In 2019, Mohammad “Moe” Abukhalil and his uncle, Suhail Al-Rifaie, decided to launch a new business together after years of working side by side. They explored several franchise opportunities before choosing Keke’s Breakfast Cafe®, drawn to its approachable leadership, commitment to fresh food and growth potential as an emerging brand.
They opened their first location in Temple Terrace, Florida, in January 2020 and didn’t slow down, even as the pandemic hit. They added locations in Wesley Chapel in 2021, Palm Harbor in early 2024, and later took over a corporate-owned breakfast cafe in Largo. Now with four thriving restaurants and plans for more, Moe sees no limit to what they can achieve.
When Moe and Suhail first looked into franchising, Keke’s stood out for being a smaller but growing brand. That allowed them to get in on the ground floor and grow alongside the company. What sealed the deal was the brand’s strong identity and differentiated approach to breakfast dining, in addition to the proven management experience they brought as established business leaders in the Tampa Bay market
“There are plenty of breakfast spots out there, but we take a different approach,” Moe said. From boiling and hand-cutting potatoes to cutting fresh strawberries and oranges every morning, to making every dish to order, freshness and quality are non-negotiable.
“We’re not the cheapest place, and we’re not the most expensive, but we always deliver real value and a memorable experience that keeps people coming back,” Moe said. "I always tell my team to treat every dish like it's being served to your own family. That kind of care shows up on the plate, and our customers can feel it.”
Moe attributes much of his success to being deeply involved in his operations from the start. For the first few years until now, he was on site seven days a week, doing whatever needed to be done — cooking, busing tables, and cleaning restrooms. That work ethic not only helped set the tone for his team but it also fostered a sense of shared accountability and pride. Alongside him, Suhail played a crucial role, bringing strategic vision and a strong focus on scalability, helping to turn their shared goals into a growing and sustainable business.
Now that his team is more established, Moe still makes regular visits to all locations and maintains a strong presence. His staff knows that if something isn’t up to standard, he’ll notice — and that he expects everyone else to care just as much. From the quality of the food to the cleanliness of the dining room and kitchen, Moe remains deeply invested in every aspect of daily operations. He believes that consistency and attention to detail are what keep customers coming back, and he encourages his team to treat each shift as an opportunity to deliver their very best. “If I walk past something out of place, I stop and address it,” Moe said. “That shows everyone that every little thing matters.”
Moe’s approach to management development goes far beyond standard franchise training. While Keke’s corporate offers a two-week program, Moe personally mentors his managers for up to six months. One of his standout team members started as a server at age 18 and now oversees multiple restaurants as a general manager.
“Multiple team members started with us as servers or hosts, worked their way up to leads, and then to assistant managers,” Moe said. “Now, in their 20s, some are managing multiple locations and earning salaries comparable to people who’ve spent decades in big national chains, and they’ve earned every bit of it. And there’s always more room to grow.”
For Moe, that kind of growth story isn’t the exception — it’s the goal. His leadership philosophy centers on identifying potential, providing opportunity and creating a culture where hard work is recognized and rewarded. He believes in giving his team the tools, trust and mentorship they need to rise through the ranks and build real careers within the company. By empowering employees to take initiative and grow alongside the business, he’s created more than a restaurant brand — he’s built a pathway for others to achieve their success.
This development model is a core part of how Moe operates. It’s not just about hiring talent; it’s about growing it from within and giving people a path to build a career. “Every team member understands that they represent the leadership and management style I’ve instilled through training and example,” Moe said. “We train our staff to reflect the standards of management — in how they work, how they carry themselves and how they interact with customers.”
The leadership and management approach goes beyond the four walls of the restaurant — it’s about building strong, lasting relationships within the community. Moe has developed close relationships with local universities, hospitals, national sports teams and neighborhood businesses. “The relationship with our customers means a lot to us,” he said. “Some come in every single day and, over time, they’ve truly become like family.”
That same spirit carries over to every single employee. They come to work happy, motivated and proud to give their best, because they know they’re genuinely appreciated and treated like family.
