Shawarma Press

What Shawarma Press does

Shawarma Press is a privately held fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain headquartered in Irving, Texas, founded in 2017 and self-described as the first authentic shawarma franchise in the United States. The company operates 11 locations across Texas, Kansas, and Georgia, including embedded units inside Walmart stores in Plano, Arlington, and San Antonio. Its menu centers on hand-stacked premium chicken and beef shawarma served in wraps, bowls, and plates, complemented by house-made falafel, hummus, lentil soup, salads, and a lineup of in-house sauces (Classic Garlic, Spicy Garlic, Tandoori, Tex-Mex, and Tahini). All meat is 100% halal-certified.

The underlying operating technology is conventional fast-casual infrastructure: traditional vertical rotisserie shawarma spits for core food preparation, paired with an online ordering website, iOS and Android mobile apps, and an active presence on the Hazlnut ordering platform. Customer access is multi-channel — dine-in, takeout, direct online ordering, mobile app, and third-party delivery via DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub. Catering and live-event services (corporate, weddings, cultural events) are distributed through Ezcater and an in-house offering called The Shawarma Show.

Shawarma Press makes money through four streams: (1) point-of-sale retail revenue at company and franchise restaurants, (2) third-party delivery commissions retained by the company, (3) transaction-fee catering and event revenue, and (4) franchise fees and ongoing royalties from franchise operators. The franchise model is actively marketed to entrepreneurs via a dedicated franchise website. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; menu prices and franchise investment amounts are quote-based. The company has received Stevie Awards (two Gold, one Silver), Top 100 Movers and Shakers, and Most Innovative Supply Chain recognition, and is pursuing a stated expansion to 50 US locations over five years.

Name

Shawarma Press

Legal name

Shawarma Press

Website

https://shawarmapress.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shawarma Press is a privately held, Irving, Texas-based fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant franchise founded in 2017, operating 11 locations across Texas, Kansas, and Georgia. It serves halal-certified hand-stacked shawarma wraps, bowls, and sides to individual consumers, families, and catering clients through dine-in, delivery, and franchise channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast-Casual Mediterranean Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (72232)

akta.pro primary industry

Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Fast Casual (THAFABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate & Office Catering (THAFAIAA)

Keywords

• Fast casual dining
• Mediterranean restaurant
• Shawarma wraps
• Halal food
• Restaurant franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Irving

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Restaurant Sales: Point-of-sale revenue from dine-in, takeout, and walk-in customers at 11 restaurant locations across Texas, Georgia, and Kansas. Menu includes wraps, bowls, plates, falafel, hummus, and beverages.
2. Third-Party Delivery: Revenue from delivery orders through third-party platforms DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub, as well as catering delivery through Ezcater.
3. Catering Services: Corporate event catering, party platters, lunch boxes, and drop-off catering services for events including wraps, pita pockets, Shawarma Melt, rice trays, baklava gift boxes, and full catering setups.
4. Franchise Fees and Royalty: Revenue from franchise development including initial franchise fees and ongoing royalty payments from franchise operators across multiple states.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shawarma Press operates a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant franchise serving hand-stacked premium halal chicken and beef shawarma in wraps and bowls, alongside house-made falafel, hummus, salads, soups, and signature sauces. The company also offers catering services, a live shawarma carving experience (The Shawarma Show) for events, gift cards, and franchise opportunities, distributing through 11 dine-in/takeout locations, its own website and mobile apps, and third-party delivery platforms.

