From June 6-12, the rapidly growing fast-casual concept is highlighting its famous, vegetarian hand-crafted protein – the falafel. A staple of the Mid-East, this crispy ball of flavor features ground chickpea, jalapeno and onion lightly fried so that it’s crispy on the outside and soft and herbaceous on the inside. Naf’s house-made falafel is a delicious source of protein for those adhering to a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free diet!

If you are still wondering where to celebrate Falafel Day, Naf is making the decision easy and more rewarding by giving Naf Perk Members double Perks Points every day from June 6-12! Membership has its privileges. All you have to do to get in on the fun is be a Naf Perks member. Not a member? No problem. Simply download the Naf Perks App and join the Naf Nation. You’ll even get a BOGO just for signing up!

“We can’t wait to celebrate our favorite plant-based, crispy bites of deliciousness with guests on International Falafel Day,” said Devin Handler, vice president of brand marketing for Naf Naf. “Falafel is a cornerstone of our Middle Eastern menu and is an awesome gluten-free, dairy-free and unique star of any dish. Our famous falafel can be ordered on its own as a side or snack, as a topping for our new Topped Hummus or as a tasty vegetarian protein in a pita or bowl. We look forward to celebrating with everyone all week!”

What: Naf is inviting fans to enjoy its famous falafel this International Falafel Day. In addition, Naf Perk members can score double loyalty points throughout the week.

When: June 6-12.

Where: All participating Naf locations systemwide.

To learn more about Naf, visit nafnafgrill.com.

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill: Fan The Flame of Your Passion (and your appetite).

The post Discover, Delight & Share Naf Naf’s Famous, Crispy-Outside-Tender-Inside Falafel appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

Naf CEO Greg Willman announced today that the company signed an area development agreement with franchisee Danny Madanes and operating partner Dustin Gasper of Mama’s Restaurant Group, LLC to add seven locations throughout Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay to its rapidly growing pipeline of restaurants. The first of the new locations is slated to open in Madison in August 2022.

Madanes and team will also re-franchise Naf’s existing Wisconsin restaurant in Brookfield, ultimately resulting in eight total locations for the new group.

“We’re proud to grow Naf’s presence throughout Wisconsin,” Willman said. “Naf partners with strong, seasoned operators who share our ‘fan the flame’ philosophy and view being in the restaurant business as a calling. We look forward to Mama’s Restaurant Group breaking ground on several new restaurants in new markets and bringing more fresh Middle Eastern cuisine and warm hospitality to guests in Wisconsin.”

“Naf is an attractive, fast-growing brand that stands out in the crowded fast-casual marketplace,” Madanes said. “This concept puts quality food and adventure at the focus in an approachable, welcoming environment. Dustin and I can’t wait to bring this very special brand to hungry cities in Wisconsin.”

To learn more about Naf, visit nafnafgrill.com.

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill: Fan The Flame of Your Passion (and your appetite).

The post Naf Naf Inks Another Multi-Unit Deal. This time in WI. appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

Willman originally joined the Naf family in 2019 as the brand’s first franchisee. Already an accomplished restauranteur and operator, he quickly and successfully developed the first of his Naf restaurants in a new market for the brand – Indianapolis – proving the concept plays well in new markets. Shortly thereafter, he broke ground on a second location and was named CEO of the company in 2020.

Since taking over as CEO of Naf, Willman has made great strides for the brand in terms of menu optimization, technology and experience enhancements, not to mention navigating the unprecedented challenges of COVID. Under his steady leadership, along with his success in assembling an impressive executive team, Naf is preparing for an exciting growth phase in 2022 and beyond.

“I’m grateful to serve as CEO and board chair for Naf,” Willman said. “I’ve believed in this brand since I first became aware of it in 2017, which is why I wanted to help grow Naf as its first franchisee. I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve so far. I can’t wait to take on this new role and help drive the next stage of growth for the company.”

The exiting Beisler, who served as board chair since 2015, commented, “Greg is the right leader for this company. He understands what it takes to successfully grow an emerging brand, and his strong finance and operations experience, coupled with his passion for the Naf brand, will take this company to the next level.”

