The Real Greek
The Real Greek is a UK casual dining chain operating 19 restaurants serving authentic Greek souvlaki, meze, and sharing dishes to families, theatregoers, office workers, and delivery customers across England, with revenue from dine-in, takeaway, third-party delivery, gift cards, and party bookings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Real Greek does
The Real Greek is a privately-held UK casual dining chain operating 19 restaurant locations across England, founded in 1999 by the Buxton family with its first site in Hoxton Square, London. The chain serves authentic Eastern Mediterranean cuisine — primarily flame-grilled souvlaki, traditional meze, sharing platters, salads, and warm flatbread — using named Greek-sourced ingredients including PGI Epiros feta, Cretan extra virgin olive oil from Latzimas, Isle of Wight heirloom tomatoes from The Tomato Stall, Farsala lentils, and PGI Kastoria giant beans. Core menu tiers include the Filoxenia All Day Menu at £24 per person, a Weekday Lunch Menu at £13.50 per person (Mon-Fri 12-5pm), and a Kids Menu at £7.50; dine-in bills carry a discretionary 10% service charge.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through dine-in service, in-store takeaway, online click-and-collect (order.therealgreek.com), and delivery via three third-party aggregators (Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat), with reservations managed through the SevenRooms platform. Supplementary revenue comes from gift cards (£10–£250, sold in-restaurant and online at giftcards.therealgreek.com, 12-month validity) and party bookings for groups of six or more. Marketing leverages content (blog, cookbook published 2016), email newsletter, TikTok, and promotional partnerships including a 20% discount with The Odyssey cinema (through August 2026) and student discounts Sunday-Thursday.
Customers are segmented across families (kids-eat-free promotions), theatregoers (West End-adjacent locations such as Covent Garden, St Martin's Lane, St Paul's, Marylebone), office workers (weekday lunch menu), students, and delivery users. The brand centres its proposition on "filoxenia" (Greek hospitality) rather than price-led competition, with charitable partnerships — notably a long-running tie with Pancreatic Cancer UK (25p per Pork Skewer sold, in memory of late Operations Director Christos Karatzenis) and Hellenic Hope — supporting brand positioning. As of the available data, the company employs 199 people, is registered as The Real Greek Food Company Ltd. (England No. 04918527), is led by CEO Marcel Khan, and shows no evidence of external institutional investment.
The Real Greek firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Real Greek
- Legal name
- The Real Greek Food Company Ltd.
- Website
- https://therealgreek.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Real Greek is a UK casual dining chain operating 19 restaurants serving authentic Greek souvlaki, meze, and sharing dishes to families, theatregoers, office workers, and delivery customers across England, with revenue from dine-in, takeaway, third-party delivery, gift cards, and party bookings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Real Greek industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)
Keywords
Where The Real Greek is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices20 records
Markets served
The Real Greek business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Dine-in restaurant sales: Revenue generated from customers dining in at any of the 19 restaurant locations across the UK, including à la carte menu items, set menus (Filoxenia £24pp, Weekday Lunch £13.50pp), kids meals, and beverages including Greek wines, cocktails, and spirits. A discretionary 10% service charge is added to dine-in bills.
- Delivery and takeaway: Revenue from takeaway and delivery orders processed through Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat platforms. Customers can order full menu items for home delivery.
- Gift cards: The Real Greek sells gift cards at all restaurant locations and online at giftcards.therealgreek.com. Gift cards range from £10 to £250 and can be used for dine-in and online ordering (excluding delivery platforms). Gift cards expire 12 months from purchase.
- Promotional offers and partnerships: Revenue is generated through promotional partnerships such as cinema ticket offers (20% off with Odyssey cinema ticket) and student discounts, which drive footfall and customer acquisition.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Filoxenia All Day Menu - £24 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Weekday Lunch Menu - £13.50 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Menu - £7.50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Greek Breakfast - from £5.50 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards - £10 to £250 |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Party bookings - minimum 6 people |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Real Greek product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Real Greek operates a chain of 19 full-service casual dining restaurants across the UK serving authentic Greek cuisine including flame-grilled souvlaki, traditional meze sharing platters, Greek salads, and Mediterranean flatbreads at accessible price points. The company offers multiple dining channels including dine-in service, takeaway collection, and home delivery through third-party platforms, complemented by set menus such as the £13.50 Weekday Lunch, £24 Filoxenia All Day, and £7.50 Kids Menu.
Product overview
The Real Greek is a UK-based Greek restaurant chain offering authentic Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. The core product is full-service dining featuring flame-grilled souvlaki, traditional meze, and sharing-style Greek dishes. The main product offerings include the Filoxenia All Day Menu (£24pp), Weekday Lunch Menu (£13.50pp), and Kids Menu (£7.50). Additional services encompass party bookings for groups of 6+, gift cards, delivery/takeaway via Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat, click and collect, and weekend Greek breakfast at select locations. The company also runs promotional offers including student discounts, kids eat free deals, and cinema ticket promotions. A charitable partnership with Pancreatic Cancer UK generates donations from Pork Skewer sales. The dining philosophy emphasizes 'filoxenia' (Greek hospitality) with dishes rooted in authentic recipes from Greece and Cyprus.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Real Greek Restaurant Dining Full-service Greek restaurant chain offering authentic Eastern Mediterranean cuisine including souvlaki, traditional meze, fresh salads, warm flatbread, and time-honoured Greek recipes at 19 locations across the UK. Designed for individual diners, families, and groups seeking a casual dining experience rooted in filoxenia (Greek hospitality).
