Moby Dick Umd, Llc

What Moby Dick Umd, Llc does

Moby Dick Umd, LLC operates the Moby Dick House of Kabob brand, a family-owned fast-casual restaurant chain serving authentic Persian and Mediterranean cuisine across more than 30 locations in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. The chain was founded in 1989 by Iranian immigrant Mike Daryoush in Bethesda, Maryland, originally as Moby's Luncheonette, before pivoting to its current Persian-focused concept after a traditional clay-oven-baked pita gained customer traction. Following the founder's death in 2019, his son Ned Daryoush assumed the CEO role and Alex Momeni serves as COO.

The core product is flame-grilled kabobs (chicken, beef, lamb, salmon, veggie), traditional Persian stews and rice dishes, fresh pita baked on-site in tandoor clay ovens at each location, and supporting sides, salads, and desserts. Operational infrastructure includes a centralized commissary in Hyattsville, Maryland that produces hummus and falafel mixture for distribution to all restaurants — using 31,000+ pounds of garbanzo beans, 3,000+ gallons of olive oil, and 1,000+ gallons of tahini annually. Supporting technology includes the Moby Dick App 3.0 (built with Level Up) for online ordering and a visit- and spend-based loyalty rewards program, third-party delivery integration with DoorDash (primary, including a "Dash Pass" tier) and Uber Eats, a corporate catering platform, and gift card programs.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with three primary revenue streams: (1) walk-in/dine-in restaurant food sales across all locations, (2) catering services for corporate events and private parties (trays for groups up to 100), and (3) online ordering and delivery. Pricing is per-item unit-based across individuals, family platters (with promotional discounts), and catering packages. Distribution is company-owned only — no franchise locations appear to be operational yet, though the company has engaged Spadea Lignana Franchise Attorneys to build a franchising program. The company serves a broad mass-market consumer base plus a smaller corporate catering segment, with no disclosed institutional investors or external funding.

Name

Moby Dick Umd, Llc

Legal name

Moby Dick House of Kabob

Website

https://mobyskabob.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Moby Dick Umd, LLC operates Moby Dick House of Kabob, a family-owned fast-casual Persian and Mediterranean restaurant chain with 30+ locations across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C., serving dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering customers with flame-grilled kabobs and fresh-baked pita.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Germantown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food Sales: Walk-in and dine-in customers purchasing menu items including kabobs, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and beverages at 30+ restaurant locations across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.
2. Catering Services: Corporate event catering, party catering, and holiday catering with customizable menu options including kabob trays, sandwich trays, appetizer trays, and dessert trays for groups of various sizes.
3. Delivery and Takeout: Online ordering, mobile app orders, and third-party delivery services (DoorDash, Uber Eats) generating revenue from food delivery to customer locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Moby Dick Umd, LLC operates a Persian/Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain selling flame-grilled kabobs, fresh-baked pita from clay tandoor ovens, and traditional Persian stews, rice dishes, sandwiches, appetizers, and desserts across 30+ company-owned locations in the Mid-Atlantic region. The chain supplements dine-in and takeout sales with a catering service for corporate and private events, a branded gift card program, and a proprietary mobile ordering app (Moby Dick App 3.0) supporting in-store pickup and delivery.

Product overview

Moby Dick House of Kabob operates as a fast-casual restaurant chain offering authentic Persian and Mediterranean cuisine. The core product is the restaurant dining experience featuring flame-grilled kabobs, traditional Persian stews, fresh-baked pita from clay ovens, and various appetizers and desserts. Supporting products include a mobile app (Moby Dick App 3.0) for ordering and loyalty rewards, catering services for corporate and event dining, and gift cards. The menu also features daily lunch specials, vegetarian options, and halal-certified meats (except gyro).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Moby Dick House of Kabob Restaurant Dining Fast-casual Persian/Mediterranean restaurant service across 30+ company-owned locations in the Mid-Atlantic, selling flame-grilled kabobs, fresh-baked pita from clay tandoor ovens, Persian stews and rice dishes, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and desserts to dine-in, takeout, and delivery customers.
• Moby Dick Mobile App 3.0

Quantifiable outcome

• Voted Best Fast-Casual Restaurant in Maryland by Restaurant Association of Maryland
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• D.C. UnitedcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2026Moby Dick House of Kabob is the Official Kabob Partner of D.C. United. Partnership includes in-stadium brand presence, fan engagement initiatives, community involvement through D.C. United youth camps, special promotions throughout the season, 'Home Wins Presented by Moby Dick' sponsorship, and 'Fuel the 90' stadium digital board messaging. Fans receive discounted tickets through dedicated offers.
• Too Good To GominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2021Moby Dick partnered with Too Good To Go, an app that connects consumers with surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away. This partnership supports Moby Dick's efforts to reduce food waste and help those in need, with Moby becoming one of the first local restaurants in the DC Metro area to join the platform.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDoorDash partnership includes contactless deliveries, 'Drop & Dash' service, and unlimited free delivery for Moby Dick 'Dash Pass' customers. DoorDash is the primary delivery partner for online orders placed through the Moby Dick website.
• Uber EatsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUber Eats delivery platform listed as an option for food delivery services.
• Spadea Lignana Franchise AttorneysminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMoby Dick collaborated with Spadea Lignana Franchise Attorneys for legal expertise to navigate franchise law complexities and develop a compliant franchising program.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CAVA Group: Public Mediterranean fast-casual chain with ~300+ U.S. locations. Most directly comparable peer — overlapping menu (kabobs, salads, pitas, hummus), similar service model, and identical target customer seeking healthy, ethnic fast-casual options.
• The Halal Guys: New York-originated halal fast-casual chain built around platters, gyros, and kabob-style proteins. Direct overlap with Moby Dick's grill-and-rice plate architecture and Middle-Eastern positioning.
• Roti Mediterranean Bowl: Mediterranean fast-casual chain serving rice bowls, wraps, and salads with kabob-style proteins. Comparable in cuisine, service style, and price point, with overlap in urban/suburban markets.
• Zoe's Kitchen (legacy): Mediterranean-American fast-casual concept (acquired by CAVA in 2018). Closely comparable in menu, service model, and customer demographic; useful historical benchmark for Mediterranean fast-casual unit economics.
• CavaMezze (Cava Mezze Catering): Mid-Atlantic catering arm specializing in Mediterranean and Persian menu execution. Direct comparison point for Moby Dick's catering line and B2B event offering.
• Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill: Middle Eastern fast-casual chain focused on shawarma, kabobs, falafel, and pitas. Highly comparable cuisine and service model with significant DMV/regional overlap.

Emerging players

• Hummus Republic: Emerging Mediterranean fast-casual franchised concept centered on bowls, pita, and hummus with a growing U.S. footprint. Comparable product architecture and demographic, but a smaller and earlier-stage brand.
• Tatte Bakery & Cafe: Fast-growing bakery-cafe concept with strong DC/Boston presence. Adjacent in Mediterranean-leaning menu and on-premise bakery/dessert pillar, competing for similar breakfast/lunch occasions.

Broad incumbents

• Sweetgreen: Public fast-casual salad/bowl chain with substantial presence across the DMV and other metros. Wider menu breadth but overlapping health-conscious, urban/professional customer base and competitive footprint in the same trade areas as Moby Dick.

Others

• Habibiz Persian Cuisine: Independent Persian restaurants and small chains in the DMV area offering kabobs and Persian stews. Adjacent providers and informal competitors for the niche Persian-Mediterranean occasion; useful demand-pool context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MobyDickKabobs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvnfqehUXD0cpv2n6idG6KQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/mobydickkabobs
• Instagraminstagram.com/mobydickkabobs
• TikToktiktok.com/@mobyskabob
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moby-dick-house-of-kabob

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 Moby Dick Umd, Llc