky's Rewards Loyalty Program Free-to-join loyalty program (powered by Thanx) that awards 10 points per $1 spent with automatic card-linking recognition at checkout, redeemable for free food items starting at 600 points; includes birthday rewards, exclusive offers, and early access to new menu items via iOS and Android apps.
• Sharky's Fundraiser Programs Community fundraising programs (Guacamole Smash Nights, Fin-Tastic Fundraiser Nights) for schools, sports teams, and community organizations; qualifying groups receive 20% of sales proceeds plus additional per-item bonuses.
• Sharky's Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards (managed via MyGuestAccount) redeemable for food and beverages at any Sharky's location; customers can purchase, register, and check balances online.

Quantifiable outcome

• 120% revenue growth for Sharky's across multiple locations within three months
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BAM Media GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBAM Media Group executed organic social media and zero-cash influencer campaigns for Sharky's, generating 120% revenue growth across multiple locations within three months. The campaign activated 60-70+ trade-based influencers, produced millions of video views organically, and reduced cost-per-result by 78% using top-performing organic content as paid ad creative.
• Cushman & Wakefield | ThalhimerminorOthersCommercial real estate firm that facilitated lease transactions for Sharky's locations in the Richmond, Virginia area, including transactions in City of Richmond, Chesterfield County, Ashland, and Henrico County.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cafe Rio Fresh Modern Mexican: Fast-casual Mexican chain with made-from-scratch positioning comparable to Sharky's ingredient-quality narrative. Similar menu architecture (burritos, tacos, salads) and customer demographic.
• Freebirds World Burrito: Fast-casual burrito chain with customizable menu and similar order-at-counter service model. Comparable in scale and category overlap with Sharky's core burrito/taco offerings.
• Rubio's Coastal Grill: SoCal-founded fast-casal Mexican chain with similar fresh, coastal/grilled positioning and regional roots. Comparable in scale (~150 units) and better-for-you menu philosophy.
• Wahoo's Fish Taco: SoCal-based fast-casual Mexican chain with surf-inspired menu and a similar regional footprint in California. Closely comparable brand heritage and geographic concentration risk.
• Qdoba Mexican Eats: Direct fast-casual Mexican competitor with similar menu architecture (tacos, burritos, bowls) and a comparable multi-unit franchise system. Closely aligned service model and price tier to Sharky's.
• Moe's Southwest Grill: Fast-casual Mexican chain with ~700+ units offering burritos, tacos, and bowls in a similar format. Franchise-driven growth model that closely mirrors Sharky's expansion approach.
• Baja Fresh Mexican Grill: Fast-casual Mexican chain emphasizing fire-grilled preparation and fresh ingredients - similar woodfire/grill cooking technique and quality-positioning narrative to Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill: The dominant fast-casual Mexican chain with ~3,500+ units. Direct competitor offering similar tacos, burritos, bowls, and salads with a build-your-own format. Operates at vastly greater scale but with less ingredient-premium positioning than Sharky's.

Broad incumbents

• Taco Bell: Mass-market Mexican QSR with 7,000+ locations and parent-company (Yum! Brands) supply-chain scale. Competes in the same consumer occasion but at a lower price point and faster service tier.
• Del Taco: Mexican QSR with ~600 units offering tacos, burritos, and value pricing. Direct competitor in the same consumer need-state but operating with broader product mix and lower price positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SharkysSocial
• Facebookfacebook.com/SharkysSocial
• Instagraminstagram.com/sharkyssocial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sharkys-woodfired-mexican-grill

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 Sharky's