Pinchos
Pinchos is a Nordic restaurant chain operating approximately 70 franchised small-plates (tapas-style) restaurants across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Germany, distinguished by a proprietary mobile app that handles reservations, ordering, payment, and The Society loyalty program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersGothenburg, Sweden
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pinchos does
Pinchos is a Swedish-origin restaurant chain founded in 2012 in Gothenburg that operates a tapas-style, small-plates concept inspired by cuisines from around the world. It positions itself as the "world's first app restaurant": customers browse menus, reserve tables, place orders, and pay exclusively through the Pinchos mobile application (iOS and Android), eliminating the need for traditional front-of-house service interactions. The offering is anchored on a proprietary app platform that unifies reservations, menu browsing with allergen information, order routing, push notifications, payment, and The Society loyalty program (1 SEK/NOK/DKK = 1 point, 10 points per EUR; 300 points redeemable for one bonus tapas).
The business is run primarily as a franchise. Of approximately 70 restaurants operating across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Germany, more than 80% are owned and operated by local franchisees who access the Pinchos brand, supplier contracts, the Pinchoversity training program, central marketing, and the loyalty platform under a licensing model. Pinchos AB retains direct operation of a minority of locations and earns franchise fees and royalties from the network. Adjacent revenue lines include in-app digital gift cards (with personalized designs and scheduled SMS delivery), a take-away service at selected locations, and a corporate and group events business offering fixed-price taste menus (Meat Medley at 259 kr/person; Veggie Variety at 229 kr/person) for groups of ten or more, plus full-restaurant buyouts and bulk gift card sales. The company also operates two cinema-concession formats (Nyköping and Trelleborg) under partnership arrangements with local theater operators.
Customer segments are primarily general consumers (individuals, friends, families) seeking casual small-plates dining, supplemented by corporate and large-group bookings and a smaller celebration-events segment. Marketing is delivered through the proprietary app, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and The Society loyalty communications, with franchise recruitment handled via a dedicated franchise page. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no funding rounds, parent company, public listing, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or audited financials are reported in the source data.
Pinchos firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pinchos
- Legal name
- Pinchos
- Website
- https://pinchos.se
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Pinchos is a Nordic restaurant chain operating approximately 70 franchised small-plates (tapas-style) restaurants across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Germany, distinguished by a proprietary mobile app that handles reservations, ordering, payment, and The Society loyalty program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pinchos industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurant Chain
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus) (THAFAAAO)
Keywords
Where Pinchos is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gothenburg
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices55 records
Markets served
Pinchos business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue from serving small plates (tapas-style dishes) from cuisines around the world, along with drinks including cocktails, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options. Customers order via app and pay at table or in-app.
- Take-Away Service: Selected restaurants offer take-away service where customers order through the app and pick up at the restaurant. Take-away orders earn bonus points and can be paid with gift cards.
- Franchise Fees: Pinchos operates as a franchise concept with approximately 70 units. More than 80% of restaurants are run by franchisees, local entrepreneurs. Franchisees pay fees to access the Pinchos brand, business model, and support systems.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available for purchase in the app. Customers can set custom values and design personalized cards sent via SMS to recipients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Meat Medley Taste Menu - 259 kr per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Veggie Variety Taste Menu - 229 kr per person |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | The Society Bonus System - 300 points = 1 bonus tapas |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Pinchos product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pinchos is a tapas-style restaurant chain that operates as "the world's first app restaurant," serving small plates inspired by international cuisines. Customers reserve tables, browse menus with allergen information, place orders, and pay directly through a proprietary iOS/Android mobile application rather than via traditional table service. The chain runs approximately 70 units across Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Finland, with more than 80% of locations operated by franchisees under the Pinchos brand and business model.
Product overview
Pinchos is a tapas-style restaurant chain operating on an "app restaurant" model across approximately 70 locations in Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. The core product is the proprietary mobile app (iOS/Android) which unifies table reservations, menu browsing with allergen information, ordering, payment processing, and The Society loyalty program in a single platform. Supporting products include digital gift cards, takeaway service at select locations, and group/corporate event catering packages with pre-set taste menus. The company also offers a franchise program for entrepreneurs seeking to open Pinchos locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pinchos Mobile App Proprietary iOS and Android mobile application that enables customers to book tables at any Pinchos location, browse menus with images and allergy information, place food and drink orders, receive text notifications when orders are ready, and pay directly in-app without waiting for table service.
- The Society Loyalty Program Digital loyalty program integrated into the Pinchos app where members earn 1 bonus point per 1 SEK/NOK/DKK or 10 points per 1 EUR spent; every 300 points convert to one bonus tapas. Members receive birthday gifts, surprise offers, and access to Golden Ticket deals.
