New QSR Franchise Introduces Döner Kebabs to the U.S. with Streamlined, Tech-Savvy Model
Imagine an America without pizza. Or hotdogs or tacos. Yes, it’s hard to conceive of a country where these quintessential American favorites did not exist – but it once was true. Similarly, when Döner Haus founder and CEO Nikolaus von Solodkoff came to the U.S., he couldn’t imagine not having döner kebabs – the juicy, perfectly seasoned halal meat that’s slow-roasted on a vertical rotisserie and served in crispy pide, a traditional Turkish flatbread. Wildly popular in Germany after being introduced by Turkish immigrants in the 1970s, the döner craze quickly swept Europe. But it wasn’t available in the U.S. – until now.
Von Solodkoff saw the need, knew there would be demand, and did what any determined German-born entrepreneur would do. “After 10 years of being in New York, I’m like, OK, I should just bring döner kebabs to the U.S. And that’s what we ended up doing,” he says.
The New York Times reported in 1996 that Germany’s döner vendors were taking in more money on any given day than all the country’s McDonald’s and Burger King outlets combined, and the phenomenon has only grown since then.
“Döner kebab is the No. 1 street food in Europe and the No. 1 street food in Germany, of course. In Berlin alone, there are 16,000 döner kebab stores fueling a $6 billion industry. It’s massive, and it recently took over the U.K.,” von Solodkoff says. “And now, we’re bringing döner to the United States and we’re entering a completely untapped market. It really is something new.”
Hello Döner Kebabs!
Döner Haus, founded in 2023, opened in July of that year in Manhattan’s East Village. This flagship store did $1.9 million in sales the first year, with 19% net profit, according to Döner Haus officials. A second corporate location opened in November 2024 in Astoria, Queens, and a third will open soon in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan. With more than 1,000 franchise inquiries so far, the first franchisee has signed a multi-unit development agreement for two units, the first opening in Bayside, Queens. A Los Angeles-based investor group has signed on for 20 units.
Before opening, von Solodkoff had chefs develop the initial döner kebab recipe, and invited officials from the German Embassy and consulate to tastings “to make sure it’s of solid German quality and that it passed the German test, which it did on authenticity,” he says.
Von Solodkoff, whose background is in finance, admittedly has no prior food service experience, with the possible exception of a segue into the hospitality industry by co-founding the Embargo App, a European loyalty rewards platform. “I don’t know how to make food, which is why we got chefs to create the recipes. But I do know how to run a business,” he says.
Franchising was von Solodkoff’s goal from the start. “The idea was that we run it like a tech startup. Döner Haus is mega-streamlined,” he says, which provides numerous advantages for franchise owners including the following.
Döner Haus Advantages for Franchise Owners
1. Smaller, Flexible Footprint
Döner Haus focuses almost exclusively on takeout and delivery, with the possibility of a few tables outside, and stores can operate in as little as 700 square feet. Ideal locations are in urban areas with high foot traffic, but because there’s no inside seating, the footprint and design don’t have to conform to that of traditional restaurants, which must accommodate customer comfort and efficient flow for servers, for example. “The beauty of takeout and delivery is it allows you to get prime real estate locations at very, very discounted prices,” von Solodkoff says. “We are very flexible in terms of layout. The footprint can be elongated, it can be L-shaped. It doesn’t matter. All you need is a window to the street.”
2. Tech-Based Operation
Proprietary technology powers everything, including inventory control, kiosk and online ordering, automated royalty tracking and franchise dashboards. “We created it like a tech stack. We have all these things that typically only the big, big, big companies have,” von Solodkoff says.
3. Lean Staffing
With automated systems simplifying operations, only one to two cooks per shift are needed to run a Döner Haus.
4. Lower Franchise Fees
Döner Haus franchise owners pay a 3% royalty – half the amount typically charged – and 2% marketing fees, von Solodkoff says. “We believe that if we charge people a 3% royalty, something that seems fair to me, where they keep the majority of their profits and just pay us for the branding and the efforts we put into it, that way they can save more money. After one or two years, they’re going to have enough money saved to open the next Döner Haus,” Solodkoff says. “They’re going to say, ‘OK, this business has made me money. These people have treated me well.’ They know what they have and they would just replicate the concept.”
5. Demand for Halal Food
“Halal” is the Arabic word that translates as “permissible” under Islamic law. Halal certification ensures that products meet rigorous standards of cleanliness, safety and humane treatment of animals, which aligns not only with the values of Muslims, but also of many other health-conscious and ethically minded consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z consumers. The global halal food market size is projected to increase from $2.7 trillion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate of 8.92% to $5.91 trillion in 2033, according to IMARC Group, a global management consulting firm.
6. Focused Menu, Minimal Ingredients
The Döner Haus menu includes just three items:
- Döner kebab sandwiches in a choice of halal chicken, zabiha halal beef or mixed, served in a crispy Turkish pita pocket filled with red cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and creamy garlic sauce.
- Döner wraps including all the signature ingredients rolled up in a soft grilled tortilla.
- Döner boxes, which can include fries and meat (“the indulgent hangover fuel”) or a low-carb option with fresh salad and almost 50 grams of meat.
For information about franchising opportunities, visit the Döner Haus website.