Willman was recently named one of the Most Influential CEOs in the country, according to Nation’s Restaurant News readers. A co-founder and CEO of 316 Investments, a private investment firm focused on early-stage opportunities, Willman boasts more than 20 years of restaurant experience successfully operating and investing in multiple fast-casual brands and was one of the first and largest developers of QDOBA Mexican Eats.

To learn more about Naf, visit nafnafgrill.com.

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill: Fan The Flame of Your Passion (and your appetite).

The post Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill Names CEO Greg Willman as Board Chair appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill has been welcoming guests to its table to explore the most delicious and nutritious Middle Eastern flavors since 2009. And with a savvy and seasoned leadership team at the helm, Naf is inviting more guests throughout the country to “fan the flame” as the award-winning brand prepares for an exciting growth phase in 2022.

Leading the charge is consummate executive CEO Greg Willman, who originally joined the Naf family in 2019 as the brand’s first franchisee. A co-founder and CEO of 316 Investments, a private investment firm focused on early-stage opportunities, Willman boasts more than 20 years of restaurant experience successfully operating multiple fast-casual brands and was one of the first and largest developers of QDOBA Mexican Eats.

Willman is hardly alone in Naf’s new venture, as he assembled a leadership team that’s a true force to be reckoned with. The executive suite boasts more than 160 years of collective experience mastering their individual areas of expertise at leading brands throughout the restaurant industry.

CFO Grady Metoyer brings more than 30 years of financial experience to the Naf family. He is joined by Senior VP of Operations Lisa McBeth-Rott, who was instrumental in achieving operational excellence at scale for QDOBA as it grew from 60 to 650+ units systemwide.

Grady is joined by another industry veteran with extensive experience in the franchise development sector, Steven Corp, Naf’s VP of franchise sales. Previously, Corp served as senior VP of franchise sales for Focus Brands, where he spearheaded development of global, multi-channel foodservice concepts like McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and more.

Rounding out the world-class team is award-winning branding and growth veteran Devin Handler, Naf’s VP of brand marketing. The man behind the brand magic is joined by VP of Ops Services & Training Chad Chmielowicz, who will lead the development of new learning programs for the forward-thinking concept.

“It’s not every day that an emerging brand of this size has the backing of such a talented and experienced leadership team,” Handler said. “I always say luck favors the prepared and our team is straight out of central casting. We are brand builders, and each of us is deeply committed to being involved in all day-to-day tasks as we work to help Naf reach its fullest potential and beyond. We are prepared and have huge, audacious plans for Naf in 2022, so stay tuned to see if we get lucky.”

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill: Fan The Flame of Your Passion (and your appetite).

About Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill

Naf is making fresh Middle Eastern cuisine a mainstream favorite across the United States. Inspired by tradition, Naf’s genuine hospitality paired with handmade dishes derived from Old World recipes create a welcoming atmosphere where guests are invited to fan the flame of culinary exploration. Every order is customized to the guest’s liking with choices of top-quality meats, like its award-winning Chicken Shawarma roasted on a vertical spit, to freshly ground falafel and pillowy pita baked in-restaurant throughout the day. Naf is headquartered in Chicago with 30 locations nationwide. For more information, visit nafnafgrill.com.

The post Best-In-Class Leadership Team Unites to Propel Naf Naf Grill Brand to New Heights appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

On the heels of new multi-unit deals in Charlotte and Atlanta Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill is continuing to “fan the flame” of its growing franchise family through additional expansion efforts in the Midwest.

With today’s announcement of two more multi-unit area development agreements, this time in Southern Illinois and Northwest Indiana, Naf adds eight new locations to its pipeline.

“We’re extremely pleased that we are able to continue our growth during an admittedly challenging time for our industry,” said Greg Willman, CEO of Naf Naf.

The quickly growing fast-casual Middle Eastern concept plans to open 15 to 20 additional franchised locations between now and the end of 2022. To learn more about Naf’s franchising opportunities, contact VP, Franchise Sales Steve Corp at [email protected] or visit NafNafGrill.com/Franchise.

“With our well-seasoned leadership team – excuse the restaurant pun – driving innovation and execution, there’s nothing but healthy growth on the horizon,” said VP, Brand Marketing Devin Handler. “It’s next best thing you didn’t know you loved. If you’re into roasted chicken, scratch-made sauces and fresh baked bread – you’re into Middle Eastern food and Naf.”

