1851

With the launch of its beer bar in 2006 and its full bar in 2009, it&rsquo;s clear <a href="https://franchise.chebahut.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=cheba-hut-launches-revamped-bar-program-2708496" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cheba Hut</a> is setting trends, not chasing them. In 2018, the marijuana-themed sandwich shop franchise turned to innovation once again to simplify operations and bring even better quality to its franchisees and customers by revamping its bar program at each of its 25 locations.

&ldquo;Streamlining our bar program has been something we&rsquo;ve long sought to accomplish, so taking on the task this year was an exciting step,&rdquo; said Seth Larsen, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/chebahut" target="_blank">Cheba Hut&rsquo;s</a> chief relationship officer. &ldquo;Achieving consistency of operations and offerings across locations was our main priority. We wouldn&#39;t allow one store to order different chicken or tomatoes than the others, so why would we let them order beer or liquor that wasn&rsquo;t the same?&rdquo; Larsen asked.

Despite the incongruencies across locations, Cheba Hut&rsquo;s bar program that was once a loss leader has evolved into a huge revenue generator and sales driver for the brand. The revamp began at the beginning of the second quarter with Cheba Hut&rsquo;s director of operations, Cody Edgin, leading the project.

&ldquo;We also engaged with a cocktail production consultant who steered us in the right direction,&rdquo; Larsen said. &ldquo;Our team put some deals together with brand-aligned liquor and beer companies, creating uniformity while still letting each store decide for itself what&rsquo;s on tap.&rdquo;

Cheba Hut rolled out the bar revamp at its company stores in Colorado to make sure the team could work out the kinks before any of the brand&rsquo;s franchised stores adopted the changes. This is a common practice, as the brand always tests any system-wide changes at its company-owned locations to ensure value for franchisees.

&ldquo;We narrowed down our skews and developed a menu of fairly priced, executable cocktails,&rdquo; Larsen said. &ldquo;This keeps things easier for our employees and franchisees. Both of our footprint size models available have the flexibility to accommodate the concept, which is a huge differentiator for us.&rdquo;

Now, every Cheba Hut features the same standardized cocktail menu, along with rotating and changing specials, to benefit customers and drive additional sales. Larsen said the brand&rsquo;s most popular drink is the Ms. Parker, a blackberry moonshine cocktail based off the movie Friday.

&ldquo;Consistency and value are cornerstones on the sandwich side, and we&rsquo;ve now brought the same thing to the bar side of our business,&rdquo; Larsen said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re a cult brand, so we want customers ordering drinks at one of our stores to be able to expect the same thing at a different store like they would with our sandwiches.&rdquo;

Other features added with the revamp include additional menu items designed to cater to bar patrons that include shareable dishes like flatbread, pretzel nuggets, Doritos nachos and more.

&ldquo;We are always a sandwich shop with a bar in it, not the other way around,&rdquo; Larsen said. &ldquo;But we recognize people are eating differently than they did 10 years ago, so we&rsquo;ve developed a menu of great munchies.&rdquo;

Dorian Lenz Jr., a Cheba Hut franchisee in Arizona who owns six units, said the customers at his locations have responded extremely well to the new bar program. &ldquo;People are really embracing it,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really exploded and I&rsquo;m excited about even further growth. It&rsquo;s transforming restaurants from a place to grab a quick bite to a place where people are staying for a few hours.&rdquo;

The new format has put Cheba Hut is well on its way to owning the group dining space. It&rsquo;s become a huge factor in helping the brand stand out from competing sandwich concepts, and as a result, drive multiple visits and benefit revenue.&nbsp;

Cheba Hut Launches Revamped Bar Program 

1851 Franchise

Through a refined and standardized bar offering, Cheba Hut sandwich franchise is transforming its locations into the ultimate hangout spots.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

cheba-hut-launches-revamped-bar-program

TruBlue Home Service Ally

Why TruBlue is the Ideal Franchise for Multi-Unit Owners: Scalable Growth With a Purpose

why-trublue-is-the-ideal-franchise-for-multi-unit-owners-scalable-growth-with-a-purpose

Onigilly Japanese Kitchen

Koji Kanematsu Turned a 2,000-Year-Old Japanese Staple Into One of the Most Scalable Restaurant Franchise Models

koji-kanematsu-turned-a-2000-year-old-japanese-staple-into-one-of-the-most-scalable-restaurant-franchise-models

Lindora

Celebrating the Nurse Behind the Mission: How Melinda Endricks Is Powering Lindora’s Growth and Impact Nationwide

celebrating-the-nurse-behind-the-mission-how-melinda-endricks-is-powering-lindoras-growth-and-impact-nationwide

Sola Salons

Sola Salons Targets Chicago for Strategic Franchise Growth

sola-salons-targets-chicago-for-strategic-franchise-growth

Melting Pot

Photo of Melting Pot white chocolate fondue

How Melting Pot Franchisees Drive Year-Round Success Through Strategic Promotions and Local Marketing

melting-pot-franchise-year-round-success

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Lumin Lash Franchise Deep Dive - Costs, Fees, Profit and Data - 1851 Franchise

Lumin Lash Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

lumin-lash-franchise-deep-dive

HTeaO Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-hteaos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Photo of Happinest Brands vans and teams standing together

Happinest Brands Closes Strong Q1 With Strategic Growth, System-Wide Enhancements

happinest-brands-q1-2025-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

Health Care Professional in the Non-Profit Space Brings TruBlue to North Pittsburgh

health-care-professional-in-the-non-profit-space-brings-trublue-to-north-pittsburgh

Cheba Hut Launches Revamped Bar Program

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS