How Lennys Grill & Subs’ Rebranding Turned a Fan into a Franchisee

Matt Butler was never a huge fan of subs. To him, they were a plain and ordinary meal choice that was never very fulfilling. That all changed while he was living in Memphis, Tenn. One day he decided to see if his belief was flawed by giving a local sub shop a try, and after his first taste of Lennys Grill & Subs his opinion changed forever.

“The food was delicious and it seemed like something completely different than what was out there already,” said Butler. “It is fairly healthy, really fresh and a fast-paced lunch option. It quickly became one of my favorite lunch spots while I was in Memphis.”

Unfortunately, Butler had to leave his favorite lunch spot when his wife received a job offer in Atlanta. With this change in scenery, Butler wanted a career change as well.

“I was really searching for something that would provide an opportunity for me to diversify my business skills,” said Butler. “I knew a number of people who were involved in franchising and had such wonderful things to say about the industry that I knew it was a path I should strongly look into as I moved to Atlanta.”

While researching different franchises to find the right fit for his personality and business skills, which every potential franchisee should do, he struggled to find something that really resonated with him. Although Butler was frustrated with the roadblock, he decided to take a different approach by looking at brands he was already passionate about and then finding business opportunities that matched. On the top of that list was Lennys Grill & Subs.

“When I decided to look into franchising opportunities with Lennys Grill & Subs, I had a feeling from the very beginning that it was going to be the right fit,” noted Butler. “I was already a fan of the brand, but their Discovery Day is when I really knew my vision truly aligned with where the company was going.”

Over the past two years, Lennys Grill & Subs has undergone serious rebranding. In addition to reimaging the store look, the brand is focusing more on emphasizing the “grill” aspect of each restaurant, making it more of an inviting environment as a sit-down fast-casual establishment, rather than just an on-the-go food option.

“When I heard the company discuss their vision for the future it only made me more excited about opening a new location in my new home,” said Butler. “Atlanta is growing very rapidly with more and more millennials moving into the city every year. I believe the rebranding of Lennys is gearing more towards what millennials want out of their dining experience.”

Millennials, who are now surpassing Baby Boomers’ purchasing power, are demanding things like communal dining, affordable food, healthy options and alcohol offerings, which are driving Lennys Grill & Subs’ rebrand.

“As a new franchisee that has invested a lot of time and money into this new business, I feel really reassured with the brand that I bought into because of their recognition of the changing customers,” said Butler. “We are now offering salads, soups, grilled options and hopefully will soon be offering beer and wine. I want my customers to see this not only as a lunch option but even a dinner option.”

Butler plans to open his new location in Sandy Springs, an affluent suburb in Atlanta, in early 2018. The rebranding has inspired him to consider opening a number of locations throughout Atlanta, as it is a market that is primed to support at least 5-7 new Lennys locations.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lennys Grill & Subs, visit https://lennysfranchise.com/.