empanada mama
Empanada Mama is a privately-held Colombian and Latin American restaurant chain operating six locations in New York City and Philadelphia, serving over 40 empanada varieties plus broader Latin fare via dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- Headquarters—
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What empanada mama does
Empanada Mama is a privately-held restaurant chain specializing in Colombian and Latin American cuisine, operating six locations across the northeastern United States — five in New York City (Hell's Kitchen, Lower East Side, Times Square, East Village, and Upper East Side) and one in University City, Philadelphia. The chain's core offering is a menu built around more than 40 distinct empanada flavors, supported by a broader range of Latin American comfort dishes, with select locations operating 24/7 to capture late-night demand. Pricing is positioned at the accessible end of the casual-dining spectrum, with empanadas priced at $4–$6 and most menu items under $10. The business is owned and operated by Socrates Nanas.
The company runs a multi-channel go-to-market model combining dine-in service, takeout, third-party delivery partnerships (UberEats, Grubhub, DoorDash), direct digital ordering through ToastTab and Order.Online, and a catering program targeting corporate and event clients. Customer segments are deliberately diversified — late-night diners, university students (Philadelphia), tourists and theater-goers (Times Square, Hell's Kitchen), Upper East Side residents, and corporate catering accounts — reflecting a high-volume, transactional retail model rather than concentrated-account economics. There is no disclosed technology platform, proprietary software, or AI/ML capability; the operating model relies on standard POS and aggregator integrations, and the company shows no signs of franchise, licensing, or external-capital-driven expansion.
empanada mama firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- empanada mama
- Legal name
- Empanada Mama
- Website
- https://empanadamama.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Empanada Mama is a privately-held Colombian and Latin American restaurant chain operating six locations in New York City and Philadelphia, serving over 40 empanada varieties plus broader Latin fare via dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
empanada mama industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Latin American Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Special Food Services (7223)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)
Keywords
empanada mama business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Customers dine at one of six restaurant locations, ordering directly from the menu. Revenue is generated through individual food and beverage purchases at point of sale.
- Takeout and Online Ordering: Customers place orders online through the company's website or mobile app for pickup at any location. Orders can also be placed by phone for takeout service.
- Third-Party Delivery: Partnership with delivery platforms including UberEats, Grubhub, and DoorDash enables home and office delivery. Commission-based revenue sharing with delivery partners.
- Catering Services: Corporate catering for office lunches, events, parties, and private gatherings. Large orders for events with advance notice. Customizable catering packages available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Empanadas |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combo Meals |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Catering Orders |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
empanada mama product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Empanada Mama operates a chain of Colombian and Latin American restaurants serving a menu of over 40 unique empanada flavors spanning Colombian, Cuban, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, American, and Greek varieties, complemented by arepas, Bandeja Paisa, Arroz Con Pollo, sides, salads, and dessert empanadas. The restaurants offer dine-in, takeout, third-party delivery, and corporate catering services across six storefront locations in New York City and Philadelphia.
Product overview
Empanada Mama is a Latin restaurant chain with 6 locations in NYC and Philadelphia, specializing in empanadas with over 40 unique flavors including Colombian, Greek, Cuban, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, American, and breakfast varieties. The core product is handcrafted empanadas available in wheat, corn, and dessert forms, complemented by arepas, Bandeja Paisa, Arroz Con Pollo, sides, salads, soups, and desserts. The company operates delivery services through UberEats, Grubhub, DoorDash, and Toast Tab platforms, and offers catering services for corporate events and private gatherings. Specialty offerings include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free empanadas, with limited-time seasonal flavors like the Piñaloca.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Empanadas Handheld Latin pastries offered in over 40 unique savory and sweet flavors spanning Colombian, Cuban, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, American, Greek, and breakfast varieties. Made fresh with wheat or corn doughs and house-made fillings. Priced at $4-$6 per unit, with most items under $10.
- Catering Services Corporate and event catering services offering empanadas, arepas, and Latin comfort food for office lunches, meetings, parties, and private gatherings. An empanada catering calculator assists customers with portion planning, and party packs and catering trays are available.
- Delivery and Takeout Services Food delivery and takeout services for the full empanada menu and Latin entrées, available through the company's own website, ToastTab, Order.Online, UberEats, Grubhub, and DoorDash for home, office, or event delivery.
- Piñaloca Empanada Limited-time dessert empanada filled with coconut cream cheese and sweet pineapple, inspired by piña colada flavors. Available exclusively at the Hell's Kitchen flagship location.
- Vegan and Vegetarian Empanadas Plant-based empanada offerings including veggie empanadas with spinach, bell peppers, and mushrooms, lentil empanadas, and spinach-and-cheese varieties for vegetarian, vegan, and other dietary-restricted customers.
- Gluten-Free Empanadas Gluten-free empanada options prepared for customers with celiac conditions or gluten sensitivities.
- Arepas Colombian-style corn cakes served warm in various fillings including shredded beef, black beans, cheese, and chicken. Naturally gluten-free.
