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7 Best Lebanese Restaurant Franchises [Cost, Fees]

Do you want to start a Lebanese restaurant business franchise but you lack ideas? If YES, here are 7 best Lebanese restaurant franchise opportunities for sale and their cost.

Lebanon can boast of having one of the most craved for cuisines in the United States of America hence the patronage of Lebanese restaurants. Although there are few Lebanese restaurants that are into franchising in the United States, but that does not stop you from finding a successful one.

There are a growing number of restaurants that have taken the American fast-food chain concept a step further by adapting it to the Lebanese context. They offer traditional Lebanese cuisine in a casual and trendy atmosphere – all at an affordable price.

As a matter of fact, if there is any ideal time to start a Lebanese restaurant in the United States via franchising, this is the time. This is because the market is still pretty much green and any serious investor is sure going to break-even in record time.

So, if you are considering buying the franchise of a Lebanese restaurant in the United States of America, here are 7 best Lebanese restaurant franchise to buy.

7 Best Lebanese Restaurant Franchise Opportunities for Sale and Their Cost

  1. Semsom Lebanese Restaurant

Semsom is a Lebanese fast-casual restaurant chain with about a dozen locations in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman and they have plans in place to open two more locations in New York City, according to The Wall Street Journal. Lebanese entrepreneur Christine Sfeir founded Semsom in 2008 and by 2011, the first franchise opened in Saudi Arabia, and Semsom quickly became the fastest-growing company in Lebanon.

The chain, whose name means “sesame” in Arabic, is due to open its ninth and tenth outlets in the near future, combining Middle Eastern cuisine with American fast food ordering. With an ambitious expansion goal by 2022, Semsom is poised to make waves in the fast-casual marketplace. If you are interested in buying this franchise, you can contact them via their website.

Financial Requirements

  • Available on Request
  1. Mezza Lebanese Kitchen

Mezza is a Lebanese restaurant that is owned and operated by Tony and Peter Nahas. For over 25 years, their restaurants have provided a fast, healthy, and affordable middle-eastern experience for its customers.

Mezza Lebanese Kitchen accommodates dine-in, take-out, delivery, late-night, corporate and party catering in a fast-casual environment. Mezza’s brand has become recognized as one of the largest and fastest growing Lebanese restaurant chains in Canada,

Tony and Peter Nahas have established themselves as entrepreneurs in the quick-service food industry by currently owning and operating several successful food service businesses in Nova Scotia. Tony, an expert chef and construction guru and Peter, a finance and marketing maven have built an incredible brand that shows no signs of decelerating.

There are currently 10 locations in Nova Scotia: in the Halifax Shopping Centre, Burnside Business Park, Downtown Halifax, Scotia Square, Clayton Park, Sydney, Upper Tantallon, Lower Sackville, Cole Harbour and the Dalhousie Student Union. Additionally, there is also one location in Dubai.

Mezza’s mission is to provide a system of high standards, superior customer service and effective cost controls in order to maximize franchise owner profitability. If you are interested in buying this franchise, you can contact them via their website.

Financial Requirements

  • Available on Request
  1. Leila Lebanese Restaurant

Leila Lebanese restaurant is one of the Lebanese restaurants that is ready for the use market via franchising. Currently, Leila restaurant has four branches in Lebanon and sixteen branches across the Arab world spreading the taste of Lebanese food across UAE, KSA, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Leila Lebanese restaurant franchising system is structured in such a way that it can seamlessly support operations before, during ​and after opening in order to ensure rolling out the same standard policies.

Leila’s team helps with every step along the way, from choosing locations, restaurant design, orientation and training, equipment, along with field support and franchise services. If you are interested in buying this franchise, you can contact them via their website.

Financial Requirements

  • Available on Request
  1. The Halal Guys

The Halal Guys is a Lebanese inspired fast casual restaurant franchise that began as a halal cart on the south-east corner of 53rd Street and Sixth Avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.

The Halal Guys was founded in 1990 by Egyptian-descendent Mohamed Abouelenein, along with compatriots Ahmed Elsaka and Abdelbaset Elsayed. The Halal Guys franchise is most recognized by its primary dish which is a platter of chicken or gyro meat with rice, though it also serves a chicken or gyro wrap sandwich.

The Halal Guys franchise also has a cart on the south-west corner of the same intersection. New locations, both food cart and storefront, are being added throughout New York (including a storefront on 14th Street and Second Avenue) and around the world.

The Halal Guys hired Fransmart, the franchise development company behind the success and explosive growth of Qdoba Mexican Grill and Five Guys, in June 2014.

Within the first year of launching their franchise expansion campaign they closed deals for California; New Jersey; Connecticut; Virginia; Washington, DC; Houston and Austin, Texas; Chicago, Illinois, as well as international deals for Canada, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

In total this represents over 200 locations under development. If you are interested in buying this franchise, you can contact them via their website.

Financial Requirements

  • Available on Request
  1. Aladdin’s Eatery

Aladdin’s Eatery is a chain of franchised restaurants in the American Midwest and Southeast regions that specializes in Lebanese cuisine. Adapted to American tastes, the sites are fast casual restaurants that also offer take out. Aladdin’s Eatery was founded by Fady and Sally Chamoun in 1994.

Since then it has become an extremely lucrative chain of restaurants. Fady Chamoun had arrived in the US from Lebanon in 1972 and worked at Little Caesars full-time while studying at the University of Michigan.

The firm, Aladdin’s Eatery Systems, Inc, is headquartered in Lakewood, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Apart from Ohio, Aladdin’s Eatery also has locations in Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. If you are interested in buying this franchise, you can contact them via www.aladdinseatery.com

Financial Requirements

  • Available on Request
  1. La Tabkha

La Tabkha, seems destined to succeed in its franchise ambitions. The restaurant, which opened last December in Gemmayzeh, has seen revenues increase by 15 percent every month since it opened. There was a big demand for the home-cooked Lebanese stews that La Tabkha specializes in. Their cuisine specialties include moloukhieh, moghrabieh and kibbeh labanieh.

Aside from the food, La Tabkha’s success can be linked to its homey atmosphere and affordability. The average price per meal is $10, but the amount drops to about $7 for delivery. La Tabkha puts a great deal of emphasis on the delivery arm of its operations.

When La Tabkha started, it represented 30 percent of the business, but now it’s over 50 percent. It receives around 100 delivery orders a day and serves about 100 people in-house. If you are interested in buying this franchise, you can contact them via their website.

Financial Requirements

  • Initial Investment – $100,000 (the 98-square meter restaurant)
  1. Zaatar w Zeit

Zaatar w Zeit is largely credited with pioneering the (for want of a better term) Lebanese fast-food chain concept. It took a Lebanese staple, manqousheh, and turned it into an extremely profitable operation.

Donald Daccache, part owner of Zaatar w Zeit, said that he came up with the idea after contemplating the success of America’s most famous fast-food chain. “I thought about how McDonalds used a national product and franchised it.

That’s pretty impressive considering that the company – which now boasts four seated outlets and one delivery kitchen – was established just five years ago. Its first outlet, which opened in 1999 in Sodeco, was an instant success. The 25-seat place quickly became a popular hangout with young people.

Just one year later, a second 35-seat outlet was opened in Kaslik. It was followed by an 80-seat outlet on Bliss Street and a 120-seat outlet in Zalka. If you are interested in buying this franchise, you can contact them via their website.

Financial Requirements

  • Initial Investment – $100,000 – $300,000