Moe credits his team's longevity and performance to a culture built on structure, professionalism and mutual respect. He’s intentional about everything — from dress code policies and shift expectations to maintaining spotless environments regardless of how busy the restaurant is. “The environment we’ve created makes people want to come to work,” he said. “Our turnover is low because people feel safe, valued and supported.”
Moe also holds regular staff meetings, encourages open communication, and makes sure everyone has his personal phone number. If there’s ever a need that managers can’t address, his team knows they can reach out to him directly.
That culture of care and consistency has paid off. Moe’s breakfast cafes are regularly among the top performers in the Keke’s system. Key metrics like guest count, customer satisfaction, staff retention, order accuracy and speed of service remain exceptionally strong across the board, and his locations often rank in the top five, sometimes even top two. His breakfast cafes consistently achieve high marks in health and safety inspections. This sustained success is a direct result of his commitment to quality, leadership and empowering his team to deliver exceptional experiences, setting a standard that others in the system strive to match.
For over seven years, Moe says his breakfast cafes have continued to grow without plateauing — something he attributes to the strength of his team and their commitment to doing things right. “If your team doesn’t share the same values as leadership, it creates a disconnect that customers can feel,” he said, “and it becomes impossible to deliver a consistent, great experience.”
Moe and Suhail are actively scouting for additional locations, with ambitions to continue growing alongside the brand. “From day one, we believed in the brand,” Moe said. “We saw what Keke’s stood for and knew we wanted to be a part of it.” That belief has fueled steady growth, turning one location into several busy, successful restaurants, with more to come. Moe says the brand gave him a strong foundation to build on. “Keke’s gave us the platform, and we just ran with it,” he said. “It’s been an amazing ride and, honestly, we’re just getting started.”
As the brand continues to grow in states like Texas and Georgia, Moe and Suhail are confident that the same formula — fresh food, strong culture and hands-on leadership — will resonate wherever the brand goes.
To find out more information on the costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://www.kekes.com/franchise.
Keke's Breakfast Cafe
SPONSORED
With four thriving locations and a growing team, Moe Khalil shares how hands-on leadership, mentorship and a commitment to quality have driven long-term success with Keke's.
In 2019, Mohammad “Moe” Abukhalil and his uncle, Suhail Al-Rifaie, decided to launch a new business together after years of working side by side. They explored several franchise opportunities before choosing Keke’s Breakfast Cafe®, drawn to its approachable leadership, commitment to fresh food and growth potential as an emerging brand.
They opened their first location in Temple Terrace, Florida, in January 2020 and didn’t slow down, even as the pandemic hit. They added locations in Wesley Chapel in 2021, Palm Harbor in early 2024, and later took over a corporate-owned breakfast cafe in Largo. Now with four thriving restaurants and plans for more, Moe sees no limit to what they can achieve.
When Moe and Suhail first looked into franchising, Keke’s stood out for being a smaller but growing brand. That allowed them to get in on the ground floor and grow alongside the company. What sealed the deal was the brand’s strong identity and differentiated approach to breakfast dining, in addition to the proven management experience they brought as established business leaders in the Tampa Bay market
“There are plenty of breakfast spots out there, but we take a different approach,” Moe said. From boiling and hand-cutting potatoes to cutting fresh strawberries and oranges every morning, to making every dish to order, freshness and quality are non-negotiable.
“We’re not the cheapest place, and we’re not the most expensive, but we always deliver real value and a memorable experience that keeps people coming back,” Moe said. "I always tell my team to treat every dish like it's being served to your own family. That kind of care shows up on the plate, and our customers can feel it.”
Moe attributes much of his success to being deeply involved in his operations from the start. For the first few years until now, he was on site seven days a week, doing whatever needed to be done — cooking, busing tables, and cleaning restrooms. That work ethic not only helped set the tone for his team but it also fostered a sense of shared accountability and pride. Alongside him, Suhail played a crucial role, bringing strategic vision and a strong focus on scalability, helping to turn their shared goals into a growing and sustainable business.
