Bring The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill to New Zealand
About The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant franchise with 80+ locations worldwide. Founded by 3rd-generation restaurateurs, the brand combines Mediterranean authenticity with fast-casual accessibility through housemade preparation, fresh ingredients, and quality-driven execution.The brand is part of Big Flavor Brands and UFG (1,600+ franchise locations in 60+ countries), bringing Mediterranean culinary standards and ingredient integrity to accessible casual-dining format that appeals to health-conscious diners.
The Master License opportunity
A New Zealand Master License grants you exclusive development rights for The Great Greek across the country. You will open flagship locations and recruit, train, and support franchisees to build a Mediterranean restaurant network throughout New Zealand.Revenue streams include flagship location profits, franchise fees from each franchisee you recruit, and ongoing royalty income. New Zealand's mature restaurant market, professional franchise operators, and affluent urban consumers create favorable conditions for multi-unit network growth.
Why New Zealand?
New Zealand's restaurant industry is sophisticated and professionally operated. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and other cities have affluent consumer bases with high dining frequency and active interest in quality casual-dining concepts and international cuisines. New Zealand consumers value health-conscious dining and appreciate Mediterranean cuisine. The franchise model is well-established in New Zealand, with experienced multi-unit operators actively evaluating growth-stage concepts.For The Great Greek, New Zealand represents an immediate expansion opportunity into an English-language market with professional business standards and operators who understand quality, operational excellence, and brand differentiation—core to The Great Greek's positioning.
What this Master License delivers
- Exclusive development rights across New Zealand, a sophisticated restaurant and franchise market
- Access to professional, experienced multi-unit franchise operators
- Multiple revenue streams from flagship locations, franchise sales, and ongoing royalties
- A proven operational model with 80+ locations worldwide
- Alignment with New Zealand consumer preference for quality, health-conscious, and international cuisines
- Full training at UFG headquarters, plus on-site launch support
- Ongoing culinary, operational, and marketing support from the dedicated international team
- No language barriers or cultural translation needed in a professional English-language market
Your role as Master Licensee
- Open and operate flagship The Great Greek locations in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and other major cities
- Recruit experienced multi-unit restaurant operators and franchise groups
- Provide training and ongoing support on culinary standards, brand execution, and operations
- Establish relationships with quality ingredient suppliers across New Zealand
- Adapt marketing to New Zealand consumer preferences while maintaining Mediterranean authenticity
- Ensure brand standards for food quality, ingredient sourcing, and guest experience across all locations
Who this opportunity is for
The ideal New Zealand partner is an experienced restaurant operator or multi-unit franchise group with a track record in upscale casual dining, fast-casual, or contemporary restaurant concepts. This could be an established New Zealand restaurant company seeking growth-stage franchise expansion, a regional multi-unit operator ready to expand nationally, or a professional hospitality group. Prior Mediterranean restaurant experience is valuable but not required. What matters is operational excellence, understanding of New Zealand consumer preferences, the ability to recruit quality franchisees, and capital for flagship development.Training and support
Training begins at UFG headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, covering operations, culinary standards, supplier management, franchisee recruitment, and brand positioning. UFG then provides on-site support during your New Zealand flagship launches. Ongoing support includes access to proprietary culinary systems, supplier relationship guidance, marketing campaign support, franchisee development support, regular strategic reviews, and continuity with your dedicated international team. UFG has experience building franchise networks in ANZ markets.Take the next step
If you have the operational expertise, restaurant background, and capital to build The Great Greek into New Zealand's leading Mediterranean casual-dining franchise, request our Master License Information Pack or schedule a confidential discovery call.The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Celebrates Strong First Half of 2026
Mediterranean fast-casual concept continues milestone 15th anniversary year with domestic and international expansion, technology innovation, and momentum toward 100 locations
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill®, the award-winning fast-casual restaurant brand known for its elevated Mediterranean cuisine and hospitality-driven dining experience, announced today its notable performance through the first half of 2026, advancing franchise development, expanding its global footprint, driving strong sales growth, and earning multiple industry accolades. The brand currently has 92 restaurants open across 22 states and internationally.
During the first six months of the year, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill signed 20 domestic franchise agreements – including four multi-unit development agreements – totaling 30 future restaurants across high-growth markets, while also securing its first-ever franchise agreement in Massachusetts. Development activity included:
- Six locations for Nassau County, New York
- Five locations for Dallas, Texas
- Three locations for Naples, Florida
- Five locations spanning Omaha, Nebraska and Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Two locations for Bakersfield, California
- Single locations in Dothan, Alabama; Reading, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; Boynton Beach, Florida; Rocklin, California; Suffolk County, New York; and additional locations in New Jersey, California and Indiana
Building on its international growth strategy, the brand also signed a master franchise agreement for Guyana and seven Caribbean countries, further expanding its global development pipeline.
“The Great Greek is entering its next chapter from a position of real strength. Our franchisees are seeing the benefits of a differentiated concept with compelling unit-level economics, while consumers continue to embrace fresh, authentic Mediterranean cuisine,” said Bob Andersen, President of The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. “The restaurant industry continues to create exciting opportunities for brands that can deliver both operational excellence and a strong value proposition, and we’re confident The Great Greek is primed to lead that next wave of growth.”
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill also opened eight new domestic restaurants during the first half of 2026, welcoming guests in Cedar City, Layton, and Hurricane, Utah; Salem, New Hampshire; Chandler, Arizona; Bolingbrook, Illinois; Epping, New Hampshire; and Las Vegas, Nevada. Internationally, the brand opened its first restaurants in Australia and Egypt while continuing its expansion in Canada with an additional location. With these openings and a strong development pipeline, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill remains on track to surpass 100 locations open and operating by the end of 2026, marking another milestone during its 15th anniversary year.
Operational performance remained equally strong. Through the first half of the year, the brand saw increases in both same-store sales and same-store transactions for its franchised restaurants, reflecting continued consumer demand for its fresh Mediterranean menu and differentiated dining experience.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill also continued investing in digital convenience and menu innovation. The brand launched its new mobile app, providing guests with an enhanced ordering experience and expanded loyalty capabilities. In addition, its limited-time Seared Tuna Salad generated more than 2,500 transactions, demonstrating guests’ enthusiasm for premium seasonal offerings.
The brand’s strong positioning and sustained momentum earned its placement with several prestigious industry accolades. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill was recognized as a Fast & Serious brand by Franchise Times for the second consecutive year, and it earned a spot on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list for the fourth year in a row. The brand was also named as one of the top three Emerging Restaurant Chains in the U.S. by Datassential and appeared on Technomic’s Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report again this year, highlighting the brand’s continued rise among the nation’s leading restaurant concepts.
“Fifteen years ago, The Great Greek was built around a simple idea: serve exceptional food with genuine hospitality. Today, that vision has evolved into an internationally recognized franchise brand with remarkable momentum,” said Ray Titus, Chairman and CEO of United Franchise Group. “The team’s disciplined growth strategy, commitment to operational excellence, and focus on best-in-class franchisee support continue to position The Great Greek as one of the most exciting restaurant franchise opportunities in the industry.”
Get to Know The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill
