A Houston-based restaurant, Aga’s, has established itself as a popular destination, serving thousands of customers every day through both onsite dining and delivery services. What sets Aga’s apart is its position as the top single-location eatery globally for to-go orders on Uber Eats, according to the food delivery giant.
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Founded in 2010, Aga’s is a family-run establishment that combines the culinary traditions of Indian and Pakistani cuisine. The restaurant has a broad menu featuring over 100 different dishes. This includes specialities like beef nihari, a slow-simmered stew, and chicken handi, a North Indian barbecue chicken curry. The restaurant also offers a variety of side dishes and desserts, such as garlic naan and chocolate mousse. CEO Shaukat Maredia highlights a commitment to food quality and consistency, which he believes has been crucial for the restaurant’s success.
“We serve around 4,200 customers on a typical day, spanning dine-in, takeout, and delivery,” Maredia explained. The substantial volume of business requires extensive preparation, with the kitchen staff beginning their day at 7 a.m., four hours before the restaurant opens. Reports indicate that between 30,000 pounds of chicken and various other ingredients are ordered monthly, showcasing the impressive scale at which Aga’s operates.
An Uber Eats spokesperson noted the restaurant’s ability to merge excellent cuisine with a sophisticated delivery operation as key to its thriving business model. Deliveries are streamlined with a focus on efficiency, which has resulted in rapid service—most meals are reported to be served within a mere 15 minutes of ordering. Approximately 80% of customers are repeat diners, attesting to the quality and consistency of the food.
Maredia attributes the success of Aga’s to a commitment to using premium ingredients and to ensuring that food arrives at customers’ homes just as fresh and hot as if they were enjoying it in the restaurant. “If you consistently provide great food, great value, and great service, people come back and tell others about you,” he emphasised.
The Maredia family set out to create a welcoming environment for diners, aiming to represent the authentic flavours of their heritage. The restaurant has grown beyond its initial vision, now serving patrons from diverse backgrounds who come together to enjoy South Asian flavours and culture.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aga’s witnessed significant growth in its delivery service, which led to the expansion of its workforce to around 200 employees. Alongside daily dining services, the restaurant caters to private events and celebrations, contributing to approximately 15% of its overall business.
With ambitious plans for the future, Maredia hopes to establish at least five dedicated takeout locations across Houston and aims to replicate the brand in cities such as Dallas and Chicago. He also dreams of eventually opening an outlet in New York City while making sure to maintain the quality of service that made Aga’s a hit.
However, Maredia’s vision extends beyond mere expansion. He is dedicated to fostering opportunities for his staff and contributing to the community through various educational and charitable initiatives. For example, the restaurant has committed to providing $100,000 in scholarships to 25 local students starting college by 2026, under its Aga’s Scholarship Programme.
Maredia believes that success brings a greater sense of responsibility to give back. “The more successful we become, the more responsibility we have to give back,” he states, reinforcing a philosophy of community engagement as Aga’s restaurant continues to grow.
As Aga’s solidifies its place in the Houston culinary scene, the blend of vibrant, authentic dishes and a customer-first approach seems to only promise more success in the future, both in delivery and in serving the ever-expanding community.