Now that his team is more established, Moe still makes regular visits to all locations and maintains a strong presence. His staff knows that if something isn’t up to standard, he’ll notice — and that he expects everyone else to care just as much. From the quality of the food to the cleanliness of the dining room and kitchen, Moe remains deeply invested in every aspect of daily operations. He believes that consistency and attention to detail are what keep customers coming back, and he encourages his team to treat each shift as an opportunity to deliver their very best. “If I walk past something out of place, I stop and address it,” Moe said. “That shows everyone that every little thing matters.”
Moe’s approach to management development goes far beyond standard franchise training. While Keke’s corporate offers a two-week program, Moe personally mentors his managers for up to six months. One of his standout team members started as a server at age 18 and now oversees multiple restaurants as a general manager.
“Multiple team members started with us as servers or hosts, worked their way up to leads, and then to assistant managers,” Moe said. “Now, in their 20s, some are managing multiple locations and earning salaries comparable to people who’ve spent decades in big national chains, and they’ve earned every bit of it. And there’s always more room to grow.”
For Moe, that kind of growth story isn’t the exception — it’s the goal. His leadership philosophy centers on identifying potential, providing opportunity and creating a culture where hard work is recognized and rewarded. He believes in giving his team the tools, trust and mentorship they need to rise through the ranks and build real careers within the company. By empowering employees to take initiative and grow alongside the business, he’s created more than a restaurant brand — he’s built a pathway for others to achieve their success.
This development model is a core part of how Moe operates. It’s not just about hiring talent; it’s about growing it from within and giving people a path to build a career. “Every team member understands that they represent the leadership and management style I’ve instilled through training and example,” Moe said. “We train our staff to reflect the standards of management — in how they work, how they carry themselves and how they interact with customers.”
The leadership and management approach goes beyond the four walls of the restaurant — it’s about building strong, lasting relationships within the community. Moe has developed close relationships with local universities, hospitals, national sports teams and neighborhood businesses. “The relationship with our customers means a lot to us,” he said. “Some come in every single day and, over time, they’ve truly become like family.”
That same spirit carries over to every single employee. They come to work happy, motivated and proud to give their best, because they know they’re genuinely appreciated and treated like family.
Moe credits his team's longevity and performance to a culture built on structure, professionalism and mutual respect. He’s intentional about everything — from dress code policies and shift expectations to maintaining spotless environments regardless of how busy the restaurant is. “The environment we’ve created makes people want to come to work,” he said. “Our turnover is low because people feel safe, valued and supported.”
Moe also holds regular staff meetings, encourages open communication, and makes sure everyone has his personal phone number. If there’s ever a need that managers can’t address, his team knows they can reach out to him directly.
That culture of care and consistency has paid off. Moe’s breakfast cafes are regularly among the top performers in the Keke’s system. Key metrics like guest count, customer satisfaction, staff retention, order accuracy and speed of service remain exceptionally strong across the board, and his locations often rank in the top five, sometimes even top two. His breakfast cafes consistently achieve high marks in health and safety inspections. This sustained success is a direct result of his commitment to quality, leadership and empowering his team to deliver exceptional experiences, setting a standard that others in the system strive to match.
For over seven years, Moe says his breakfast cafes have continued to grow without plateauing — something he attributes to the strength of his team and their commitment to doing things right. “If your team doesn’t share the same values as leadership, it creates a disconnect that customers can feel,” he said, “and it becomes impossible to deliver a consistent, great experience.”
Moe and Suhail are actively scouting for additional locations, with ambitions to continue growing alongside the brand. “From day one, we believed in the brand,” Moe said. “We saw what Keke’s stood for and knew we wanted to be a part of it.” That belief has fueled steady growth, turning one location into several busy, successful restaurants, with more to come. Moe says the brand gave him a strong foundation to build on. “Keke’s gave us the platform, and we just ran with it,” he said. “It’s been an amazing ride and, honestly, we’re just getting started.”
As the brand continues to grow in states like Texas and Georgia, Moe and Suhail are confident that the same formula — fresh food, strong culture and hands-on leadership — will resonate wherever the brand goes.
To find out more information on the costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://www.kekes.com/franchise.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
No related articles found
