Döner Shack makes its mark internationally

The German street-food concept is proving to be a recipe for success in the UK

The fast-casual boom in the UK’s restaurant industry is becoming increasingly hard to ignore. A category packed with potential, fast-casual restaurants have become an important part of the dining experience and lifestyle and changed the way people eat and how ingredients are sourced.

Döner Shack, the German street-food concept, is one brand that is already proving to be a recipe for success in the UK. Launched in Leeds in 2019, with the most innovative systems and best-tasting products, the franchise has grown with two new sites in Manchester and Leicester since November 2020, serving unrivalled and ethically sourced ingredients with the convenience and speed that customers desire.

Spearheading the brand’s expansion, co-founder and managing director Sanjeev Sanghera is now fulfilling his vision for Döner Shack to become the number one kebab franchise brand worldwide. Not only does he anticipate being in every major city in the UK by 2023, but he is also looking to grow the business internationally.

The pandemic-driven boost in demand for takeaway and delivery food has prompted a wider and faster development.

Döner Shack’s multi-unit franchisees have ambitious plans to scale up the business and open between 10 and 15 new outlets this year while creating up to 500 jobs. Three flagship locations due to launch later this year are Glasgow, London, and Manchester, with many more in the pipeline.

“We’ve enjoyed incredible success in our venues in Leeds Trinity Kitchen and Manchester Arndale, and most recently with the new location at Leicester Highcross,” Sanghera explains. “We intend to replicate the same experience by bringing a new generation of street food to every location where we open a new site.

Every time we launch a new restaurant, we are completely taken aback by the initial support we receive, from both our staff and customers. Having seen the success of our sister restaurant, Döner Haus, in Manchester and Glasgow, we are now seeing equal attainment in our Döner Shack locations.

“We are evolving into a multi-site franchise business with big plans for the future and understand that now more than ever, people don’t want to compromise when it comes to quality, taste and their dining experience. It is for this reason that we have taken our time to perfect each of these elements, and only once we’re happy and confident that we can provide the best customer experience, will we open the doors to our restaurants.”

Staying ahead of the times

Döner Shack is a highly systemised, simple, and easily scalable business model. It is pioneering in its innovation and technology and is one of the most fashionable and profitable fast-casual concepts in the food industry. The network of multi-unit franchise partners is growing in the UK and rapidly gaining a valuable reputation as one of the leading franchise brands in the fast-casual restaurant sector.

Sanjeev’s approach has centred around his knowledge and expertise of the latest technological trends and innovations; as shown by the brand being the first kebab restaurant in the UK to introduce robotics and advanced operating procedures to prepare the food in its kitchens. The franchisor is constantly driving toward greater efficiency in its restaurants and to ensure its speed of service is best in class, as well as creating a safe and simple place to work. Delivering good food is always objective number one at the organisation, but ensuring convenience is maintained is a close second.

“The footfall in our restaurants is proof that we are providing our customers with a desirable product offering in a cool and contemporary environment,” says Sanjeev. “We serve up 3,000 kebabs per week per store, which demonstrates that people are loving the authentic taste of the Berlin doner kebab filled with freshly made quality meat, vegetables and signature sauces – something they would not expect from previous visits to a kebab shop.”

Overseas expansion

The pandemic has stimulated a desire for fast-casual brands to expand globally, and it has been widely recognised that success in the UK acts as a foot in the door to both Europe and the USA. With the demand for new food concepts and a strong proven business model, Döner Shack is now looking to expand to other territories across the pond with a view to open sites initially in New York and Florida.

“We are working in collaboration with a well-known American franchise professional to develop and identify the core American markets where we can open franchised outlets,” he says. “Depending on this success, we will then look to roll out the brand across America and then into Canada. International franchising is something that we have had as a goal for a long time, but before we progress with our plans, we needed to make sure that we had the fundamentals in place in our UK sites. It is essential that by building a strong foundation, we can be confident to deliver the Döner Shack experience anywhere in the world.

“The USA offers a huge opportunity for Döner Shack. We are really excited to be putting an international foot forward now, and it is our responsibility to be conscientious and make sure that we make it a good place for the brand internationally. The Middle East and Asia are also on our radar in the near future, and we are now exploring these areas to see if it is viable to expand into these countries too. We are so excited about the future – we have an appetite for success!”

Built for the future

Döner Shack is determined to change people’s perceptions of the kebab and for its lean high-quality kebabs to become an everyday option for eating out. From Glasgow to London and then Manhattan and beyond, the franchise aspires to be in so many more communities over the next five years. “We know the role fast-casual restaurants like ours play in employment levels and upskilling the next generation. We want to be a good business and neighbour that is committed to ensuring this remains the case as our growth continues with greater investment in our people and in our communities.”

At a glance

Established:

2017

Number of franchised outlets:

Four (100+ signed development agreements)

Location of units:

UK

Investment range:

£300,000-£450,000

Minimum required capital:

£200,000

Contact:

franchise@donershack.com