- Digital Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase within the Pinchos app. Customers set custom amounts, personalize designs with gifs, emojis, and messages, and schedule SMS delivery to recipients. Cards are valid at all Pinchos restaurants in the country of issue.
- Takeaway Service Takeaway ordering service available at selected Pinchos restaurants through the mobile app. Customers select their restaurant, browse takeaway-specific menus, place orders, and receive push notifications when food is ready for pickup. Bonus points are awarded on takeaway orders, and gift cards can be used for payment.
- Group & Corporate Events Private and corporate event services including taste menus (Meat Medley at 259 kr/person, Veggie Variety at 229 kr/person) for groups of 10+, full restaurant bookings for celebrations, birthday packages, and bulk corporate gift cards.
- Pinchos Franchise Program Franchise offering that gives entrepreneurs access to the Pinchos brand, business model, supplier contracts, central support, training (Pinchoversity), marketing, and The Society loyalty program. The company reports franchisee profitability running 5–6% above industry average, with more than 80% of approximately 70 restaurants operated by franchisees.
Quantifiable outcome
- Franchisees achieve 5-6% higher profitability than industry average
Companies that use Pinchos
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pinchos technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Pinchos partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pinchos competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TGI Fridays: Global casual dining chain serving varied international-style menu items in a bar-and-grill setting, broadly comparable to Pinchos' globally-inspired small-plates concept and group dining occasions, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- Applebee's: Large international casual dining chain offering broad menus with small-plates and shareable items, franchise-driven expansion model, and a loyalty program — broadly comparable to Pinchos in category and franchise mechanics, though not Nordic-focused.
- Hard Rock Cafe: Internationally recognized casual dining brand combining eclectic menus with a strong loyalty/merchandise ecosystem, comparable to Pinchos in delivering a branded, group-occasion dining experience, though at much larger scale and broader geography.
- McDonald's: Global QSR leader with a heavily franchised model and industry-leading mobile app for ordering, payment, and loyalty — comparable to Pinchos in franchise-led scaling and digital-first ordering, though at vastly greater scale and a different cuisine category.
- Starbucks: Global coffee chain with one of the most successful restaurant loyalty apps and mobile ordering/payment systems, comparable to Pinchos in demonstrating how a digital-first ordering and loyalty platform can drive repeat engagement, though in a different food/beverage category.
Regional players
- Waynes Coffee: Swedish café and light-meal franchise chain with multi-city Nordic presence and a digital/app-enabled ordering experience, comparable to Pinchos in Swedish franchise-driven casual foodservice and mobile customer engagement, though focused on coffee/light meals rather than tapas.
Direct peers
- Pitcher's: Swedish sports bar and casual dining franchise with broad menu and group/event focus, comparable to Pinchos in Nordic casual dining positioning and franchise-led multi-location presence.
- O'Learys: Swedish-American casual dining and sports bar franchise chain with multiple Nordic locations, sharing Pinchos' franchise-driven growth model and small-plates/bar-food menu approach in the same regional market.
- Harry's (Sweden): Long-standing Swedish casual dining chain with broad menus and group bookings, directly comparable to Pinchos on cuisine variety, dine-in group occasion focus, and Nordic restaurant footprint.
Emerging players
- Domino's Pizza: Global restaurant brand recognized for pioneering app-based ordering and digital loyalty, offering a comparable technology-led ordering and payment platform to Pinchos, but operating in a different cuisine (pizza) and delivery-heavy model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pinchos social profiles
Digital presencePinchos financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pinchos leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Pinchos funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pinchos M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pinchos
What does Pinchos do?
Pinchos is a tapas-style restaurant chain that operates as "the world's first app restaurant," serving small plates inspired by international cuisines. Customers reserve tables, browse menus with allergen information, place orders, and pay directly through a proprietary iOS/Android mobile application rather than via traditional table service. The chain runs approximately 70 units across Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Finland, with more than 80% of locations operated by franchisees under the Pinchos brand and business model.
Is Pinchos a public or private company?
Pinchos is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Pinchos founded?
Pinchos was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Pinchos based?
Pinchos is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Pinchos make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are take-Away Service, franchise Fees and gift Cards.
Who are Pinchos's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TGI Fridays, Applebee's, Hard Rock Cafe, McDonald's and Starbucks. Waynes Coffee is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Pitcher's, O'Learys and Harry's (Sweden). Domino's Pizza is listed as an emerging player.
Does Pinchos have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pinchos.
What industry is Pinchos in?
Pinchos's product category is Casual Dining Restaurant Chain. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAAAO, Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus). Its NAICS code is 722513.