Shawarma is a great dish orginating from the Middle Eastern part of the world offered with the 3 common meats of Beef, Lamb, Chicken, Veal, Turkey, and may be grilled for as long as a day. Shavings of the meat are cut off the block, called a spit, and the remainder of the block of meat is kept heated on the rotating spit for about a day. Although it can be served in shavings on a plate (generally with accompaniments), shawarma also refers to a sandwich or wrap made with shawarma meat. A common dish in the middle east, Amercians of non - mediterranean decent, rarely have tried these dishes.
[http://hassanodtallah.wix.com/shami-restaurant#!about-shami-restaurant-nediterranean/cjg9 Shawarma] is eaten as a fast food, made up into a sandwich wrap with pita bread or rolled up in an Azerbaijani lavish flat bread together with vegetables and dressing. A variety of vegetables can be served with a shawarma dish like cucumber, onion, tomato, lettuce, eggplant, pickles, or cabbage. This dish is usually flavored by caradom, cinnamon, nutmeg and served with garlic & mayonnaise based sauce.
The average Amercian, of non-middle eastern decent, that has tried this is very low, next to the 100% of native Middle Eastern and decended citizens. This numeric comprises the primary patron of any Middle Eastern dish. However, the marketability is still a challange due to the these prospective patrons are only .5% of the total U.S. population, making this a hard arguement to convince non decended U.S. raised patrons to adopt shawarma and other mediterranean dishes.
So the strongest angle I would use to market this to the average U.S. citizen would definately be the health trend that is growing within the country right now. According to the Boulder Medical center, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes high intake of foods which have proven, favorable effects on the body. This diet minimizes intake of foods which have proven, adverse effects on the body. Most cuisines orginating from this part of the world are low in simple and refined sugars, processed foods, high fructose corn syrup containing products, trans fats, and large amounts of animal fats such as most red meats. Which of course are the leading intakes that can build up in the body and cause heart disease & obesity.
Its not a secret that Americans are considered the most unhealthy in the world. Surveys say Amercians have a palate that deviates more towards dishes that have more of a sugary taste, and due to processed food being so inexpensive they migrate to consume these dishes more often. Why would this still be a recommendation? This can facilitate a a great, what I like to call, 'craving carver' utility to those that are looking to lose wait and live more healthy. Its called a 'craving carver' meaning a dish you can substitute for your usually fatty, cholestoral full dish you usually have so you can ween yourself off. A shawarma plate has 75% less fat then the average burger and with far less of the 'guilty', 'bogged down' feeling. Yes a foreign taste next to the sweet, savory flavoring we prefer Mediterranean dishes are slowly creeping into the flavorful quick dine-in category with the Habits Burgers, Kenny Rodgers, Five Guys, Fazoli's, etc. Although a asounding 1/4 of Amercians have never even heard of hummus, this sub genre of dine-in eatery still looks to grow if marketed like its Amercian fast food counter parts. Sixty percent of amercians who have tried Mediterranean say they would get it again. Hey, there is a taquiero almost every corner here in Cali.
Take it from a marketer that has done the research, testing, and analysis, I present this purchase as a great alternative option when "grabbing a quick bite" instead of other common fast food options to the public and endorse it with a 3/5 score for quality, 3.5/5 for recommend, and 4/5 for good solution. Check out my good friends at Shami Restaurant & Hookah Lounge. Click -> [http://hassanodtallah.wix.com/shami-restaurant Shami Site] located in the East Bay region of San Francisco Bay Area, California. Its a dine-in mediterranean restaurant serving and catering middle eastern items such as hummus, lentil soup, fattoush salad, and of course, shawarma.
