German Doner Kebab

About German Doner Kebab

The German Doner Kebab franchise has returned to the simple formula developed in Germany in the 1970s of delicious, healthy kebabs made from high quality ingredients, but which comes in at under 400 calories and contains virtually no preservatives or additives.

German Doner Kebab describes itself as a revolution in food that people can order all day long, from sit-down lunch to late-night takeaway. German Doner Kebab’s lean, succulent meat is exclusive to its restaurants, as are the secret sauces that set their products apart.

Kebabs is one of Germany’s most popular fast foods, beating out bratwurst and currywurst, and is available from 16,000 outlets. The lamb that was typical of the shish kebab in Turkey has became seasoned chicken and veal in Germany, served in a sauce and known as shawarma.

The doner kebab was the creation of Turkish immigrant Kadir Nurman, who was born in Istanbul and moved to Germany in 1960, aged 26, first to Stuttgart and then to Berlin where he worked as a mechanic for a printing press. At around the age of 40, Nurman set up a stall at the Bahnhof Zoo Station from which he sold der Döner, grilled meat — cooked on a vertical spit — and salad in a flat pitta bread, to busy Berlin workers.

In 2011, Nurman complained that he did not like modern kebabs because they contained too many ingredients.

What is the story behind the German Doner Kebab franchise?

The German Doner Kebab company, also known by the abbreviation GDK, was launched in 1989, with its inaugural store opening in Berlin. The first franchise was opened in Dubai in 2013 by Farshad Abbaszadeh, who had grown up in Germany and discovered the joy of kebabs after football training sessions.

An immediate success, the number of locations tripled in 2014 thanks to the appealing franchise model. German Doner Kebab now operates in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Sweden, Egypt and in the UK.  German Doner Kebab will be opening its first stores in the U.S. and Canada in 2019.

The first German Doner Kebab franchise opened in the UK in Birmingham in July 2015, followed a few weeks later with a flagship store at Fulham Broadway. New franchises rolled out in London and elsewhere over the next few months, and the total now stands at 30.

The UK presence of the franchise is run by one master franchisee, United Brands, a Glasgow-based cash and carry group owned by the Sarwar family who have built up an empire also including convenience stores, pubs, Asian restaurants and a pharmacy group. The company bought up the worldwide rights to the brand in August 2017.

The company plans to have 700 franchise stores in the UK and Ireland open over the next 10 years, and a further 1,500 stores worldwide.

How does the German Doner Kebab franchise model work?

German Doner Kebab franchise is a fast casual brand that hopes to become the number one kebab franchise in the world by providing food of consistent high quality and value and a great experience at their stunningly fitted-out stores where you can sit down and — thanks to the grill platform and doner preparation areas being visible to the consumer — watch your doner being prepared.

This makes German Doner Kebab franchises stand out, as most kebab outlets cater primarily for takeaway meals; German Doner Kebab customers are split 60/40 between sit-down and take-out.

Stores are generally between 800-2,000 sq. ft. but there is a smaller, 350-600 sq. ft., kiosk option.

How much does a German Doner Kebab franchise cost?

The level of investment, in the region of £250,000 + VAT and £300,000 + VAT, reflects the costs of fitting out, equipment, stock, small wares and a launch campaign, the figure depending on the size and location of the premises, seating capacity and the level of refurbishment required. This also includes the initial franchise fee of £20,000 + VAT.

Along with the franchise fee, the German Doner Kebab franchisor charges a royalty fee of 6 per cent each month and a monthly marketing fee of 3 per cent.

Although, the German Doner Kebab franchise is not offering any single unit opportunities at the moment. Rather, it is offering a multi-site development agreement (MSDA) with a minimum of a five-store commitment.

Did you know?

German Doner Kebab has outlets available across the UK

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What German Doner Kebab franchises are currently for sale?

Some franchisees may prefer to take over an already established business rather than begin a new business, thus avoiding the problem of finding a location and the costs associated with setting up.

To find a German Doner Kebab franchise for resale in your area, you can contact German Doner Kebab’s franchise team for up-to-the-minute details.

What financial help can a German Doner Kebab franchisee receive?

German Doner Kebab expects its franchisees to have liquid funds to cover the costs of their first store. Although German Doner Kebab does not offer any financial assistance itself, its successful franchise model means that it can steer franchisees to financial institutions that may be able to help.

What support and training does the German Doner Kebab franchise offer?

German Doner Kebab franchisees are supported by a highly experienced management team who will guide franchisees through the training, location opening and ongoing development programmes. The UK team was expanded in 2017 with the appointment into key positions of a number of senior managers with experience in leading global good and beverage franchise brands. At the same time, German Doner Kebab rolled out a fresher look and feel to its franchised stores.

German Doner Kebab is designed as a turnkey food franchise, and franchisees will be supported in finding a suitable premises for their business, design assistance and, once open, they will benefit from the supplier arrangements German Doner Kebab already has in place.

Marketing and branding support is supplied locally using an established network of agencies, including digital marketing, social media campaigns and promotions. Operational support is provided on an ongoing basis.

Where can you find a German Doner Kebab franchise in the UK?

German Doner Kebab franchise shops can be found in the following locations: Birmingham Moseley Road; Birmingham City Centre; Camden; Cardiff; Catford; Coventry; Croydon; Dundee; East Ham; Finsbury Park; Fulham Broadway; Ilford; Ipswich; Islington; Kilburn; Leicester; Luton; Mile End; Reading; Shepherds Bush; Slough; Southend-on-Sea; Southampton; Stratford; Swansea; Sutton; West Bromwich; West Ealing; and Woking. The latest opened in Milton Keynes in January 2019.

German Doner Kebab franchises will be coming to the following eight locations soon: Cheltenham; Edinburgh; Glasgow; Glasgow Braehead; Lancaster; Oldham; Plymouth; and Preston.

Who is the ideal German Doner Kebab franchisee?

German Doner Kebab is looking for resourceful, ambitious people who have experience in the food industry, ideally having experience of running restaurants to partner in franchises. The will to succeed and first-class people skills are essential.

What are the German Doner Kebab franchise’s terms of agreement and renewal?

German Doner Kebab is offering a 10-year franchise agreement with a minimum commitment of five stores. There is an opportunity to renew after that time.

How in-demand is the German Doner Kebab franchise right now?

The doner kebab is the most popular takeaway food in Germany, where more than 2.2m are sold daily, which equates to roughly €3.5 billion-worth each year.

Doner kebabs are also a post-pub favourite in the UK. When delivery service Just Eat announced that it had processed £1bn in takeaway sales in one quarter of 2015, the 51 per cent year-on-year increase was driven by sales of doner kebabs. Approximately 1.3m doner kebabs sold every day in the UK.

How can I get started on setting up my own German Doner Kebab franchise?

When approaching the idea of opening a German Doner Kebab franchise, remember that the company require a commitment to opening five stores in a territory. For further advice and to find out more, or to request further information on franchising with German Doner Kebab, click on the ‘Send Enquiry’ button now.