As a man’s best friend, dogs deserve all the love you can offer. So, why give them regular treats if you can give them a seven-course meal in Dogue’s exquisite dog cafe. The San Francisco based-restaurant is owned by Rahmi Massarweh and Alejandra Vasquez, who pitched their business on Shark Tank. After the show, Dogue is worth an estimated $1 million.
Owners’ Story
Rahmi Massarweh is a classically trained chef in French cuisine. He spent years perfecting his craft under various culinary experts before tying the knot with Alejandra Vasquez.
Both of them were raised around animals and they wanted to adopt a dog. They got Grizzly, an English mastiff but the pup didn’t enjoy eating breeder-prescribed food. Weeks passed before Rahmi tried making fresh, home-cooked food. It improved the dog’s mood, so they continued serving him artisan meals.
Founding the Dogue Cafe
Many people noticed how happy and healthy Grizzly was and asked about the food he ate. These compliments led to Rahmi and Alejandra opening a dog daycare in 2015, five years after getting their puppy.
Next, they opened two fine-dining dog restaurants in San Francisco, offering pastries, premium dishes, desserts, and deluxe drinks for canine customers. The menu is inspired by European cuisine.
Journey to Shark Tank
Due to the gradual rise in pet ownership in the US, these types of services have caught the attention of media outlets. Dogue got coverage in publications such as The Guardian, The New York Times, CBS News, and Business Insider.
Rahmi and his wife made it through Shark Tank’s rigorous application process and having a unique business helped them stand out among applicants. Their pitch was filmed on September 13, 2023 but it didn’t air until February 23, 2024. The pair delivered a strong pitch and of course, Robert had to play with the dog.
After Shark Tank
Once their episode aired, the Dogue co-founders quickly experienced the Shark Tank effect. Thousands of curious Shark Tank fans flooded their website. The restaurants were busier than normal after the show for weeks and they drove strong sales from their online store, DogueSF.com.
You can visit branches in San Francisco’s Mission District and Dolores Heights. From Tuesday to Friday, they are open from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM, and on Sunday, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. They are closed on Saturday and Monday.
They average 4.7 stars from 41 reviews on Yelp. The menu items cost anywhere between $2.5 and $95. On their website, you’ll also find an online store with ready-to-serve food and other merchandise. Prices range from $4.95 to $139.99.
In the long term the restaurants could suffer due to a weak economy and will struggle to scale from the competition. Despite California being Dogue’s main customer base, its online store can reach further distances. It will be interesting to see if the business thrives or goes to the dogs!
