Draft:Tahini's
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Genre | Fast-casual |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Omar Hamam, Aly Hamam |
| Headquarters | London, Ontario, Canada |
Number of locations | 70+ (2025) |
Area served | Canada, United States |
| Products | Mediterranean fusion cuisine, shawarma |
| Website | tahinis |
Tahini's is a Canadian fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in Mediterranean fusion cuisine.[1] Founded in 2012 in London, Ontario, the company operates over 60 franchise and corporate locations across Canada and the United States.[2] The company is notable for its adoption of a Bitcoin corporate treasury strategy in 2020[3] and its social media marketing campaigns.[4]
History
[edit]Tahini's was established in 2012 by brothers Omar and Aly Hamam in London, Ontario.[2] Omar Hamam, a graduate of the University of Manitoba who previously worked in business in Egypt, acquired a Middle Eastern restaurant in London in 2011 before launching the Tahini's brand concept.[2]
The company began expanding its franchise network in 2020.[1] To supply its locations with proprietary food items, Omar Hamam and his cousin Ahmed Dessouki established Alex Food Service, a commissary facility named after Alexandria, Egypt.[2] Tahini's has also placed retail products in select grocery store banners, including FreshCo and Sobeys.[2]
In 2024 and 2025, the company expanded internationally into the United States, opening its first American location in Illinois, with subsequent plans for expansion in Chicago and New Jersey.[5]
Franchises and corporate stores
[edit]Tahini's operates primarily through a franchise business model managed by the Tahini's Franchising Corporation.[1] The majority of the chain's locations are operated by independent franchisees, while a small number of locations are retained as corporate-owned stores.[1] As of 2024, the chain reported 45 total locations, three of which were corporately owned.[1]
Corporate finances and Bitcoin adoption
[edit]In August 2020, Tahini's announced that it had converted 100% of its corporate cash reserves into Bitcoin as a treasury management strategy to hedge against inflation.[3] Co-founder Omar Hamam cited past personal experiences with the devaluation of the Egyptian pound and financial moves by American firm MicroStrategy as primary influences for the decision.[3]
The chain subsequently introduced dollar-cost averaging (DCA) for its capital reserves, purchasing Bitcoin on a recurring monthly schedule.[3] The company has also installed Bitcoin ATMs at several of its franchise locations.[3]
Menu and operations
[edit]Tahini's operates on a fast-casual dining model.[1] Its culinary offerings consist of traditional Middle Eastern foods, such as chicken and beef shawarma, alongside non-traditional fusion items.[2] Menu offerings include shawarma ramen, butter chicken shawarma and Jamaican jerk shawarma.[4]
Marketing
[edit]Tahini's heavily utilizes digital marketing and short-form video content to promote its brand.[4] Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Aly Hamam (known online as Ali Tahinis) acts as the primary on-screen actor in sketch comedy videos produced for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.[4] The sketches feature Hamam portraying a restaurant staff member interacting with recurring characters and guests, focusing on Middle Eastern food culture and restaurant scenarios.[4]
In addition to organic digital media, the company utilizes traditional and promotional advertising.[6] In September 2025, Tahini's launched a national multimedia campaign titled "Eat Unbland", which included billboard, transit, and social media advertising, launched alongside a promotional event at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto.[6] The chain has also run interactive customer promotions, such as "Unwrap to Win", where promotional wrap packaging sleeves offer instant prizes to customers.[6]
Political media coverage
[edit]2022 Pierre Poilievre campaign stop
[edit]In March 2022, during the Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, candidate Pierre Poilievre visited a Tahini's location in London, Ontario.[7] During the visit, Poilievre purchased a shawarma using Bitcoin as part of a public campaign event demonstrating cryptocurrency transactions.[7] The event received national media coverage and was later cited during parliamentary debates on national economic policy and digital asset regulation.[8]
References
[edit]{{reflist|refs
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Toneguzzi, Mario (July 14, 2024). "Mediterranean Fusion Cuisine Concept 'Tahini's' Expanding Rapidly in Canada". Retail Insider.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Toneguzzi, Mario (August 21, 2025). "Tahini's founder Omar Hamam shares entrepreneurial journey from Egypt to Canadian shawarma success". Retail Insider.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Bitcoin Magazine (June 26, 2025). "Tahini's Bitcoin Treasury: How A Family Chain Outsmarted Inflation". Bitcoin Magazine.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sharma, Chrissy (January 30, 2023). "With over 700 million views on its social media, this restaurant uses sketch comedy to expand the business". TasteToronto.
- ↑ "How Tahini's Journey from London Led to Its U.S. Expansion". Tahini's Official Site.
- 1 2 3 "Tahini's launches bold Eat Unbland campaign in Canada". Retail Insider. September 30, 2025.
- 1 2 Wherry, Aaron (March 28, 2022). "In a pitch to cryptocurrency investors, Poilievre says he wants Canada to be 'blockchain capital of the world'". CBC News.
- ↑ Vronces, Alexander (April 7, 2025). "Who Stands to Win in Poilievre's Canada: Crypto Evangelists". Maclean's.
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