- Bandeja Paisa Colombian-style platter featuring grilled skirt steak, chicharrón, chorizo, maduros, fried egg, avocado, rice, beans, and arepa.
- Arroz Con Pollo Colombian-style shredded chicken served with sofrito sauce, seasoned yellow rice, peas, onions, red peppers, and maduros.
- Dessert Empanadas Sweet empanada varieties including Nutella & Banana, Romeo & Juliet (guava and mozzarella), Belgian chocolate, caramel and cheese, and dulce de leche options.
- Sides and Appetizers Menu items including tostones, maduros, yuca fries, plantain chips, soups, and salads designed to complement empanadas and entrées.
Quantifiable outcome
- 24/7 availability at multiple NYC locations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use empanada mama
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
empanada mama technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
empanada mama partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UberEatscoreUberEats is a core delivery partner enabling Empanada Mama to offer food delivery to customers throughout their service areas. The partnership allows customers to order through the UberEats platform with delivery to their location.
- GrubhubcoreGrubhub partnership provides delivery services to Empanada Mama customers, expanding reach to Grubhub's existing user base in NYC and Philadelphia markets.
- DoorDashcoreDoorDash enables delivery services for Empanada Mama, providing last-mile delivery to customers ordering empanadas and other menu items through the platform.
- ToastTabminorToastTab provides online ordering and point-of-sale integration for Empanada Mama locations, enabling efficient order management for dine-in, takeout, and delivery orders.
- Order.OnlineminorOrder.Online platform integration allows customers to place online orders for pickup from Empanada Mama locations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
empanada mama competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dos Toros Taqueria: NYC-based fast-casual Mexican/Latin chain with multiple Manhattan locations. Directly comparable as a multi-unit NYC ethnic food concept serving budget-friendly handheld food to office workers, students, and tourists.
- Café Habana: Iconic NYC Cuban/Latin restaurant in SoHo and Nolita. Comparable as a Latin casual dining concept targeting a similar NYC demographic of tourists, nightlife patrons, and office workers with affordable ethnic cuisine.
- The Halal Guys: NYC-born street food concept famous for late-night carts and multiple storefronts. Comparable as a multi-location NYC handheld food brand with budget pricing, delivery partnerships, and broad tourist/late-night appeal.
- Joe's Pizza: Iconic NYC slice shop with multiple Manhattan locations and strong late-night presence. Comparable as a multi-unit NYC handheld food brand relying on budget pricing, late-night traffic, and delivery platform partnerships.
Broad incumbents
- CAVA: National fast-casual Mediterranean chain. Comparable as a scaled ethnic fast-casual concept using customizable menus, multiple revenue channels (dine-in, delivery, catering), and affordable per-item pricing.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill: National fast-casual leader in Mexican/Latin cuisine. Comparable as the benchmark for scaling a Latin fast-casual concept with delivery, catering, and digital ordering at scale.
- Sweetgreen: National fast-casual chain focused on fresh, customizable meals with strong urban presence. Comparable on multi-channel revenue model (dine-in, app ordering, delivery, catering) and urban office-worker targeting.
Emerging players
- Pincho: Latin fast-casual concept with a small multi-state footprint. Comparable as an emerging Latin handheld/sandwich concept testing the scalable ethnic fast-casual category in select US markets.
Regional players
- La Fonda Boricua: East Harlem Puerto Rican/Latin restaurant serving traditional plates. Comparable as an NYC ethnic restaurant concept offering affordable, authentic Latin comfort food with catering for community and office events.
Others
- Toast (POS platform): Restaurant technology platform used by Empanada Mama for POS and online ordering. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler providing the operating infrastructure underlying Empanada Mama's multi-location, multi-channel service model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
empanada mama social profiles
Digital presenceempanada mama financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
empanada mama leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
empanada mama funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
empanada mama 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 empanada mama
What does empanada mama do?
Empanada Mama operates a chain of Colombian and Latin American restaurants serving a menu of over 40 unique empanada flavors spanning Colombian, Cuban, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, American, and Greek varieties, complemented by arepas, Bandeja Paisa, Arroz Con Pollo, sides, salads, and dessert empanadas. The restaurants offer dine-in, takeout, third-party delivery, and corporate catering services across six storefront locations in New York City and Philadelphia.
Is empanada mama a public or private company?
empanada mama is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was empanada mama founded?
empanada mama was founded in -1.
How does empanada mama make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are takeout and Online Ordering, third-Party Delivery and catering Services.
Who are empanada mama's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dos Toros Taqueria, Café Habana, The Halal Guys and Joe's Pizza. Broad incumbents are CAVA, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Sweetgreen. Pincho is listed as an emerging player. La Fonda Boricua is listed as a regional player. Toast (POS platform) is listed as an others.
Does empanada mama have an API?
No public API is recorded for empanada mama.
What industry is empanada mama in?
empanada mama's product category is Latin American Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAD, Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5812.