America’s Best Franchises (ABF) Brand Insight —
Fast-casual dining is a crowded space, but Mediterranean cuisine occupies a genuinely differentiated position within it. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is the category leader, with 85+ locations open and 200+ in development. The brand is built on third-generation family recipes and backed by United Franchise Group’s franchise infrastructure.
At a Glance
- Minimum Liquid Capital Required — $300,000. Liquid capital means readily available cash or cash-equivalent assets accessible without borrowing, selling a primary residence, or relying on future income.
- Ownership Model — Owner-operator or investor with qualified management in place. Prior restaurant experience is helpful but not required.
- Location Type — Fast-casual restaurant. UFG provides real estate assistance including demographic studies, site selection, lease negotiation, and full buildout support.
- Time Commitment — Full-time. Active involvement in operations and team management is essential during the launch and growth phases. Corporate provides ongoing marketing, vendor, and operational support.
- Experience Required — None in restaurants or food service required. Proven business or leadership success, financial readiness, and a passion for hospitality are the core qualifications.
Top 5 Reasons to Invest
- $1,375,187 average unit sales — highest unit sales of $13,077,647 per 2025 FDD
- 85+ locations open with 200+ in development — validated and expanding
- Made-from-scratch menu built on third-generation family recipes — strong brand loyalty
- United Franchise Group backing — 35+ years of franchise infrastructure
- Multi-unit and Area Developer growth paths available
About The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill was founded in 2011 in Henderson, Nevada by third-generation restaurateurs Nick Della Penna and Trent Jones, who brought 30+ years of hospitality experience and authentic Greek family recipes to the concept. United Franchise Group partnered with the brand to scale it nationally.
The menu is built around made-from-scratch preparation daily, with sauces, soups, dressings, and desserts all prepared in-house from family recipes. The brand serves dine-in, takeout, catering, and delivery, giving owners multiple revenue channels. With 85+ locations open and 200+ in development, expansion momentum is strong.
Why Franchise With The Great Greek Grill?
- Category leadership — Mediterranean fast-casual is growing rapidly with no dominant national brand. The Great Greek is positioned to own that space.
- Strong unit economics — average unit sales of $1,375,187, with the highest unit reaching $13,077,647 per the 2025 FDD.
- Health-conscious loyalty — the Mediterranean diet is endorsed by health organizations nationwide, driving deliberate, repeat-visit customers.
- Full corporate support system — site selection, lease negotiation, construction oversight, grand opening support, ongoing marketing programs, vendor management, and operational guidance from the UFG team.
- Multi-unit opportunity — 200+ locations in development with territory still available in most U.S. markets.
ABF Advisory Perspective
ABF Market Analysis —
The fast-casual segment is the most resilient part of the restaurant industry, positioned between QSR speed and full-service quality at a price point consumers maintain even during economic pressure. Mediterranean cuisine specifically benefits from the mainstream adoption of the Mediterranean diet, endorsed by the American Heart Association and consistently ranked among the healthiest eating patterns by nutritionists. The $259 billion fast-casual market projection by 2027 reflects genuine structural demand, not a trend cycle.
ABF Timing Insight —
The Great Greek is in a compelling expansion window, proven at 85+ locations with the brand infrastructure to support 200+ more. Average unit sales of $1,375,187 are a meaningful benchmark for a $650,000–$950,000 investment. The $300,000 liquid capital requirement reflects the reality of restaurant ownership. Candidates should ensure they have adequate working capital beyond the minimum. Operators with restaurant, hospitality, or food service management backgrounds will ramp fastest, but the UFG training system is designed to bring motivated newcomers up to speed.
Training and Support
Comprehensive training program designed to prepare owners for authentic Mediterranean restaurant operations from day one.
- Four weeks of initial training — two weeks of training at UFG headquarters in West Palm Beach covering business operations, food preparation, inventory management, marketing, and customer relations, followed by two weeks of on-the-job training.
