Why Sunny Street Café Is Targeting St. Louis for Franchise Development

Sunny Street Café, a fast-growing breakfast and lunch concept known for its welcoming atmosphere and delectable menu, is setting its sights on St. Louis for franchise expansion. With a strong presence in Ohio and other parts of the Midwest, the brand sees tremendous potential in the St. Louis market, a city that shares many of the same demographic and economic characteristics as its most successful locations.

Why St. Louis?

According to Mike Stasko, president of Sunny Street Café, St. Louis is a natural fit for the brand’s expansion strategy. 

“We think St. Louis has a lot of potential,” Stasko said. “Our Concord location, which is near the St. Louis area, is one of our strongest-performing restaurants. We believe the market is underserved, and a better breakfast concept like ours would do really well here. Columbus has traditionally been a concept-test-bed — if it’s successful there, it can do well elsewhere. We see those same similarities in St. Louis.”

The decision to target St. Louis is not just based on proximity to successful existing locations but also on a careful analysis of the market. “Demographically, St. Louis fits the mold of our successful markets in Cleveland and Cincinnati, which are similar to Columbus," Stasko said. “As we ran the demographic work, we saw strong counterpoints between these cities, making St. Louis a promising market for Sunny Street Café.”

A Proven Model

Sunny Street Café has a track record of success in markets similar to St. Louis. The brand, which operates 22 locations across the U.S., has consistently outperformed industry trends, even in challenging economic times. In the first half of 2024, Sunny Street Café saw steady guest counts across all its markets, a testament to the brand’s strong appeal and customer loyalty.

One of the key drivers of this success has been the introduction of innovative menu items, such as the new Fancy Pancake Menu, which has quickly become a customer favorite. “These new pancakes have gone over extremely well,” Stasko said. “They are balanced, delicious and offer ‘wow’ flavors that you just can’t get elsewhere.”

Since day one, Sunny Street Café has consistently been at the forefront of culinary creativity, making a name for itself with its award-winning dishes, made-from-scratch menu and commitment to quality. In addition to its menu innovation, Sunny Street Café has also focused on expanding its off-premises operations, including a full-service breakfast catering program that can contribute up to 20% of total sales for franchisees.

A Strategic Expansion

Looking ahead, Stasko believes that St. Louis offers a unique opportunity to establish a strong presence in a city that is ripe for a better breakfast concept. The brand envisions opening 15-20 locations in the market over the next few years.

“We believe that within one year, we could open several locations, with more to follow over the next five to 10 years," Stasko said. “St. Louis offers the right mix of economic stability and cultural alignment with our brand values, making it an ideal place to grow.”

With an initial investment range of $464,545 to $1,307,514 and a reported average unit volume (AUV) of $1.266 million across 12 franchise restaurants, Sunny Street Café presents a compelling opportunity for prospective franchisees in St. Louis and beyond. 

As Sunny Street Café continues to grow, Stasko and his team are excited about the future. “People want to add this daypart to their portfolio and — given our continued growth, focus on controlled expansion and the introduction of exciting new stores — now is the perfect time for investors to join us at the ground floor,” said Stasko. “Our model is a fit for those looking to build a legacy within the breakfast and lunch segment.”

For more information on franchise opportunities with Sunny Street Café, visit Sunny Street Café’s Franchise Information.