1851

In September, Marcus Queen, an entrepreneur in Tennessee, opened a Penn Station East Coast Subs restaurant in Nashville. A few weeks later and more than 500 miles away, Penn Station owner Jeff Martyn opened a new location in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both restaurants are the sixth Penn Station location in their town, and each is one of more than a dozen in its state. Since then, the brand has opened locations in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Dayton with an additional 15 stores slated to open across the Midwest in 2018.

An increased roll-out of new-store openings across states has recently become par for the course for Penn Station, which has always taken a measured approach to development.

&ldquo;We have always developed in concentric circles out from our existing markets,&rdquo; said Penn Station Director of Development and Franchising Greg Goddard. &ldquo;When we open any new restaurant, we want to be perfectly sure that that restaurant is well supported in terms of brand recognition, oversight, and logistics.&rdquo;

Now that the franchise has locations in 15 states across the Midwest, South, and East Coast, Goddard says Penn Station can support a surge in development across new territories.

&ldquo;With established markets in so many states, we can now develop in any number of locations and ensure the same high level of support that we have always required for every new opening.&rdquo;

In addition to the operational support and brand recognition buttressing each new store, Penn Station&rsquo;s development efforts are aided by a wealth of eager franchisee prospects across markets. With a system-wide average unit volume approaching $650,000, Penn Station is becoming a sought-after concept in the sub category but many franchisees said that they became owners because of Penn Station&rsquo;s efficient operations model.

&ldquo;I was already compelled by the financials,&rdquo; said Jeff Martyn, the Penn Station franchisee in West Cary, &ldquo;but when I walked into the store for the first time, I knew I could make this work. Everything was optimized. The kitchen layout, ordering, payments, everything is streamlined.&rdquo;

Rob Chinsky, a 17-unit Penn Station owner in Indianapolis, said the brand&rsquo;s operations model allows him to easily and effectively oversee a staff that manages his restaurants.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got a lot of extra help, and the process is still streamlined,&quot; said Chinsky. &ldquo;All my team members are part of this really simple, well-oiled machine that Penn Station has engineered.&rdquo;

Penn Station&rsquo;s growth is particularly impressive given the falling sales and tightening of belts elsewhere in the industry. In an <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/how-survive-fast-casuals-decline?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=penn-station-is-bigger-than-you-think-2705718" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview with QSR Magazine</a>, Penn Station President Craig Dunaway said that the brand has been able to thrive in recent years by bucking the industry trend toward cost-cutting in products, instead emphasizing the quality of their product to capture a larger share of the market.

&ldquo;I saw a lot of brands that I guess, for lack of a better term, cheapened their product,&rdquo; said Dunaway. &ldquo;Either the portion size or the quality of protein they used. We took a very contrarian approach to that, and said, &lsquo;you know, we need to make sure, at a minimum, we&rsquo;re using the quality products that we are. When we come out of this, people will remember that.&rsquo;&rdquo;

That strategy has kept Penn Station durable to the ever-changing economy, making them one of the most consistent concepts in fast-casual franchising. Now, as Penn Station strategizes their growth plan for 2018, the brand is preparing to leverage their position for large-scale growth. To that end, Penn Station&rsquo;s development team is looking for qualified owners in new markets and working with existing owners to expand their operations.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited to enter a number of new markets where we are primed for success, and we&rsquo;re currently seeking out strong ambassadors for the brand in those territories,&rdquo; Goddard said. &ldquo;There are also some markets, such as Kansas City and Pittsburgh, where we&rsquo;ve already had a strong start but we still have room for 25 or 30 more units, so we are excited to work with franchisees in those areas to fully build out their markets in the next few years.&rdquo;

As Penn Station prepares to roll out new stores in both new and existing markets, Goddard says the brand is excited to make Penn Station a household name for new customers across the country.

&ldquo;Our concept has resonated so strongly with customers everywhere we&rsquo;ve introduced the brand,&rdquo; Goddard said. &ldquo;We were voted the best sandwich in American in 2015. Everywhere you go, people are looking for a fantastic tasting meal option that is quick and comforting, somewhere they can stop in on their lunch break or take their whole family for dinner, and that&rsquo;s exactly what we offer. It&rsquo;s a great value proposition no matter where you take it.&rdquo;

Penn Station Is Bigger Than You Think

1851 Franchise

With over 300 locations across 15 states, Penn Station East Coast Subs has an expansive footprint.

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

penn-station-is-bigger-than-you-think

The Junkluggers

image of Lucy Mejia from Atlanta Georgia junkluggers franchisee owner mom

How This Stay-at-Home Mom Found Her Calling With The Junkluggers Franchise

lucy-mejia-junkluggers-franchise

image of the junkluggers franchise and a list of the top 5 reasons to purchase a junkluggers

Top 5 Reasons To Buy a Junkluggers Franchise in 2026

top-5-reasons-to-buy-a-junkluggers-franchise-2026

image of a junkluggers franchise owner franchisee standing in front of a company truck succesful

Junkluggers Franchisees Win the Fast-Growing, Eco-Focused Junk Removal Market With Mission, Momentum and a “Frictionless” System Built for Scale

the-junkluggers-franchise-opportunity

BIGGBY COFFEE

 BIGGBY® COFFEE Cracks Top 200 on Franchise Times Top 400, Climbing More Than 100 Spots in Four Years

biggby-coffee-cracks-top-200-on-franchise-times-top-400-climbing-more-than-100-spots-in-four-years

KidStrong Franchising, LLC

KidStrong Franchise - Sabrina Du - Steve Do - Tampa - 1851 Franchise

Why a KidStrong Franchise Fits This Family’s Next Chapter

kidstrong-franchise-tampa-steve-do-sabrina-du

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 Development Website Builder

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

Design with government building & "Open for Business" sign against American flag backdrop

Government Reopens After 43-Day Shutdown, Bringing Relief to Small Businesses and Franchises

government-shutdown-ends-franchise-impact

As Starbucks and Dunkin’ Navigate a Changing Market, New Coffee Players Keep Gaining Ground

starbucks-dunkin-franchise-coffee-market-trends

Paris Baguette Welcomes Zac Sulma as New Chief Operating Officer

new-coo-zac-sulma

AI-related job cuts, October U.S. job cuts, American job cut record

AI-Fueled Layoffs Reshape the U.S. Job Market — And Highlight Franchising’s Resilience

ai-job-cuts-franchising-path-forward

Crunch Fitness Franchise - Sixth Street Minority Stake - CR Fitness - 1851 Franchise

Sixth Street Takes Minority Stake in CR Fitness, the Largest Crunch Fitness Franchisee

cr-fitness-crunch-fitness-sixth-street-investment

Scenthound Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

scenthound-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

EarthWise Pet Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

earthwise-pet-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

image of franchise deep dive from 1851 franchise on doody calls franchise authority brands

DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

doodycalls-franchise-deep-dive

image of michael brown and matt kelton from children's lighthouse family owned brand private equity

Learn Why Children’s Lighthouse Is Different as a Family-Owned Brand vs. a Private Equity Brand in Upcoming Webinar

family-owned-vs-private-equity-childrens-lighthouse

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Penn Station Is Bigger Than You Think

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS