How La La Land Kind Cafe Is Redefining Hospitality To Heal A Broken System For Foster Youth
La La Land Kind Cafe, North Shepherd
Francois Reihani was 20 years old when he opened his first restaurant in Dallas—and thought he had it all. After transferring from USC to SMU, he immediately saw an opportunity. 'A lot of people, not a lot of good places to eat,' he remembers. Despite having no experience in hospitality, he created a sushi-style concept, pitched it to a friend's family, recruited a chef from Nobu, and secured a prime spot in one of the city's busiest centers.
From the very first day, the restaurant was packed. 'Thank God it did very well. The line was out the door from the first day.' Success came fast—and so did the lifestyle that often follows. It was the moment many young entrepreneurs dream about: financial success, a Porsche in the driveway, and a hot new restaurant at the center of Dallas nightlife.
But something didn't feel right.
'Up until that point, opening that store, my whole life, I was so centered around just making a bunch of money. And in that moment was the big realization for me — I was no happier than I was before.'
Francois Reihani, Founcer of La La Land Kind Cafe
That internal reckoning sent him down a new path. His sister invited him to a meeting hosted by CASA, a nonprofit supporting children in foster care. That night, the topic was youth aging out of the system. Reihani walked in unaware—and walked out transformed.
'I had never heard anything about that before,' he says. He listened as young people shared stories of being moved through a dozen foster homes, medicated, mistreated, and ultimately abandoned at 18. 'These kids didn't even get a first chance. And the biggest shock? No one even knows it's a problem.'
That night, he stayed up researching until 4 a.m.
Soon after, he walked away from the restaurant business. Or so he thought. At first, he planned to start a nonprofit to fix the system. The solution seemed straightforward: provide therapy, housing, education, and job placement. 'That's all you got to do. Delusion,' he admits.
It didn't work.
'Even if we put youth in great therapy and housing, 99% of the time, they couldn't get or maintain a job. A Taco Bell manager isn't going to have patience for that or care what they've been through.'
It was a moment of painful clarity. But also, a breakthrough.
That was the lightning moment: what if he could build a business that was the support system?
'It was like this lightning moment: what if I create the place where we not only hire and mentor those kids, but I also get to bring my love for hospitality into it?'
And just like that, La La Land Kind Café was born.
'My passion met my purpose at that moment. It was like a clear route for me.'
But Reihani wasn't interested in just another mission-driven coffee shop. 'I didn't want to just open a coffee shop that hires foster youth — I wanted to create a program that other companies across America could replicate.'
The brand itself is as intentional as the mission. 'La La Land was about creating this heaven that someone walks into and you say, 'Hey. This is how the world should be.'' From white interiors and yellow pops of color to heartfelt customer interactions, every detail is designed to spark joy and human connection.
But the real magic lies in what you don't see.
'You can walk around any La La Land store and you won't see one banner about what we do. We're not shoving it in anyone's face. We don't use it as marketing. It has to be at the core of the company.'
That commitment to authenticity extends to the hiring process. 'We hire only based on personality, never the resume. We don't care if you've worked in coffee for 10 years. We want to know who you are.'
Because, as Reihani points out, 'The only strangers most people talk to are inside restaurants. That places a big responsibility on hospitality workers — they're kind of representing humanity.'
Intern Graduation in Santa Monica
Each La La Land store now serves as a training hub. Every 10 weeks, a new group of foster youth begins a fully paid internship—learning financial literacy, adult life skills, and job-readiness, all supported by dedicated youth directors and store managers. After graduating, they transition to other La La Land locations or roles that suit their lives better.
It's a model built on learning from failure—and evolving with care. 'These kids have already been through so much failure in life, we never want to be another one.'
So while Reihani is ambitious about the future—'Of course I hope one day we're hiring thousands of youth and really making an impact on American kids'—he's also deliberate.
'I'm delusional when it comes to business growth — but careful when it comes to our program because we're dealing with real lives. They've already been through so much failure we don't want them to go through more.'
Because for Francois Reihani, growth is only meaningful if it starts at the heart.
Invitation to A Whimsical Affair: Tea & Dreams in La La Land
This May, in honor of National Foster Care Awareness Month, La La Land Kind Café and The La La Foundation are inviting supporters to go beyond the cup and into the heart of their mission. Join them on May 4th for A Whimsical Affair: Tea & Dreams in La La Land—a magical brunch fundraiser in Dallas celebrating the strength and resilience of foster youth. With handcrafted drinks, live music, and a silent auction featuring exclusive experiences, the event is a powerful opportunity to support the young lives La La Land is helping transform every day. Tickets and more information are available at LaLaLandFoundation.com.
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