How QSR Technology Fuels Growing Döner Haus Franchise

Lean, Efficient Operations and Systemwide Consistency are Hallmarks of Brand’s Technology-Driven Model

A streamlined, technology-driven model has propelled the nationwide expansion of Döner Haus, a quick-service, Berlin-style kebab franchise. And, as the Döner Haus franchise moves into its next phase of growth, its innovative QSR technology becomes even more important to the system’s structure and support.

Since launching in New York City in 2023 and beginning its franchise push in late 2024, Döner Haus has awarded 53 locations, with six units under construction across the U.S. and a pipeline stretching across California; Florida; New Jersey; Long Island, N.Y.; Mississippi; and other developing markets. 

“Technology was a priority from the start because we wanted to build a restaurant model that could operate lean, efficiently and at scale. That applies both in the customer-facing experience and behind the scenes,” says Döner Haus franchise founder and CEO Nikolaus von Solodkoff.

“From day one, the objective was not to build a traditional restaurant and then layer technology on top later. The objective was to design a concept where technology is part of the operating model itself. That includes kiosks, streamlined ordering, reduced front counter dependency, better reporting, inventory management and tighter oversight across the business.”

A Craving … and an Opportunity

Von Solodkoff had no food service experience before founding Döner Haus. His background is in finance, including 20 years as a quantitative trader for banks and hedge funds. His segue into hospitality came by co-founding the Embargo App, a European loyalty rewards platform.

While living and working for a decade in New York, the German-born von Solodkoff craved something from home: döner kebabs, the enormously popular street food that had fueled an estimated $6 billion industry in Germany and swept Europe, but was still unavailable in the U.S. The entrepreneurial von Solodkoff recognized the opportunity to bring döner kebabs stateside. “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. And Döner Haus was born.

The brand’s organic, gluten-free, Berlin-style döner is made of 100% halal beef or chicken slow-roasted on vertical rotisseries and served in crispy Turkish pide pockets filled with red cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and creamy garlic sauce.

A narrowly focused menu is an important aspect of the streamlined Döner Haus franchise model. Another aspect contributing to its efficiency is the compact footprint required for stores. Technology plays a role here, as well as the brand’s takeout-and-delivery format, facilitating operations in as little as 700 square feet with flexible layouts particularly well-suited for high-foot-traffic urban areas.

QSR Technology Baked In

The Döner Haus franchise uses technology across the entire operation. On the front end, kiosks are a core part of the model, simplifying ordering, reducing front-counter dependency and supporting a leaner staffing structure, von Solodkoff says.

“Behind the scenes, we have built a broader set of internal systems that support how the store is actually run. That includes things like our own inventory system, which is designed to be fast and usable by trained staff, not just managers, and a franchisee portal that combines procedures, training videos and execution in one place. Teams can use it to verify tasks in real time, for example checking how to sharpen the blades and to handle functions like inventory directly within the system,” he says. “We have also built our own reporting layer around Toast to give us clear visibility across stores and focus on the numbers that actually matter day to day,” he says.

“Those are just examples. The broader point is that we have built a system around the business that makes stores easier to operate, less dependent on management and more consistent across locations.”

Technology a Distinguishing Factor

The Döner Haus franchise is distinctive among restaurant brands for its systemwide technology that was built into the infrastructure as part of the business model, von Solodkoff says.

“Many smaller restaurant brands operate with basic POS setups, spreadsheets and a lot of manual processes. Larger franchise systems tend to have more structure and better visibility, but that usually comes much later. We approached the business with that mindset from the beginning. The stores are designed around kiosks and a leaner operating model. Behind that, there is a broader system of internal tools, inventory, reporting, and a franchisee portal that supports both training and execution. The result is a more structured and more repeatable operating environment than what you typically see at this stage,” he says.

‘Not a Gimmick’

“For us, technology is not a gimmick. It is one of the reasons the Döner Haus franchise model can run with less labor, less friction and more consistency,” von Solodkoff says.

His philosophy reflects attitudes of many restaurant operators industrywide who increasingly prioritize technology that drives operational efficiency and profitability, rather than being a supplemental add-on, according to a 2026 survey of almost 500 food-service operators published by Nation’s Restaurant News. The survey indicates a shift in priorities from consumer-facing tools to back-of-house technology such as point-of-sale systems and inventory management that support a tangible return on investment.

“QSR technology only matters if it improves how the business actually runs,” von Solodkoff says. “Our focus has been on building a system, not just adding tools. That system supports a leaner store model, gives operators better visibility, and makes execution more consistent across locations. The individual pieces, kiosks, inventory, reporting, the portal are just examples. The real value is that they work together to make the business easier to run and easier to scale.”

For information about franchising opportunities, visit the Döner Haus website.