Newk’s Eatery, the 97-unit fast-casual restaurant chain known for its fresh sandwiches, soups, salads and pizzas, is targeting suburban Columbus, Ohio, for franchise development. With no current stores in the state, the market represents a wide-open opportunity. Columbus has approximately 390,528 households, which means it can support an estimated 10 Newk’s locations.
"Columbus checks all the boxes we look for when identifying high-potential expansion markets," said Chris Cheek, Chief Development Officer of Newk’s Eatery. "It offers strong population growth, attractive household incomes, economic diversity and a suburban customer base that aligns exceptionally well with our brand. We believe franchisees who enter this market early will be well-positioned to build a meaningful, long-term business."
Columbus has become one of the Midwest’s most attractive cities for business growth, supported by a diversified economy that includes education, health care, technology and finance. The metro area has a median household income of around $66,082, giving residents enough discretionary spending power for dining and lifestyle experiences.
Columbus has also continued to grow. The metro area added 21,000 residents in 2025, surpassing 2.2 million, while job opportunities and a lower cost of living have helped attract new residents.
Columbus is one area where Newk’s is looking to grow as it approaches 100 units. In 2025, the brand signed 10 franchise agreements and opened five new locations. It expanded into cities including Pascagoula, Mississippi; Statesboro, Georgia; Mandeville, Louisiana; and Wichita, Kansas, as well as a college campus location at the University of Georgia.
The franchise introduced a new real estate footprint that can operate in as little as 2,800 square feet, giving franchisees flexibility across endcap, inline and drive-thru formats. This allows franchisees to choose strong sites across a variety of trade areas. Franchisees entering the Columbus market will also benefit from key investments Newk’s made in 2025, including the rollout of a cloud-based POS system and a new customer feedback platform designed to improve operational efficiency. The new tools provide insights that inform everything from which limited-time offers should stay around longer to how stores plan staffing.
"Columbus offers the kind of market fundamentals that support sustainable restaurant growth," Cheek said. "A growing suburban population, continued economic investment and strong consumer demand make it an ideal environment for franchise owners looking to scale."
With no current market presence, Columbus represents an important entry point for Newk’s to introduce its fresh, scratch-made menu to a new customer base. As the brand seeks to exceed its previous pace of development and secure 15 or more new franchise commitments, markets like Columbus will play an important role in its continued expansion.
For franchisees considering bringing Newk’s to Columbus, now’s a better time than ever. The brand offers strong sales and several ways to drive revenue. According to the brand’s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the estimated initial investment ranges from $1,022,000 to $1,414,350. Restaurants open for all of 2025 reported average net revenues of $2,373,179, with top-performing locations averaging more than $3.3 million. In addition to in-restaurant sales, Newk’s has established catering and digital ordering channels, giving franchisees additional opportunities to grow the business and reach customers throughout their markets.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/newks-eatery.
Newk’s Eatery
SPONSORED
The franchise has no current locations in the market, giving franchisees ample white space to grow and capitalize on steady population growth and strong household density.
Newk’s Eatery, the 97-unit fast-casual restaurant chain known for its fresh sandwiches, soups, salads and pizzas, is targeting suburban Columbus, Ohio, for franchise development. With no current stores in the state, the market represents a wide-open opportunity. Columbus has approximately 390,528 households, which means it can support an estimated 10 Newk’s locations.
"Columbus checks all the boxes we look for when identifying high-potential expansion markets," said Chris Cheek, Chief Development Officer of Newk’s Eatery. "It offers strong population growth, attractive household incomes, economic diversity and a suburban customer base that aligns exceptionally well with our brand. We believe franchisees who enter this market early will be well-positioned to build a meaningful, long-term business."
Columbus has become one of the Midwest’s most attractive cities for business growth, supported by a diversified economy that includes education, health care, technology and finance. The metro area has a median household income of around $66,082, giving residents enough discretionary spending power for dining and lifestyle experiences.
Columbus has also continued to grow. The metro area added 21,000 residents in 2025, surpassing 2.2 million, while job opportunities and a lower cost of living have helped attract new residents.
Columbus is one area where Newk’s is looking to grow as it approaches 100 units. In 2025, the brand signed 10 franchise agreements and opened five new locations. It expanded into cities including Pascagoula, Mississippi; Statesboro, Georgia; Mandeville, Louisiana; and Wichita, Kansas, as well as a college campus location at the University of Georgia.
The franchise introduced a new real estate footprint that can operate in as little as 2,800 square feet, giving franchisees flexibility across endcap, inline and drive-thru formats. This allows franchisees to choose strong sites across a variety of trade areas. Franchisees entering the Columbus market will also benefit from key investments Newk’s made in 2025, including the rollout of a cloud-based POS system and a new customer feedback platform designed to improve operational efficiency. The new tools provide insights that inform everything from which limited-time offers should stay around longer to how stores plan staffing.
"Columbus offers the kind of market fundamentals that support sustainable restaurant growth," Cheek said. "A growing suburban population, continued economic investment and strong consumer demand make it an ideal environment for franchise owners looking to scale."
With no current market presence, Columbus represents an important entry point for Newk’s to introduce its fresh, scratch-made menu to a new customer base. As the brand seeks to exceed its previous pace of development and secure 15 or more new franchise commitments, markets like Columbus will play an important role in its continued expansion.
For franchisees considering bringing Newk’s to Columbus, now’s a better time than ever. The brand offers strong sales and several ways to drive revenue. According to the brand’s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the estimated initial investment ranges from $1,022,000 to $1,414,350. Restaurants open for all of 2025 reported average net revenues of $2,373,179, with top-performing locations averaging more than $3.3 million. In addition to in-restaurant sales, Newk’s has established catering and digital ordering channels, giving franchisees additional opportunities to grow the business and reach customers throughout their markets.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/newks-eatery.
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