What began in west coast Florida’s Greek community of Tarpon Springs as a mom-and-pop restaurant run by Louis and Flora Pappas, and grew to remain an institution in the Tampa Bay dining scene for more than 90 years, has evolved into a multi-unit, fast casual concept known as Louis Pappas Fresh Greek.
Louis Pappas Fresh Greek represents the real story about a real family that has been making Greek fresh for almost a century. Fresh is not where they evolved to. It is where Louis Pappas Fresh Greek has always been. The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is not a trend for the Pappas family but an integral part of their Greek heritage.
Through years of experience, and several locations, the concept and menu have been refined and are now ready to be shared through franchising opportunities that are timed perfectly with the widespread—and still growing—popularity of Greek food.
Investors are invited to be part of the on-going growth of Louis Pappas Fresh Greek by becoming franchise owners. In addition to introducing a successful, sustainable brand to new markets, franchisees will also benefit from the decades that the Pappas family has cultivated generations of goodwill in addition to the ongoing exposure and name recognition that has built a loyal customer base spanning coast-to-coast.
Currently there are four restaurants in west central Florida that have generated great success and steady growth for several years. A fifth site is under construction at Tampa International Airport (TIA) as part of a $953 million master plan expansion. The introduction of Louis Pappas Fresh Greek, and other locally owned and operated concepts, at TIA represents the largest concessions redevelopment in the history of the airport and a commitment to feature some of Tampa Bay’s “top local brands.”
“We have been approached about franchising opportunities for years. I was just not ready to do that until I had a bulletproof system in place that would ensure the franchisees’ success,” says Louis “Louie” L. Pappas, a self-taught chef who has followed in the culinary footprints of his parents and grandparents. He worked his way up from busboy to CEO at the family’s landmark, full-service Louis Pappas Riverside Restaurant in Tarpon Springs that was later sold. With his eye on the then emerging fast casual concept of restaurants, Louie created a new experience that combined “fresh quality and personal touch service in this new faster paced arena.”
With the pieces in place, and a fifth location under construction, the Pappas family decided the fast casual concept they have worked so hard to perfect is now ready to be introduced to new markets.
After making the decision to franchise, Louie has been creating a comprehensive, step-by-step procedural system that will enable any Louis Pappas Fresh Greek location to create the same dishes following the same recipes that have been favorites of guests for generations. Detailed training guides for day-to-day operations have also been developed so that best practices and outstanding service are part of the customer experience at every location.
While the majority of the menu at Louis Pappas Fresh Greek restaurants features the Louis Pappas Famous Greek Salad and other popular, and now trendy, Greek dishes like gyros, spanakopita, mousaka, and dolmades, there is also a diverse selection of freshly prepared sandwiches, flatbreads, soups, and salads that offer delicious options. The menu stays fresh with selections from Louie’s specials library that are highlighted monthly.
“Franchising will be the next step in our evolution,” he says.
