KEBAB EXPRESS

What KEBAB EXPRESS does

Kebab Express Halal Grill is a privately held, family-owned halal Mediterranean restaurant chain founded in November 2017 by brothers Ramin and Freddy Wahab in Huntington Station, New York. The founder-operator Ramin Wahab previously managed multiple Kennedy Fried Chicken locations across New York City, and the chain's operating model reflects that QSR discipline applied to a more elevated halal Mediterranean concept. The company serves halal-certified kebabs, gyros, rice bowls (including a signature Tandoori Bowl and classic Chicken Over Rice), wraps, salads, kebab platters, Afghan specialties, and American comfort items (chicken wings, hamburgers, fries), with all meats sourced from halal-certified suppliers and chicken stock included in the halal certification. Menu items are prepared fresh daily and the kebab platters have been transitioned to 100% seed oil-free preparation as a health-positioning move.

The business operates four physical locations across the New York metropolitan area: Huntington Station (Long Island), Bleecker Street (Manhattan), Syosset (Long Island, opened 2024), and the Flatiron District (Manhattan, opened 2024). Manhattan locations run extended late-night hours (up to 3-4am on weekends), targeting late-night workers, students, and food enthusiasts. Revenue is generated through dine-in and takeout transactions, direct online ordering via a ChowNow integration on kebabexpressny.com, third-party delivery orders through UberEats and DoorDash (subject to marketplace commissions), and corporate/event catering with family platters. A franchise program has been launched to enable third-party operators to open additional Kebab Express locations, creating a licensing/royalty revenue stream alongside direct unit-level sales. Customer testimonials and a 4.9-star aggregate rating across 5,000+ customer reviews indicate strong consumer-side brand momentum in the NYC halal segment. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no public listing.

Name

KEBAB EXPRESS

Legal name

Kebab Express Halal Grill

Website

https://kebabexpressny.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Halal Mediterranean Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (722320), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSACAGAH

Specialty & Dietary Catering (Vegan, Kosher, Halal, Allergy-Friendly)

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Catering Coordination & Food Service (Non-restaurant)

Keywords

• Halal Mediterranean restaurant
• Kebab rice bowls
• Gyro wraps
• Halal catering services
• Middle Eastern cuisine

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntington Station

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and Takeout Sales: Direct food sales from restaurant locations including dine-in, takeout, and delivery orders placed directly with the restaurant.
2. Third-party Delivery Platform Orders: Orders received through UberEats and DoorDash platforms, with the company receiving payment for food orders minus platform commissions.
3. Catering and Event Services: Halal catering services for offices, events, and parties featuring platters of chicken over rice, lamb, kebabs, gyros, mixed grills, and family-style meals.
4. Franchise Fees: Revenue from franchise opportunities, allowing entrepreneurs to open Kebab Express locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kebab Express Halal Grill is a family-owned halal Mediterranean restaurant chain operating four dine-in/takeout locations across Manhattan (Bleecker Street, Flatiron District) and Long Island (Huntington Station, Syosset). The company serves 100% halal-certified kebabs, gyros, rice bowls, salad bowls, wraps, platters, and family-style meals prepared fresh daily, with 100% seed oil-free kebab platters, and offers catering services for offices, events, and parties.

Product overview

Kebab Express Halal Grill is a family-owned Mediterranean restaurant operating as a single unified brand with multiple physical locations across New York City and Long Island. The core product offering centers on halal-certified grilled meats served in various formats: rice bowls (including the signature Tandoori Bowl and Chicken Over Rice), kebab platters, gyros, wraps, and salad bowls. The restaurant differentiates through a fusion concept combining traditional Mediterranean and Afghan kebab recipes (lamb, kofta, chaplee) with American classics (chicken wings, hamburgers, fries). Supporting offerings include Family Platters for catering/group dining and dedicated Catering Services for events. All menu items feature halal-certified meats, imported rices and spices, and are prepared fresh daily. The restaurant operates late-night hours across four locations (Huntington Station, Manhattan/Bleecker Street, Syosset, and Flatiron).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tandoori Bowl

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9 star rating from 5000+ customers

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• UberEatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery platform partnership enabling food delivery to customers through UberEats app. Available at Huntington Station and Syosset locations.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery platform partnership enabling food delivery to customers through DoorDash app. Available at Huntington Station, Manhattan Bleecker Street, and Flatiron locations.
• ChowNowsupportingTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering system integration through kebabexpressny.com using ChowNow platform for direct restaurant orders.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Halal Guys: Iconic NYC halal street-food brand (chicken over rice, gyro, falafel) with multiple carts, brick-and-mortar restaurants, and global franchised locations. Direct competitor for late-night halal Mediterranean takeout/dine-in customers in Manhattan.
• Boqueria: NYC Spanish/Mediterranean tapas and kebab-style restaurant group with sit-down locations in Manhattan. Overlaps with Kebab Express on Mediterranean positioning and Manhattan diner demographic.
• Naya Express: Fast-casual halal Lebanese/Mediterranean chain operating across NYC and other US metros. Competes directly for the same health-conscious halal Mediterranean lunch/dinner occasion with bowls, wraps, and platters.
• Pita Grill: Halal Mediterranean fast-casual chain in NYC serving shawarma, kebabs, and rice bowls. Comparable quick-service format and Mediterranean/halal customer base.
• Cafe Mogador: Brooklyn-based Mediterranean restaurant serving kebabs, gyros, and Middle Eastern dishes in a sit-down format. Overlaps with Kebab Express on menu and Mediterranean/halal positioning.
• Roti Roll: NYC-born halal Mediterranean/Indian fusion chain serving wraps and bowls at multiple Manhattan locations. Comparable fast-casual positioning, price points, and halal-certified menu.
• Mamoun's Falafel: Long-standing NYC-based halal Mediterranean chain serving falafel, kebabs, and shawarma at multiple Manhattan locations. Closely comparable menu, halal positioning, and neighborhood footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Shake Shack: Public fast-casual leader with multiple Manhattan and Long Island locations and strong late-afternoon/late-night traffic. Comparable fast-casual service model and footprint, but broader menu and substantially larger scale.
• Cava: Public fast-casual Mediterranean concept with bowls, dips, and pitas. Operates at scale across the US including the Northeast, and competes with Kebab Express on the Mediterranean bowl occasion.

Others

• Kennedy Fried Chicken: NYC halal fried-chicken chain where Kebab Express's founder previously managed multiple locations. Not a direct product competitor, but a comparable halal fast-food operating model and a known supplier/operator ecosystem in NYC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kebabexpresshalalgrill
• Facebookfacebook.com/kebabexpressli
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kebab-express-halal-grill

Compliance1 record

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 KEBAB EXPRESS