The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is accelerating its international rollout, opening new restaurants in Egypt, Australia and Canada as the fast-casual brand marks its 15th anniversary. The openings, announced June 9, 2026, hand the United Franchise Group-backed chain its first-ever Middle East location and a foothold in two more continents, underscoring the global appetite for fresh, fast Mediterranean food.
In Cairo, Egypt, existing franchisee Metry Habashy has opened The Great Greek at Regent’s High Street, the brand’s debut in the Middle East. Habashy also owns the location in Old Bridge, New Jersey, which set a brand record for weekly opening sales, and his decision to invest abroad signals confidence in the model travelling well. The Cairo restaurant leans into local tastes with Arabic-language integration, adjusted beverage offerings, in-house hand-made pita, and extended hours with service running until midnight to match regional dining habits.
“Our international growth is a testament to the strength of our franchise model.” — Bob Andersen, President
In Queensland, Australia, franchisees Chirayushkumar Patel and Surjit Salwan have opened the brand’s first Australian restaurant in Fortitude Valley, with plans to develop at least 50 locations across the region. Its soft opening drew roughly 100 guests, including representatives from the mayor’s office. In Alberta, Canada, multi-unit owners Amrinder Cheema, Gurbinder Singh and Poonam Goyal have expanded the brand’s Canadian presence with another opening.
The Great Greek operates under United Franchise Group (UFG), whose international infrastructure lets new master and multi-unit operators plug into existing support. The moves follow the brand’s recent master franchise agreement covering Guyana and seven Caribbean countries, deepening a development pipeline that now spans the Americas, the Gulf, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
The most instructive part of this announcement is not the number of openings but how the Cairo store was localised. Arabic-language branding, reformulated beverages, in-house pita and near-midnight trading hours show a brand adapting its format to Gulf and North African dining culture rather than exporting an American template unchanged. That is precisely the difference between a franchise that stalls after one unit and one that scales into a regional network. For Middle East family offices and multi-unit operators evaluating restaurant franchise opportunities across Saudi Arabia and the GCC, the takeaway is clear: the brands winning in the region are the ones willing to re-engineer menu, hours and service to local habits. As Mediterranean cuisine, already culturally close to Gulf palates, keeps gaining share, expect more U.S. fast-casual names to chase master-franchise partners across MENA and, increasingly, the fast-growing restaurant markets of Asia.