- Filoxenia All Day Menu Signature set menu priced at £24 per person, available all day every day. Includes one cold meze, one Greek flatbread, one souvlaki grill, and one side or salad. Represents the brand's authentic Greek sharing dining concept.
- Weekday Lunch Menu Value-focused lunch offering at £13.50 per person, available Monday to Friday 12-5pm. Features souvlaki grill plates and souvlaki wraps with sides, targeting office workers and daytime diners.
- Kids Menu Children's menu at £7.50 including main course, drink, and dessert. Main options include grilled chicken, loukaniko pork sausage, halloumi, and courgette fritters, served with chips and tomato/cucumber salad. Designed for children under 12.
- Souvlaki Grill Flame-grilled souvlaki offerings as both grill plates and wraps, serving as the signature dish since the chain's 1999 founding. Made for individual diners seeking authentic Greek street food at the restaurant.
- Siga Siga Summer Specials Seasonal summer menu featuring traditional Greek dishes to be enjoyed slowly (siga siga) with tsipouro. Designed to transport diners to Greece with Aegean sea-inspired flavours and tsipouro pairings.
- Gift Cards Gift card product available for purchase at all restaurants and online at giftcards.therealgreek.com. Loadable from £10 to £250, valid for 12 months from purchase, usable for dine-in and online ordering excluding delivery platforms.
- Party Bookings Private event and party booking service for groups of 6 or more with special party menus. Available at select locations including Bankside, Covent Garden, Marylebone, Soho, St. Martin's Lane, Westfield Stratford, Bluewater, Bracknell, Bournemouth, Manchester, Trafford Centre, Norwich, Southampton, and Windsor.
- Delivery and Takeaway Food delivery service through third-party platforms Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat. Also offers takeaway menus for collection from all 19 restaurant locations.
- Click and Collect Online ordering with click and collect service from restaurant locations, with full terms and conditions available at order.therealgreek.com. Allows customers to order full menu items for collection.
- Greek Breakfast Weekend breakfast service available Saturday-Sunday 10am-12pm at select locations, starting from £5.50. Introduces a daypart offering in addition to lunch and dinner service.
- Vegan Menu Dedicated vegan menu featuring traditional Greek cuisine principles with plant-based dishes including Santorini fava, jackfruit moussaka, fasolakia, braised artichokes, Cypriot Pourgouri, and jackfruit gyros souvlaki wraps. Designed for vegan and vegetarian diners seeking authentic Greek food.
- The Real Greek Cookbook Published cookbook featuring recipes from The Real Greek restaurants along with family recipes passed down through generations. Available for purchase at all restaurant locations and via Amazon.
Companies that use The Real Greek
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Real Greek technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
The Real Greek partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Pancreatic Cancer UKcoreThe Real Greek partnered with Pancreatic Cancer UK in memory of their Operations Director Christos Karatzenis who passed away from pancreatic cancer in March 2020. A special Pork Skewer dish was added to the menu, with 25p from each dish ordered donated directly to the charity. This partnership supports both immediate patient support through the charity's nurse-run Support Line and future research funding.
- Hellenic HopeminorPartnership with Hellenic Hope, a UK-based charity that helps Kids at Risk in Greece. For each Filoxenia Dinner Menu sold in restaurants, 10p is donated to the charity. This celebrates the filoxenia spirit of Greek hospitality extended to those in need.
- Plant Based PixieminorCollaboration with nutritionist and award-winning influencer Plant Based Pixie (Pixie Turner) to create an Ultimate Vegan Salad. Available from 5th July until 31st August 2018 at all restaurants. The salad features lentils, Isle of Wight heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, mint, parsley, olives, watermelon with lemon & olive oil dressing.
- Tonia BuxtoncoreExecutive Chef Alan May collaborated with Tonia Buxton (celebrity chef, face of Greek food in the UK, presenter of 'My Greek Kitchen') to develop the vegan menu launched in March 2018. The menu includes traditional Greek cuisine principles using excellent produce sourced directly from Greece.
- HotBoxminorHotBox collaborated with The Real Greek for an Easter Lamb Smokehouse Souvlaki. Executive Chef Alan May partnered with HotBox's legendary grill chef Lewis Spencer to create a unique souvlaki with flame grilled lamb shoulder, Greek yoghurt sauce, Katiki cheese, red pickled cabbage, and green herb paste. Available at Soho only from 12th-15th April.
- CookoovayaminorGreek fine dining restaurant from Athens. The Real Greek hosted a one-night-only event at Bankside in April 2016 featuring the Cookoovaya chefs cooking a four-course gastronomic feast. Another collaboration occurred in February 2020 at Tower Bridge with Father Epiphanios from Mount Athos and Cookoovaya chefs for a six-course Greek tasting journey at £50 per person.
