Togo’s Returns to its Roots with Targeted San Francisco Bay Area Expansion

For more than 45 years, Togo’s has been raising the bar when it comes to serving top quality sandwiches. From its fresh ingredients to exceptional customer service, the California-based brand has easily positioned itself as a fan favorite among West Coast consumers. And now, Togo’s is returning to its roots by actively targeting the San Francisco Bay Area for new development.  

The Togo’s brand has always thrived in the Bay Area. Ever since its first location opened up its doors in a sandwich shack near San Jose State University in 1971, customers have been lining up to place their daily lunch and dinner orders. The brand’s success is due in part to its simple business model—Togo’s makes sure that every one of its signature sandwiches is prepared to its customers’ tastes. But the brand goes above and beyond other sandwich concepts by creating a unique culture and environment—both for consumers and its business owners—that can’t be found anywhere else.

“We’re incredibly excited to refocus our development efforts throughout the communities that helped us get Togo’s off the ground four decades ago. We’re a true California brand to our core, and we’re excited to introduce our superior sandwiches to even more consumers in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Togo’s CEO Tony Gioia. “These markets offer us an incredible opportunity to expand at a rapid rate. Between working professionals grabbing a quick bite to eat at lunch and families looking for a meal on the go that’s both nutritious and delicious, continued expansion in the Bay Area allows us to tap into a whole new group of consumers.”

That strong growth potential is already being felt by Bobby and Jin Singh, Togo’s newest franchisees in South San Francisco. After operating a 7-Eleven franchise for 17 years, the Singhs decided they wanted to break into the restaurant business. And Togo’s immediately stood out.

In addition to its simple business model, the Singhs recognized the climbing demand for quick service sandwich restaurants in the area. But they were still surprised with the immediate response from the community when they opened their doors at the start of the new year.   

“Our Togo’s location just opened up in late December, and we’re already doing better than we ever expected. Not only are we seeing high sales numbers, customer feedback has also been overwhelmingly positive. It goes to show that there’s a real need in the South San Francisco area for a quality, go-to lunch spot that’s both affordable and fast,” said Jin. “Working with the Togo’s team to get our location up and running has been a great experience. They’re so supportive and accessible—we know that we can reach out to them whenever we have a question and have a response right away. But we also have the autonomy that we need to run our own business and make it successful. That’s why Togo’s stands out.”

With nearly 300 restaurants that are either open or under development operating in communities across the country, the Singhs are far from the only franchisees successfully growing alongside the Togo’s brand. In addition to joining a proven franchise system, local owners gain access to a strong support system of both corporate employees and other franchisees when they sign on to open their own restaurant. The brand also provides its franchisees with an affordable initial investment. Start-up costs range from $239,700 to $543,200, including a $30,000 franchise fee.

“Our franchise system is designed to set our franchisees up for success. Whether you’re new to the restaurant industry or are looking to diversify your portfolio with a rapidly growing brand, every member of Togo’s team is willing to lend a helping hand whenever it’s needed,” said Todd Peterson, chief development officer for Togo’s. “We’re looking forward to welcoming new franchisees into our system throughout the San Francisco Bay Area—we’re confident that it’s going to continue to be a key target development market for us going forward.”

To learn more about franchising opportunities with Togo’s, click here.