Naf Naf is making fresh Middle Eastern cuisine a mainstream favorite across the United States. Inspired by tradition, Naf Naf’s genuine hospitality paired with handmade dishes derived from Old World recipes blend effortlessly to create a welcoming atmosphere where guests are invited to fan their flame of culinary exploration. Every order is customized to the guest’s liking with choices of top-quality meats, like its award-winning Chicken Shawarma, slow-roasted on a vertical skewer, to perfectly crisp falafel and pillowy pita baked in-restaurant throughout the day. Naf is headquartered in Chicago with 29 locations nationwide. For more information, visit nafnafgrill.com.

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill: Fan the Flame of Your Passion (and your appetite). Let’s Share a Meal.

The post Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill Signs Multi-Unit Deal in New Midwestern Markets appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

Naf Naf franchisees have already opened seven franchise locations, and with today’s announcement of two new multi-unit development deals in Atlanta and Charlotte, Naf will add 13 new locations to its growing pipeline of restaurants.

“We’re thrilled that we’ve been able to continue to drive growth even during a very challenging time for our industry,” said Greg Willman, CEO of Naf Naf. “It’s incredibly important for us to continue to attract strong operators in key geographies to increase the footprint of the brand and to share our fresh Middle Eastern cuisine and welcoming hospitality with even more guests.”

The rapidly growing fast-casual Middle Eastern concept plans to open 15-20 franchised locations between now and the end of 2022. To learn more about Naf’s franchising opportunities, contact VP, Franchise Sales Steve Corp at [email protected] or visit NafNafGrill.com/Franchise.

“There’s a sizeable demand for Naf’s fresh and flavorful fare in a variety of formats and markets around the country,” said VP, Brand Marketing Devin Handler. “Prospective operators continue to be motivated to grow their portfolios with Naf. We’re really excited about the progress we’ve made in the development space, but we’re just getting started and look forward to continuing to build on this momentum.”

Naf Naf is making fresh Middle Eastern cuisine a mainstream favorite across the United States. Inspired by tradition, Naf’s genuine hospitality paired with handmade dishes derived from Old World recipes create a welcoming atmosphere where guests are invited to fan their flame of culinary exploration. Every order is customized to the guest’s liking with choices of top-quality meats, like its award-winning Chicken Shawarma, slow-roasted on a vertical skewer, to perfectly crisp falafel and pillowy pita baked in-restaurant throughout the day. Naf Naf is headquartered in Chicago with 28 locations nationwide. For more information, visit nafnafgrill.com.

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill: Fan The Flame Of Your Passion (and your appetite).

The post Naf Naf Inks Multi-unit Deals in Atlanta and Charlotte appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

Today’s a big day: Naf Naf in Brookfield, WI IS BACK OPEN as of Monday, 5/10! We’re so excited to be back & can’t wait to see you for some shawarma. Order online or via the Naf Perks app & we’ll see you soon!

4/19/21

Good news, Chicago: our Michigan Ave location is OPEN as of Monday, 4/19! Order online or via the Naf Perks app, and live it up!

3/15/21

Hey Chicago! Naf Naf in Presidential Towers is OPEN as of Monday, 3/15! We know it’s been awhile, and it’s good to be back! Order online or via the Naf Perks app, and enjoy!

1/27/21

Great news, Minnesota: Naf Naf at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN is OPEN as of Wednesday, 1/27! Order online or via the Naf Perks app, and enjoy getting your Naf On!

10/12/20

Three Naf Nafs are now open: 1919 Market Street in Philadelphia, PA; City Center in Minneapolis, MN; and Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL! Order online or via the Naf Perks app, and enjoy!

9/21/20

Good news, Ohio: Naf Naf in Parma is now open! Order online or via the Naf Perks app, and enjoy getting your Naf On!

8/24/20

Here’s the latest in reopening news from Naf: we’re open in Christiana, DE and Aurora, IL! Order online from Christiana or Aurora or via the Naf Perks app, and get ready for some fresh fluffy pita.

8/17/20

Two more Naf Nafs are back in action as of Monday, 8/17! Naf Naf in Glenview, IL and on Washington Street in Chicago, IL are now open. Order online from Glenview or Washington Street or via the Naf Perks app, and enjoy!

