November 3, By Hannah Wulkan
The King of Falafel is expanding his empire–including a new spot in Long Island City.
Within the next year, owner Fares “Freddy” Zeideia is planning on opening five new venues spanning several boroughs to sell his popular halal food.
Selling Mediterranean favorites including falafel and shawarma, the restaurant began as a food truck on Broadway in 2002, and has since grown to include several locations, including its brick and mortar home at 30-15 Broadway that opened last January. There are also food truck locations near the Astoria Ditmars stop and in Midtown Manhattan near 53rd Street and Park Avenue.
Zeideia said that he plans to open a new food truck near the 59th Street Bridge in Long Island City in time for Black Friday on November 25.
Within the next year, he also plans on opening at least four other new locations, spread between Brooklyn, Long Island, and several college campuses, though he remained tight-lipped as to exactly where until he finalizes the paperwork. He added that he might look to open another brick and mortar location as well, though he is unsure of an exact location.
“Astoria is my comfort zone, and when you feel comfortable, then you start to expand,” Zeideia said, adding that he has regular customers from both Long Island and Brooklyn that have asked him to expand in to those areas for years.
He added that he also plans to introduce delivery and mobile ordering for his new locations, so people can call in or use an app to order from the food trucks and pick it up as soon as they arrive, rather than waiting for the food to be prepared.
“Everything is high tech now and people want everything to be fast fast fast,” Zeideia said.
