--- title: "A Mediterranean Brands Path to Scaling Quickly" url: https://burnaze.com/article/055e5bbe-d817-4750-8a18-7828041d09c0 source: "QSR Magazine" original_url: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/sponsored_content/a-mediterranean-brands-path-to-scaling-quickly/ author: "Ya'el McLoud" category: "Fast casual" industry: "Restaurants" segment: "Fast casual" published: 2026-09-01T17:52:16.000Z modified: 2026-10-31T14:42:42.717Z image: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/pita-square-image-option2.jpeg --- # A Mediterranean Brands Path to Scaling Quickly **TL;DR:** PITA Mediterranean Street Food, a franchise with 55 locations open and 30 under construction, has partnered with Square to implement a new POS system to support its rapid expansion goals. The company's CEO, Nour Rabai, chose Square for its ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and ability to grow alongside the brand. *By Ya'el McLoud, originally published in QSR Magazine on 2026-09-01. [Read the original](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/sponsored_content/a-mediterranean-brands-path-to-scaling-quickly/).* ## Story The CEO knew expansion had to be supported by the right systems. It is hard to miss the moment Mediterranean cuisine is having. PITA Mediterranean Street Food is an up-and-coming franchise capitalizing on the cuisine’s widespread popularity. With 55 locations open and another 30 under construction at the time of the interview, founder Nour Rabai has goals to expand rapidly. To do so, he knew he had to have the right technology infrastructure for growth and franchisee success. Rabai was running into an issue many franchisees and restaurant owners are familiar with: his previous POS system was not compatible with PITA’s goals for scaling. “With our previous POS provider, the number one issue was communication,” Rabai says. “Number two was transparency, and number three was the financial aspect of it.” For Rabai, the decision was not just about software or pricing. A POS conversion across dozens of restaurants requires coordination, preparation, and a partner that can respond quickly as issues arise. Communication—something he felt was lacking with his previous provider—was central to his decision. Finding the right POS system is key for scaling, especially when franchisees must trust the system and have buy-in. Having an intuitive and cost-effective POS system was top of mind for Rabai as he looked for a POS partner that could work with PITA long term and be operationally effective. “I don’t want a two-year partnership,” Rabai says. “I want a long-term partnership because changing POS systems is not an easy feat, especially when you have 50 or 100 units. It takes a lot of manpower, time, effort, and money.” The financial aspect is especially important because PITA offsets the cost of POS system SaaS fees for its franchisees. “We take on those monthly SaaS fees, and we don’t charge that to the franchisees,” Rabai says. From a corporate perspective, Rabai says, it made more sense to negotiate a deal that would benefit the company in the long term while helping keep costs manageable for franchisees. Rabai has now partnered with Square, committing to a 100-unit deal—one he hopes continues to grow far past that. Early in the rollout, Square’s operational ease impressed Rabai. “For us, it was a plug-and-play system,” Rabai says. “The ability for us to plug everything in on Wi-Fi and have everything working within a matter of 30–60 minutes was the top priority for us.” PITA had only begun onboarding at the time of the interview, but Rabai said the conversion process had been straightforward. The company completed significant backend work before bringing locations online, and the Square team has been responsive throughout the transition. “We’re able to get in at 8 or 9 in the morning and have everything operational by 10,” Rabai says. Rabai also notes how Square helps make the transition cost-effective for the growing franchise. “Moving this to Square and other vendors will save us well over $18,000 a month company-wide at our current store run,” Rabai says. “The fact that Square does their own processing makes it direct, so there’s no middle fee when it comes to credit card processing.” For Rabai, the value of the Square relationship extends beyond the initial transition and expected cost savings. As PITA continues to expand its franchise system, he is looking for a technology partner that can grow alongside the brand and support operators at every stage of expansion. With a 100-unit agreement in place, PITA is building the technology foundation for its next stage of growth. For restaurant operators looking to simplify operations, manage costs, and scale with confidence, Square offers the flexibility and support to help make that growth possible. ## Entities - QSR (sector) - franchise expansion (topic) - QSR Magazine (publication) - restaurant technology (topic) - cost savings (topic) - Square (company) - pos system (topic) - Ya'el McLoud (person) - PITA Mediterranean Street Food (company) - Nour Rabai (person) - scaling quickly (topic) --- Originally reported by Ya'el McLoud, QSR Magazine (https://www.qsrmagazine.com/sponsored_content/a-mediterranean-brands-path-to-scaling-quickly/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/055e5bbe-d817-4750-8a18-7828041d09c0).