8/3/20

East Coast Naf fans: this one’s for you. We’re open in Marlton, NJ! Order online or via the Naf Perks app to get yourself some fresh pita.

7/27/20

Naf fans: we’re open in Mt. Prospect, IL! Order online or via the Naf Perks app. Enjoy!

7/20/20

Here’s the latest Naf news: we’re back open in Deerfield, IL! Order online from Deerfield or via the Naf Perks app. Hope we see you soon!

7/13/20

As of Monday, 7/13, Naf Naf in Eagan, MN and Mall of America (Bloomington, MN) are back open! Order online from Eagan and MOA, or via the Naf Perks app. Naf On, Minnesota!

6/30/2020

We’re back with another exciting update: as of 6/30, Naf Naf in Independence, OH is now open! Order online or via the Naf Perks app, and Naf On!

6/22/2020

We’re so excited to let you know that three more Naf Naf restaurants are open as of Monday, 6/22: Naperville, IL, Lincolnshire, IL, and U.S. Bank Plaza in Minneapolis, MN! Order online or via the Naf Perks app and enjoy!

6/8/2020

As we work on reopening all Naf locations, we’re happy to share that two more restaurants are open: Schaumburg, IL and Eden Prairie, MN! Order online or via the Naf Perks app to get your Naf On!

5/18/2020

The health and safety of our guests and teams will always be our number one priority. Since closing our restaurants in March, we have been working on a reopening plan that allows us to serve you the best flavors of the Middle East while ensuring safety is at the center of all our decisions.

Today, we are so excited to let you know that three Naf Naf restaurants – Rosemont, IL, Oakbrook, IL and Maple Grove, MN – are now open for pickup, curbside and delivery! You can enjoy savory shawarma, crispy falafel, handmade pita, and all of your favorite Naf eats by ordering online through the Naf Naf website or Naf Perks app. 

We’ll keep you up to date on reopenings, changes to our safety procedures, or any other pertinent information here. As we reopen Naf, we will be following all state guidelines to ensure your Naf experience is safe and delicious. Check out below to read more about what we’re doing to help keep you safe. And, as always, thanks for hanging in there with us during these unprecedented times. We appreciate your support and we look forward to serving you again at these locations – and more to come!

The post A Reopening & Safety Update from Team Naf appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

“We are thrilled that we have been able to drive growth during a difficult time for the industry,” said Greg Willman, CEO of Naf Naf. “It’s incredibly important for us to continue to grow with strong operators in key geographies to increase the footprint of the brand and share our great Middle Eastern cuisine and hospitality with even more guests.”

The addition of INAA Restaurant Group marks the ninth multi-unit development agreement for Naf Naf since launching its franchising program in the second half of 2019.

The INAA team has extensive business development experience with restaurants, real estate and retail in both domestic and international markets. They currently own and operate a large, privately held insurance company with locations across Texas. Their comprehensive experience as well as hyper-local understanding of the Dallas-Fort Worth market makes INAA an ideal fit to help with Naf Naf’s expansion plans.

“We researched numerous restaurant brands across multiple segments of the industry before ultimately deciding on Naf” said Aamir Rajan, INAA’s Operating Partner. “Naf allows us to align and grow with a clearly differentiated restaurant brand with fantastic food, run by a seasoned and successful management team.” Amir Didarali, Principal for INAA group also added, “Our vision for Naf Naf, like our other businesses, is to provide a best-in-class experience for the guest while also creating opportunities locally for individuals to grow within our organization.”

The post Naf Naf Grill Signs Multi-Unit Deal in Dallas appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

Article originally published in Franchise Times on Sep. 1, 2020
Written by Nick Upton

Almost exactly a year ago, Greg Willman made franchise news as the first franchisee of emerging concept Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill. Since then, he’s opened the first franchise location, broke ground on his second and was named CEO of the now 40-unit company.

“It’s been an eventful year in every way possible,” said Willman, who assumed the top role in June.

Given the timing of the move, it looked a bit like he became the COVID-19 leader, but Willman said ever since former CEO Paul Damico left to head Global Franchise Group in April, there had been discussions about who would take over.

“Gary Beisler, who I know well from our stint at Qdoba together, he became the interim CEO. That got us talking quite frequently about various things. That evolved into Gary asking if I were interested in getting involved in the brand” at the corporate level, said Willman.

