Makus Empanadas
Makus Empanadas is a privately held Argentinian empanada restaurant operating two locations in Durham and Raleigh, North Carolina, serving dine-in, takeout, catering, and frozen retail customers with allergen-conscious, always-baked recipes inherited from the founders' grandparents.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersRaleigh, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Makus Empanadas does
Makus Empanadas is a privately held, founder-operated Argentinian empanada restaurant founded in 2014 in Durham, North Carolina by three Argentine friends—Hernan, Santiago, and Ricky—who built the menu around recipes passed down from their grandparents. The company operates two physical locations (Durham and Raleigh) within the Research Triangle market, serving individual dine-in and takeout customers, families, and event-based catering clients. Its core product is hand-crafted empanadas available in 11 savory varieties plus add-on items (empadog, tequeños, chipa, churros), all baked rather than fried, with all SKUs available in a gluten-free version produced in a dedicated facility; the kitchen is nut-free, and no preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors are used. The business is supported by a Toast-powered mobile app for ordering, payment (Apple Pay/Google Pay), and the 2024-launched Makus Club loyalty program (5-10% monthly cashback), plus a BentoBox-hosted website with QR-code ordering, frozen 12-pack retail empanadas, and a full-service catering line with free delivery and setup across the Triangle area. The company has earned multiple Best of Durham awards annually from 2016 through 2025 across Latin/Caribbean Restaurant, Catering Restaurant, and Kid Friendly Restaurant categories, and remains founder-controlled with no institutional investment disclosed.
Makus Empanadas firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Makus Empanadas
- Legal name
- Makus Empanadas
- Website
- https://makusempanadas.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Makus Empanadas is a privately held Argentinian empanada restaurant operating two locations in Durham and Raleigh, North Carolina, serving dine-in, takeout, catering, and frozen retail customers with allergen-conscious, always-baked recipes inherited from the founders' grandparents.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Makus Empanadas is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Raleigh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Makus Empanadas business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dine-In and Takeout: Revenue from walk-in customers ordering empanadas, meals, and beverages at both Raleigh and Durham locations.
- Catering Services: Corporate events, parties, and gatherings with delivery, setup included, no delivery fees. Includes Makus Club loyalty program with 5-10% cashback.
- Online Ordering: Online orders placed through Toast Tab platform for both locations, including QR code-based ordering.
- Frozen Empanadas Retail: Sale of frozen empanadas for home preparation, available in gluten-free options. Sold in packs of 12.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Makus Meal - 3 empanadas with side, drink, and sauce |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Family Meal - 10 empanadas with 4 sides and 2 sauces |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Meal - 1 empanada or empadog with cookie/chips and drink |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Party Pack - 20 empanadas with 6 sides and 4 sauces |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gluten-Free Empanadas - 12 frozen empanadas |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Makus Empanadas product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Makus Empanadas is an Argentinian restaurant concept that sells hand-crafted, oven-baked (not fried) empanadas in eleven savory varieties, offered both as standard and gluten-free versions. The company operates dine-in and takeout restaurants in Durham and Raleigh, NC, supported by online ordering, event catering services, and retail frozen 12-pack empanadas for home preparation.
Product overview
Makus Empanadas is an Argentinian restaurant operating two locations (Durham and Raleigh, NC) with a core product of hand-crafted, always-baked empanadas available in 11 varieties including Beef, Chicken, Pork Chimichurri, Pepperoni, Bacon & Cheese, Ham & Cheese, Solo Queso, Onion & Cheese, Sweet Corn, Spinach, and Veggie. All empanadas are available in standard or gluten-free versions. The product portfolio extends through prepared entrees (Empadog, Tequeños, Chipa Bread), sides, sauces, and sweets (Cookies, Churros). Meal bundles include Makus Meal, Family Meal, Kids Meal, and Party Pack for catering. The business operates a catering service with complimentary setup and delivery, and a Makus Club loyalty program. Frozen retail empanadas (12-pack gluten-free) are available for at-home preparation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hand-Crafted Baked Empanadas
- Event Catering Service
Companies that use Makus Empanadas
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Makus Empanadas technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
Makus Empanadas partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Toast, Inc.coreToast provides the mobile app technology and online ordering platform for Makus Empanadas. The app handles order processing, payment processing, loyalty rewards, gift cards, and customer data. Toast hosts and stores customer information on behalf of the merchant.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Makus Empanadas competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Condado Tacos: Fast-casual Latin American restaurant chain with multiple locations and customizable menu. Comparable as a scaled Latin American fast-casual concept targeting similar use cases (lunch, catering, group dining).
- Moe's Southwest Grill: Large national Latin-inspired fast-casual franchise with hundreds of locations. Comparable as a scaled Latin American fast-casual brand demonstrating the operational and brand-building playbook Makus would need to pursue national expansion.
- La Boca Argentinian Steakhouse: Multi-location Argentinian restaurant group with broader menu (steaks, empanadas, wine). Comparable as an established Argentinian-themed restaurant operating outside a single metro, representing a scaled version of Makus's category.
- Buenos Cafe Argentinian Restaurant: Long-running Argentinian restaurant offering traditional empanadas alongside broader Latin fare. Comparable as an Argentinian heritage restaurant with authentic recipes similar to Makus's value proposition.
Regional players
- City Barbeque: Ohio-based but expanding fast-casual restaurant chain with strong catering arm. Comparable as a similarly sized multi-unit regional restaurant that has scaled catering and brand recognition outside its home market — a potential analog for Makus's growth trajectory.
- Bullritos: Southeast US-based Latin fast-casual franchise. Comparable as a regional Latin restaurant concept with similar menu DNA (empanadas, rice, beans) and franchise expansion model that contrasts with Makus's corporate-only structure.
Direct peers
- Empanada Mama: New York-based empanada restaurant chain with multiple locations and broad empanada menu. Directly comparable as a multi-unit restaurant specializing in empanadas with similar dine-in, takeout, and delivery model.
- Nuchas: Empanada-focused brand with restaurant presence, wholesale distribution, and frozen retail line. Highly comparable to Makus given the parallel restaurant + frozen retail CPG structure and Latin American heritage positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Makus Empanadas social profiles
Digital presenceMakus Empanadas compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Makus Empanadas financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Makus Empanadas leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Makus Empanadas funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Makus Empanadas 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 Makus Empanadas
What does Makus Empanadas do?
Makus Empanadas is an Argentinian restaurant concept that sells hand-crafted, oven-baked (not fried) empanadas in eleven savory varieties, offered both as standard and gluten-free versions. The company operates dine-in and takeout restaurants in Durham and Raleigh, NC, supported by online ordering, event catering services, and retail frozen 12-pack empanadas for home preparation.
Is Makus Empanadas a public or private company?
Makus Empanadas is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Makus Empanadas founded?
Makus Empanadas was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Makus Empanadas based?
Makus Empanadas is headquartered in Raleigh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Makus Empanadas make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dine-In and Takeout is the primary driver. The others are catering Services, online Ordering and frozen Empanadas Retail.
Who are Makus Empanadas's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Condado Tacos, Moe's Southwest Grill, La Boca Argentinian Steakhouse and Buenos Cafe Argentinian Restaurant. Regional players are City Barbeque and Bullritos. Direct peers are Empanada Mama and Nuchas.
Does Makus Empanadas have an API?
No public API is recorded for Makus Empanadas.