Sanj Sanghera, co-founder of Doner Shack, has said that the company has signed more franchise deals “that will now see us operating in 14 US states, with 12 to 15 new restaurants expected to open by the second quarter of 2026”.
Founded in Glasgow in 2018 by Sanghera and Laura Bruce, the brand, which operates three sites in the UK, signed its first three franchisees in the US – in Florida, Las Vegas and Dallas – in the spring, and said it was on track to award more than 50 new franchise agreements this year across North America.
Earlier this month, the company secured its first site in India. The brand signed a franchise deal in May with Anand Chandnani to launch in Mumbai. This followed the signings of a 150-site deal to expand in India with FranGlobal, the international arm of Asia’s largest franchising firm, Franchise India Holdings – last November.
Sanghera said: “With more than 300 restaurants now in agreements and plans for 30 to 40 restaurants opening annually from mid-2026, Doner Shack is scaling fast and setting new benchmarks in the premium quick service restaurant space.
Even more exciting, we’re completing another first for the sector with the development of our drive thru model (location revealed soon). A model we can operate because our systems allow for industry-leading service times.”
Jason Steele, founder and chief executive of Steele Advisory Group, which oversees Doner Shack’s growth across North and South America, Europe and the Caribbean, predicts the brand will reach 75 to 80 agreements in the US by year-end.
Steele said: “We’re seeing massive interest from both experienced multi-unit operators and first-time franchisees. People immediately understand the brand’s unique position in the market and the clear gap it fills.
Once prospects taste the product and see the concept in action, the commercial opportunity speaks for itself. It’s like getting in at the ground floor of Five Guys, but even bigger.”
