Craft'd

What Craft'd does

Craft'd is a privately held, family-owned casual dining restaurant operator headquartered in Plainfield, Illinois, founded by industry veterans Barry Michael and Corey Knowles, who together bring over 40 years of combined high-volume restaurant and bar experience. The company operates two Craft'd-branded locations — at 16031 South Lincoln Highway in Plainfield and 2075 Marketview Drive in Yorkville — serving local consumers in the southwestern Chicago suburbs with scratch-made food centered on in-house smoked meats, an extensive craft beer program (20–30 taps depending on location), and hand-crafted cocktails. Craft'd is part of Major Threat Restaurant Group, which also owns Chop'd, Khaos Brewcade & Kitchen, and opened Fuse'd in Downtown Plainfield in summer 2024.

Revenue is generated through dine-in service, online ordering via ToastTab (with a drive-thru window at Plainfield), third-party delivery, off-premise catering with tiered party packages ($21.95–$32.95 per person), private event hosting, 21+ gaming rooms at both locations, gift card sales, and a free-to-join Major Players Rewards loyalty program. The technology stack is intentionally light: ToastTab handles online ordering, BentoBox powers the website, and no proprietary software, AI/ML systems, or data platforms are disclosed. Customer segments span local families, happy-hour seekers, gaming patrons, and event hosts, with marketing distributed across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, email, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and on-premise entertainment such as live music, trivia nights, Singo music bingo, and themed weekly specials.

Name

Craft'd

Legal name

Craft'd

Website

https://thecraftdlife.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Craft'd is a family-owned scratch restaurant group operating two suburban Chicago locations in Plainfield and Yorkville, Illinois, serving local diners with in-house smoked meats, craft beer, hand-crafted cocktails, gaming rooms, catering, and private event hosting under Major Threat Restaurant Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF), Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA), Beverage Services (Bar Catering, Mixology, Beverage Programs) (THAHAKAJ)

Keywords

• Casual dining restaurants
• Craft beer bar
• Smoked meats restaurant
• Restaurant catering services
• Private event venues

Headquarters

HQ city

Plainfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Dine-In Food & Beverage Sales: Primary revenue stream from serving food and drinks to customers dining in at two restaurant locations. Features in-house smoked meats, craft cocktails, and extensive beer selection (20-30 taps depending on location).
2. Take-Out and Delivery: Online ordering via Toast Tab platform for take-out and third-party delivery. Plainfield location has drive-thru window capability.
3. Catering Services: Catering for parties and events with advance ordering (48+ hours). Offers party packages and full catering menu for delivery or pick-up.
4. Gift Card Sales: Physical and digital gift cards sold directly to consumers, generating prepaid revenue.
5. Gaming: Gaming machines at both Yorkville and Plainfield locations for customers 21+, generating revenue from gaming entertainment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Craft'd operates two casual-dining restaurant locations in Plainfield and Yorkville, Illinois, serving scratch-made food built around in-house smoked meats alongside hand-crafted cocktails and 20-30 craft beers on tap. The restaurants also provide off-site catering, private event/party room hosting, an on-site gaming room (21+), and a loyalty rewards program, all under the family-owned Major Threat Restaurant Group.

Product overview

Craft'd is a family-owned scratch restaurant group operating two locations in Plainfield and Yorkville, Illinois. The core offering is craft beer and creative hand-crafted food centered around in-house smoked meats. The restaurant group, part of Major Threat Restaurant Group alongside Chop'd, Khaos Brewcade & Kitchen, and Fuse'd, provides additional services including online to-go ordering through ToastTab, off-site catering, private event hosting with party packages, gaming machines, a loyalty rewards program, and gift cards. Both locations feature dog-friendly outdoor patios with dedicated dog menus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Craft Beer & Bar Service Full-service casual dining with 30 craft beers on tap at Plainfield and 20 at Yorkville, hand-crafted cocktails, full bar, and scratch-made food built around in-house smoked meats, served to local consumers at two Illinois locations.
• To-Go Orders Online ordering and take-out service available at both Plainfield and Yorkville locations through the ToastTab platform, with call-ahead drive-thru service at Plainfield for local consumers.
• Catering Services Off-site catering for parties and events in the Plainfield and Yorkville areas, with party packages ranging from $21.95 to $32.95 per person and a full catering menu available for delivery or pick-up with 48+ hours advance notice.
• Private Events & Party Packages Private event spaces at both locations, including the Plainfield Indoor Patio (capacity 50), Yorkville Party Room, Yorkville Ale Room (capacity 20), and full restaurant buyout option at Yorkville, for business lunches, meetings, birthdays, graduations, and other celebrations.
• Gaming Gaming machines and gaming rooms available at both Craft'd locations for guests 21 and older, with extended hours on weekends, providing in-restaurant entertainment alongside dining and bar service.
• Gift Cards Physical gift cards (mailed within 1-2 business days) and digital gift cards available in $10, $25, $50, $100, and $200 denominations, never expiring and redeemable at both Craft'd locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 years of combined restaurant industry experience from founders

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Major Threat Restaurant GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Craft'd is owned and operated by Major Threat Restaurant Group, which also owns Chop'd, Khaos Brewcade & Kitchen, and Fuse'd (opening in summer 2024 in Downtown Plainfield). The restaurant group operates multiple restaurant concepts under unified ownership and management.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Yard House: National upscale-casual restaurant known for an extensive craft beer selection. Comparable as a broader incumbent differentiating on craft beer taps alongside a scratch food menu.
• Buffalo Wild Wings: National casual dining and sports bar chain with broad craft beer selection. Comparable as a larger incumbent operating in the casual dining + beer segment with multiple revenue streams like gaming-adjacent entertainment.
• Twin Peaks Restaurant: National sports bar/casual dining chain emphasizing beer selection and entertainment. Comparable as a larger operator in the beer-focused casual dining and bar entertainment segment.
• Dave & Buster's: National eatertainment chain combining casual dining, bar service, and gaming. Comparable as a larger incumbent operating a similar food + bar + gaming model that Craft'd pursues at a local scale.

Direct peers

• Half Acre Beer Company: Chicago craft brewery operating a taproom with food offerings. Comparable as a craft beer-led venue with on-site consumption in the Chicago metro area.
• Two Brothers Brewing: Illinois-based craft brewery with a taproom and food service in the Chicago suburbs. Comparable because it competes in the same suburban Illinois craft beer + food market as Craft'd.
• Revolution Brewing: Chicago-based brewpub combining a craft brewery with a full-service restaurant. Direct comparable because it pairs extensive craft beer selection with a scratch-made food program, similar to Craft'd's craft beer + smoked meats identity.
• Goose Island Brewhouse: Chicago brewpub offering craft beer brewed on-site alongside a full food menu. Direct peer because it operates the same brewpub/craft beer + scratch food model that anchors Craft'd's positioning.
• Piece Brewery and Pizzeria: Chicago brewpub pairing craft beer with a full kitchen. Highly comparable as a brewpub-style operation serving both food and craft beer in a casual, dine-in setting.
• Hofbrauhaus Chicago: Chicago brewpub with on-site brewery, German-inspired food menu, and live entertainment. Comparable because it pairs craft beer production with full-service dining and event-driven traffic.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thecraftdlife
• Facebookfacebook.com/thecraftdlife
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecraftdlife
• TikToktiktok.com/@thecraftdlife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thecraftdlife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Craft'd