Sticks Kebob Shop is a Mediterranean-inspired fast-casual restaurant concept that specializes in fresh, flame-grilled kebobs, bowls, salads, wraps, and scratch-made sauces.

The brand was founded in 2001 in Charlottesville, Virginia by three friends who wanted to elevate street-style food with clean, high-quality ingredients. The company remains headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The franchise began expanding through franchising in 2021. Sticks Kebob Shop positions itself as a simple, scalable restaurant model with a strong focus on health-forward Mediterranean cuisine. The menu is built around lean meats, fresh vegetables, and house-made hummus and sauces prepared daily.

The brand differentiates itself through its “no shortcuts” approach, emphasizing real ingredients, hand-cut meats, and a kitchen that avoids microwaves or artificial flavours. This gives the franchise a strong competitive edge in the fast-casual segment, especially with consumers who want quick meals that still feel wholesome and freshly prepared.

Training

Sticks Kebob Shop offers a comprehensive, multi-tiered training program to ensure franchisees are fully prepared to operate their restaurants in line with brand standards.

1. Initial Training Program: Franchisees, along with their Controlling Person and Key Manager, must complete an initial training program before opening. This includes classroom and on-the-job training (typically 30 hours in class and 10 hours hands-on), covering topics like site selection, hiring, technology, store operations, and marketing. Training may occur at corporate headquarters, other designated locations, or virtually.
2. Onsite Training: Around the opening of the first restaurant, the franchisor provides an onsite training program. This begins one week before and extends up to one week after the opening, delivered at the franchise location. While there’s no fee for this service, the franchisee is responsible for travel and living costs for the training staff, up to $5,000.
3. Training for Additional Personnel: Franchisees can request training for other employees beyond the key personnel. This is available at $500 per person per day, with all related expenses borne by the franchisee. Training materials are provided and must be used exclusively for internal training.
4. Supplemental and Ongoing Training: The franchisor may offer or require additional training during the franchise term, which must be completed within a year of availability. These sessions may involve additional costs, such as fees up to $500 per day per trainer plus travel expenses. Attendance at annual conventions or seminars may also be mandatory, with associated costs.

Territory Protection

Sticks Kebob Shop provides franchisees with an exclusive territory, which means that neither the franchisor nor its affiliates will open a company-owned or franchised location within the defined geographic area.

This territory is specified in the Franchise Agreement and generally includes boundaries defined by radius, zip codes, or political limits. Importantly, the continuation of these territorial rights does not depend on sales volume, population growth, or other performance metrics, and the franchisor may not unilaterally alter the territory.

However, the exclusivity is not absolute. The franchisor reserves the right to use other channels of distribution, such as internet sales, telemarketing, or catalog sales, to reach customers even within a franchisee's protected area.