- SunvilminorPartnership with award-winning tour operator Sunvil for competitions and giveaways. Sunvil creates handcrafted holidays to Europe and Latin America's hidden corners. Collaborations have included Greek island escape competitions offering holidays to Meganissi and Paxos with villa accommodation.
- The Tomato StallcoreAward-winning heirloom tomato supplier based on the Isle of Wight. The tomatoes are sustainably grown in the Arreton Valley where tomatoes have been grown for over 30 years due to fertile soil, maritime climate, and top UK sunshine levels. Growing system is entirely biodegradable. 'Flavour is foremost' ethos with up to 200 varieties grown annually.
- EpiroscoreAward-winning feta cheese producer from Epiros, Greece. Epiros feta is a PDO product (Protected Designation of Origin) made exclusively from sheep and goat milk. The most awarded feta cheese in the world with multiple Gold and 3-star awards from Monde Selection and iTQi institutes.
- LatzimascoreFamily olive oil company from North Mylopotamos in Rethymnon, Crete. Produces cold pressed extra virgin olive oil from the Koroneiki variety crop. The oil has been awarded on numerous occasions and is considered among the top quality and flavour oils in the world. Motto: 'Olive oil from its homeland!'
- Farsala lentils producerminorLentil producer from Farsala region in southern Larisa, Greece. The semi-mountainous terrain's microclimate and potassium-rich soil produces Greek lentils that boil easily and are renowned for their rich flavour. Traditional methods used with no fertilisers, dependent on rainfall for production volume.
- Kastoria giant beans producerminorProducer of PGI-protected (Protected Geographical Indication) white elephant beans from Kastoria in West Macedonia, Greece. Production is small and run by family-owned cooperatives. These beans are famous and sought after by all Greeks.
- Tims DairyminorCollaboration with Tims Dairy for dairy products. Details of the partnership are limited but noted as a supplier collaboration.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Real Greek competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wahaca: UK Mexican street food casual dining chain. Comparable as a UK-based ethnic-cuisine casual dining concept with sharing-style menu, multiple locations, and dine-in plus delivery operations.
- Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK): UK casual dining burger chain. Comparable unit count and UK casual dining positioning with dine-in, takeaway, and delivery operations.
- Pizza Express: Established UK Italian casual dining chain with ~200+ restaurants. Closely comparable in unit count, dine-in + delivery model, mid-market pricing tier, and high-street/shopping centre real estate footprint.
- Nando's: UK's largest flame-grilled peri-peri chicken casual dining chain with ~350 restaurants. Directly comparable as a UK-based ethnic-cuisine casual dining chain with similar dine-in/takeaway/delivery model, value menu structure, and shopping centre real estate strategy.
- Byron Burgers: UK casual dining burger chain. Comparable as a UK-based casual dining chain with similar middle-market positioning, omnichannel operations, and high-street real estate footprint.
- Comptoir Libanais: UK Lebanese/Mediterranean casual dining chain. Closely comparable as an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic-cuisine casual dining concept competing for the same 'Mediterranean sharing meal' occasions in the UK.
- Franco Manca: UK sourdough pizza casual dining chain owned by Fulham Shore. Comparable in mid-market pricing tier, regional UK expansion strategy, and casual dining positioning.
- Bill's Restaurant: UK casual dining chain with ~30 restaurants. Comparable as a UK casual dining chain with all-day dining positioning, family-friendly marketing, and high-street real estate.
- Leon: UK Mediterranean-inspired fast-casual restaurant chain. Comparable in naturally fast-casual positioning, healthy Mediterranean menu positioning, and UK shopping-centre/transport-hub real estate strategy.
- Zizzi: UK Italian casual dining chain owned by Azzurri Group with similar restaurant count, demographic targeting (families, couples, theatregoers), and omnichannel (dine-in/delivery/gift cards) operations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Real Greek social profiles
Digital presenceThe Real Greek compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The Real Greek financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Real Greek leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
The Real Greek funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Real Greek 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 The Real Greek
What does The Real Greek do?
The Real Greek operates a chain of 19 full-service casual dining restaurants across the UK serving authentic Greek cuisine including flame-grilled souvlaki, traditional meze sharing platters, Greek salads, and Mediterranean flatbreads at accessible price points. The company offers multiple dining channels including dine-in service, takeaway collection, and home delivery through third-party platforms, complemented by set menus such as the £13.50 Weekday Lunch, £24 Filoxenia All Day, and £7.50 Kids Menu.
Is The Real Greek a public or private company?
The Real Greek is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Real Greek founded?
The Real Greek was founded in 1999. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Real Greek based?
The Real Greek is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Real Greek make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dine-in restaurant sales are the primary driver. The others are delivery and takeaway, gift cards and promotional offers and partnerships.
Who are The Real Greek's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wahaca, Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK), Pizza Express, Nando's, Byron Burgers, Comptoir Libanais, Franco Manca, Bill's Restaurant, Leon and Zizzi.
Does The Real Greek have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Real Greek.
What industry is The Real Greek in?
The Real Greek's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAD, Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.