The fast-casual brand is continuing its growth during the pandemic, to finish the year stronger than ever.
German Doner Kebab (GDK) has announced plans to open 12 new restaurants throughout the U.K. before the end of the year, which will result in nearly 500 new jobs for the country.
This news comes after GDK experienced a strong year, despite the pandemic. Same-store sales in August increased thanks to the U.K. government’s Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, up 46 per cent from the same period last year, and total sales for August were up 139 per cent compared to August 2019.
As well as new locations throughout the U.K. in Liverpool, Nottingham, Bradford, Plymouth and additional sites in London and Edinburgh, 2020 has also seen GDK open new sites in Canada, Sweden, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“Our game-changing kebabs are revolutionising the kebab and we are excited to be announcing these latest growth plans,” said Imran Sayeed, CEO. “We have found ourselves in very challenging times; however, there continues to be a huge demand for the German Doner Kebab experience throughout the U.K. and our international growth regions. We are excited to build further momentum in our plans for growth and to be creating hundreds of new jobs throughout the country as we maintain our mission of building the fast-casual brand of the future.”
GDK currently operates 70 restaurants in the U.K., Europe, Middle East, and North America, and employs over 1,500 people throughout the U.K.; having opened 35 new restaurants across the past three years. The franchise also has a development pipeline of 350 franchise units over the coming seven years, so there’s no sign of slowing down.
“We have been incredibly agile and responsive to a fast-changing landscape during the pandemic,” said Sayeed. “We have always been primarily positioned as a dine-in consumer proposition, providing a new experience that appeals to a new generation of customers, who are attracted to our modern environment, healthy great-tasting food, and quick serving times.
“However, in line with the U.K. government’s guidance during lockdown we quickly re-modeled our offering to expand our click and collect takeaway and have had a huge response to our participation in the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which has reflected in our sales performance during August. Our recent performance is a testament to our wider strategy of product innovation, the ingenuity and speed of our operational team, and the support we have had from our partners.
“It’s certainly exciting times at German Doner Kebab; we are truly transforming the fast-casual dining scene through our game-changing kebabs and we are now perfectly positioned to expand our footprint and reach more consumers across the U.K. and our international growth regions.”