Product overview

Shawarma Press is a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant franchise and the nation's first authentic shawarma franchise, headquartered in Irving, Texas. The company operates a multi-location restaurant concept serving hand-stacked premium chicken and beef shawarma, falafel, hummus, and homemade pastries. The product portfolio centers on shawarma wraps (Authentic Chicken Shawarma Wrap, Authentic Beef Shawarma Wrap, Tex-Mex Press Chicken Shawarma, Tandoori Press Chicken Shawarma, Falafel Wrap, Signature Hummus Wrap, Gyro Style Shawarma Pockets, Shawarma Melt) and bowls (Rice Bowls, Fries Bowls, Salad Bowls, Hummus Bowls, Chicken Kabab Rice Bowl), complemented by Mediterranean Salad, Lentil Soup, and Taziki Bowl. Supporting services include catering (party platters, lunch boxes, drop-off catering), The Shawarma Show (live carving experience), gift cards, and franchise opportunities. The company emphasizes in-house made sauces including Garlic, Spicy Garlic, Tandoori, Tex-Mex, and Tahini. With 11 locations across Texas, Kansas, and Georgia, Shawarma Press targets the growing demand for healthy, halal Mediterranean fast-casual dining in the US market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Catering Services Full-service Mediterranean catering offering for corporate events, parties, and gatherings, including party platters, lunch boxes, drop-off catering, and various menu items such as wraps, pita pockets, Shawarma Melt, rice trays, and baklava gift boxes.
• The Shawarma Show Live shawarma carving experience for events featuring an on-site professional grill setup, live carving, customizable buffet options, and full staff service, suitable for family celebrations, corporate events, weddings, and cultural events.
• Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards available at all Shawarma Press locations, suitable for birthdays, celebrations, and gifting occasions.
• Franchise Opportunities Franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs to own and operate Shawarma Press locations, including comprehensive training, marketing support, site selection assistance, and access to supply chain partners.
• Shawarma Wraps Menu Signature hand-stacked premium chicken and beef shawarma served in pita or flatbread wraps with traditional toppings and house-made sauces, including Tex-Mex and Tandoori flavor profiles plus vegetarian Falafel and Hummus wrap options.
• Shawarma Bowls Menu Shawarma served over rice, crispy fries, fresh salad greens, or hummus base with choice of chicken, beef, or falafel protein, plus Mediterranean Salad, Lentil Soup, and Taziki Bowl options.
• Sumac Chicken Shawarma Wrap Newly launched chicken shawarma wrap inspired by the traditional Mediterranean dish Musakhan, featuring sumac, a trending Middle Eastern spice.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership allowing customers to order Shawarma Press menu items for home delivery through the DoorDash platform.
• UberEatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership enabling customers to receive Shawarma Press orders through the UberEats delivery service.
• GrubhubcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership providing another channel for customers to order Shawarma Press food for delivery.
• EzcatercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatering delivery partnership for corporate and event catering orders, allowing businesses to easily order Shawarma Press catering through the Ezcater platform.
• WalmartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeveral Shawarma Press locations operate inside Walmart stores, providing foot traffic and convenience for Walmart customers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Naf Naf Grill: Middle Eastern fast-casual chain featuring shawarma, falafel, and Mediterranean staples; competes for the same customer occasions and Mediterranean-diet positioning.
• CAVA Group: Leading Mediterranean fast-casual chain with 300+ locations; most direct competitor to Shawarma Press in the Mediterranean fast-casual category, though at vastly larger scale and publicly traded.
• Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe: Mediterranean fast-casual franchise with 90+ locations across the US, comparable in menu (gyros, hummus, salads), service model, and franchise-driven scaling approach.
• The Halal Guys: Halal-focused Middle Eastern fast-casual chain competing in the same halal/Mediterranean category; closest comparable on the halal positioning that differentiates Shawarma Press.
• Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh: Mediterranean fast-casual franchise operating across multiple US states with a similar franchise growth model, directly comparable in category and unit economics.
• Pita Mediterranean Street Food: Mediterranean fast-casual franchise with locations across multiple states; comparable franchise-driven growth model and Mediterranean menu positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Chipotle Mexican Grill: Larger fast-casual incumbent whose customizable bowl/wrap format directly competes with Shawarma Press's bowl and wrap offerings; broad incumbent rather than a Mediterranean pure-play.
• Zoës Kitchen (CAVA-owned): Mediterranean fast-casual brand now owned by CAVA; comparable Mediterranean menu category but operates as part of CAVA's broader portfolio rather than as an independent specialty shawarma franchise.

Emerging players

• Habibi Halal Gyro: Halal-focused Mediterranean QSR concept with limited locations but direct overlap on halal positioning and shawarma/gyro menu offerings.

Regional players

• Mr. Pita: Mediterranean fast-casual chain concentrated in specific US regions with shawarma and Mediterranean wraps; comparable product mix though narrower geographic overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ShawarmapressDFW
• Instagraminstagram.com/shawarmapress
• TikToktiktok.com/@shawarmapress
• Xx.com/shawarmapress

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Shawarma Press