Before signing a 10-unit deal with Naf Naf for the Indianapolis market, he’d been looking for a brand to lead under 316 Investments, the early-stage investment company he founded back in 1998 that became the owner of his operations in Qdoba Mexican Grill.

“We were really looking for a brand to invest in and potentially acquire. You would remember, the market was pretty frothy at that time and valuations were pretty aggressive and we weren’t willing to pay up to do that,” said Willman. “So, we took a little hiatus, we had a venture fund and we put the restaurant operations on hold. In that window we became aware of Naf Naf and continued to watch their evolution and growth and Roark Capital get involved as well.

“We broke the promise we made to ourselves to not get involved as a franchisee and did just that because Naf Naf was such a compelling brand and an authentic, organic story around the origin; we couldn’t ignore it.”

Willman opened his first Naf Naf in Carmel, Indiana, on March 16, just in time for COVID-19. A week later, not only did his restaurant shut down, Naf Naf suspended operations for the entire company.

Two factors triggered that decision: One, the concept’s initial growth focused on central business districts. A location at the U.S. Bank Plaza in downtown Minneapolis, for example, routinely had lines of more than 50 people waiting for the pillow-soft pita and spicy bowls. But as scores of those workers left their offices, few people remained nearby. Secondly, Naf Naf’s supply chain of imported ingredients was disrupted.

Locations began reopening May 18, a challenging process, said Willman. “We were at a dead stop,” he said. “Really, all of these reopenings have been mini, truncated new store openings.”

As more restaurants came back online, supply chain difficulties eased and customers were eager to return. Suburban locations are doing better, he said, and the dinner daypart dramatically expanded. Not much changed or will change on the operations side, as the brand had already made key investments in off-premises operations and third-party delivery, a major part of the bounce back.

Staffing, however, has been difficult.

“Our biggest challenge has been on the staffing side. Because we went on complete suspension, we were not able to be in as close contact with our staff as other operators who went on a reduction. Fortunately, we were able to retain most of our managers and key people. But if we need 15 people and we retained five to six, we need to put in some time to re-staff,” said Willman.

Now he’s leaning on entrepreneurial skills honed over the last 25 years as he guides an emerging brand with plenty of problems to solve in the near term.

“It’s still a relatively small, emerging brand and it’s a brand restarting from stop. So, the fact that I’ve started and grown early-stage companies benefits me the most,” said Willman. “I hope we’re aggressive and nimble and creative and we’re good at problem solving for ourselves, our brand and our franchisees. I hope we’re good at all of those things that you’d expect a smaller organization to do.”

Naf Naf signed several deals earlier in 2020, and the second and third franchisee groups are set to open locations this year. Willman said he’s looking to put a stronger focus on geographic concentration to push brand awareness and AUVs in growth markets.

The post Franchise Times: First Naf Naf franchisee takes on CEO role appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.

Follow our recipe below to enjoy our at-home version of tabouli!

Tabouli

Ingredients:

• 2 cups curly parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh Roma tomato
• 2 TBL bulgur, cooked
• 1 TBL yellow onion
• 2 TBL lemon juice
• 1 TBL extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions:

• Wash the parsley, removing the long stalks from the leaves. Shake to dry.
• Using one hand to bunch the parsley, slice it in 1/2″ strips. Rotate the strips 90 degrees, chopping them in half. Set aside.
• Wash the Roma tomatoes, then dice into 3/8″ inch pieces. Set aside.
• Mine the yellow onion. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, salt, and extra virgin olive oil and stir to fully incorporate.
• Add the parsley, onion, cooked bulgur, tomatoes, and salt to the bowl, and mix thoroughly until fully coated.
• To store, keep covered in the refrigerator, and remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving.

Cooked Bulgur

Ingredients:

• 1 TBL bulgur wheat, dry
• 2 TBL hot water
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions:

• In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil, then remove from heat. Set aside.
• In a small heat-proof bowl, add dry bulgur.
• Pour the hot water over the bulgur, adding the salt. Stir to ensure the bulgur is coated in water.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let soak for 17 minutes.
• After 17 minutes, remove the plastic wrap and fluff with a fork.
• Allow to cool completely before adding to the tabouli ingredients.

The post #NafHacks: Let’s Talk Tabouli appeared first on Naf Naf Grill.