Tahini’s Restaurants, the rapidly growing Middle Eastern and Mediterranean chain, has reached a major milestone with the opening of its 60th location in Edmonton.
Founded in 2011 and rebranded in 2016, the restaurant group is poised to dominate the ethnic food scene, offering a diverse fusion menu that blends classic shawarma with international flavours, such as butter chicken, Jamaican jerk chicken, and Korean barbecue.
Founder and CEO Omar Hamam shared his vision for the brand, which seeks to become the go-to name for shawarma, similar to how McDonald’s dominates the burger industry.
With plans to expand to 100 locations across Canada, Tahini’s is not slowing down. The brand has already set its sights on the U.S. market, with three new locations expected to open in the coming months. Europe is also on the radar as part of the company’s ambitious international expansion plans.
The key to Tahini’s success, according to Hamam, lies in its consistent product quality and its ability to cater to Canada’s diverse culinary preferences with innovative fusion dishes designed to appeal to both health-conscious consumers and those craving bold flavours.
As ethnic food continues to rise in popularity across Canada, particularly in urban centres, Tahini’s unique approach to combining Mediterranean and global cuisines is tapping into an increasingly sophisticated and adventurous consumer base. With a focus on quality, convenience, and taste, the brand is well-positioned to carve out a dominant spot in the competitive fast-casual dining landscape.
Hamam said “my dream is always to be the brand of choice when it comes to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. That means we need to be all over Canada, North America, and Europe hopefully next.”
“We have 60 locations in Canada and we’re opening more. We plan to reach about a hundred, and we’re starting expansion into the US this year, with about three more locations. Hopefully, we can expand into the US as well.”
Hamam said the brand’s success is due to the fact that it’s very organized in the way it works, and the Middle Eastern industry in general is dominated by mom-and-pop shops.
“Every single place you go to, sometimes your experience varies completely. So at Tahini’s, we ensure that you have one consistent experience across the board, with familiar products people know. On top of that, we offer fusion cuisine. We’re not just about shawarma. For example, we have a butter chicken shawarma, which is Indian cuisine infused with Mediterranean flavors. We have Jamaican jerk chicken shawarma, and we’ve just introduced a Korean barbecue chicken shawarma,” he explained.
“Because Canada is so diverse, I thought, “Okay, our menu should reflect that too.” That’s how we diversified our menu to align with the Canadian consumer’s palate.”
Hamam said people’s palates have evolved.
“Don’t get me wrong, I like burgers and hot dogs, but it’s not something I’d want to eat every day. For two reasons: A) it’s very unhealthy, and I’m usually health-conscious about what I eat. I think a lot of Canadians and North Americans are health-conscious in general. That’s a big factor. Shawarma, for example, is roasted chicken—it’s very healthy. It’s grilled, not fried, so you don’t have all the fat, and it’s a lot healthier overall. Plus, it packs a punch in terms of flavour. I think people want to eat healthy, but they also want something flavourful.”
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