- On-site grand opening support — The Great Greek team travels to the franchisee’s location for hands-on support during the grand opening to ensure smooth implementation and a strong launch.
- Real estate and buildout assistance — comprehensive support from demographic studies and site selection through lease negotiation, store design, construction oversight, equipment installation, and pre-opening staff training.
- Marketing and technology tools — customizable marketing materials, an easy-to-use POS system, and access to UFG’s corporate marketing programs support customer acquisition and brand visibility without requiring owners to build campaigns from scratch.
- Ongoing operational support — regular communication from the corporate team, vendor management, system updates, and access to industry conferences keep locations running efficiently as the business grows.
Franchise Owners that Thrive
- Restaurant and hospitality professionals — candidates with food service management, catering, or hospitality backgrounds transition naturally into the Great Greek model and accelerate their ramp-up.
- Business operators with team leadership experience — running a fast-casual restaurant requires consistent team management, quality control, and operational discipline. Strong leaders build the guest experience that drives repeat visits.
- Health and food-passionate operators — owners who genuinely believe in the Mediterranean food philosophy bring authentic energy to the guest experience and community presence that builds loyal customer bases.
- Multi-unit minded investors — the brand’s expansion and available territory provide qualified operators with the opportunity to build a meaningful portfolio before the best markets are claimed.
Who This Franchise Is NOT For
- Candidates undercapitalized for restaurant operations — the $300,000 minimum liquid capital requirement is a floor, not a target. Restaurant operations require adequate working capital cushion beyond the minimum threshold.
- Anyone unwilling to invest in the ramp-up period — the strongest Great Greek locations are built by owners who commit to their community presence, team development, and guest experience from the start. That early investment in the business is what drives long-term performance.
- Anyone below the financial qualifications — The Great Greek requires a minimum of $300,000 in liquid capital with a total investment range of $650,000 to $950,000. These are franchisor standards, not guidelines.
Franchisor Authority Disclosure
America’s Best Franchises provides guidance and introductions. Final approval criteria, financial thresholds, and territory decisions are determined exclusively by the franchisor.
Pre-CTA Capital Confirmation
By submitting this form, you confirm that you meet the liquid capital requirement of $300,000 established by the franchisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What makes The Great Greek different from other fast-casual restaurant franchises?
A: The Great Greek offers authentic Mediterranean cuisine built on third-generation family recipes in a fast-casual category dominated by burgers and pizza. Average unit sales of $1,375,187 per the 2025 FDD, combined with health-conscious Mediterranean diet positioning and made-from-scratch freshness, create strong differentiation. With 85+ locations open and 200+ in development, the brand has demonstrated consistent market demand.
Q. Do I need restaurant or food service experience to own a Great Greek franchise?
A. Prior experience is helpful but not required. UFG’s four-week training program covers all aspects of restaurant operations, food preparation, and business management before opening. Franchisees with hospitality or food service backgrounds tend to ramp up faster, but motivated operators without restaurant experience have built successful locations through the training system.
Q. What does the made-from-scratch model mean operationally?
A. Every Great Greek location prepares sauces, soups, dressings, marinades, and desserts fresh daily from third-generation family recipes. This commitment to freshness is the foundation of the brand’s customer loyalty and repeat visit patterns — but it requires consistent operational discipline and staff training to execute at the level the brand standards require.
Q. What multi-unit and development opportunities are available?
A. The Great Greek encourages multi-unit ownership and offers franchise fee discounts for operators opening multiple locations. Area Developer agreements allow operators to develop franchises across a defined region.
Q. How does UFG support the real estate and buildout process?
A. United Franchise Group provides comprehensive real estate support including demographic studies, site selection assistance, lease negotiation, store design and layout guidance, construction oversight, and equipment setup. This support reduces the complexity of launching a restaurant location for franchisees who are new to commercial real estate.
Next Steps
Complete the form below to request a qualification review and discuss territory availability for The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill.
This profile represents general franchise information. Individual results may vary. Refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.