1851

Growing up on the West Coast, <a href="http://www.togosfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=togos-new-chief-concept-officer-has-big-plans-for-the-next-generation-brand-10070" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Togo&rsquo;s</a> has always been Glenn Lunde&rsquo;s favorite sandwich shop. Throughout high school, he&rsquo;d regularly drop by after class for a quick bite. This was nearly three decades ago, and ever since, he&rsquo;s never stopped eating at <a href="http://togos.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=togos-new-chief-concept-officer-has-big-plans-for-the-next-generation-brand-10070" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Togo&rsquo;s</a>. He later converted his wife and kids into super fans, too. And today, he&rsquo;s proud to say that Togo&rsquo;s is still the only sandwich shop his family goes to.

Now, as Togo&rsquo;s new Chief Concept Officer, he&rsquo;s putting that affinity to good use by leading marketing, brand strategy and concept development for the fast-growing, &ldquo;West Coast Original&rdquo; sandwich chain.

&ldquo;As a Bay Area native, I&rsquo;ve been a huge Togo&rsquo;s fan for decades, and I believe the brand has a ton of untapped potential. Togo&rsquo;s has incredible sandwiches with an incredible legacy, and an even more incredible fan base. The loyalty and enthusiasm of Togo&rsquo;s customers is unlike anything else I&rsquo;ve ever seen,&rdquo; said Lunde. &ldquo;I am excited to work with the Togo&rsquo;s franchisees as we implement new ways to simplify our business model and thrill our customers.&rdquo;

As a Restaurant executive for the past 15 years, Lunde has led restaurant concepts through turnaround situations, market expansions and highly profitable growth. Before joining Togo&rsquo;s, Glenn served as Chief Concept Officer for Einstein Noah&rsquo;s Restaurant Group, a 900-unit company where he led menu architecture, culinary innovation, restaurant design and marketing efforts. He also served as the Chief Marketing Officer for Panda Restaurant Group, where he championed Panda&rsquo;s first TV campaign and helped to elevate the brand&rsquo;s guest experience from a fast food cafeteria to a fast casual restaurant to become the dominant player in the Asian restaurant category.

&ldquo;Glenn has a track record of building national franchises into sustainable, profitable operators that achieve long-term success. He will be a valuable leader for our brand repositioning and concept development efforts,&rdquo; said Tony Gioia, CEO at Togo&rsquo;s. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my pleasure to welcome Glenn to the Togo&rsquo;s family.&rdquo;

In his new role, Lunde will be focused on defining and refining what the Togo&rsquo;s experience is all about&mdash;for both guests and franchisees.

&ldquo;This is much bigger than marketing&mdash;it&rsquo;s about updating our concept and communicating what Togo&rsquo;s is all about. What does a customer feel when they enter the restaurant? How does the Togo&rsquo;s service work for the customer? How do we make it easier for a franchisee to run a Togo&rsquo;s? And how can we make it a more profitable investment? My task now is finding that win-win for franchisees and our guests,&rdquo; Lunde said. &ldquo;How can we make the experience better for the guest and running the restaurant better for franchisees?&rdquo;

In his new role as the Chief Concept Officer, Lunde&rsquo;s most important customer is the franchisee. If the franchisee is happy, he says, that means the guests are happy, too. Which is why, in the years ahead, Lunde has made it a top priority to work closely with the Togo&rsquo;s executive team and franchisees to perfect the brand&rsquo;s franchise model. By making the business easier to operate, they can boost in-restaurant efficiency and the franchisee&rsquo;s bottom line. This starts with rolling out a new &ldquo;pay first&rdquo; model&mdash;one that&rsquo;s similar to Starbucks and Jimmy John&rsquo;s. A guest comes into the restaurant, places an order and pays. Then, someone else from the Togo&rsquo;s team makes the sandwich. Right now, the same person that takes the order assembles the sandwich, asking the guests questions along the way. &nbsp;

&ldquo;It all starts with the franchisee. If they have a workable system, it&rsquo;ll keep the guests happy and coming back for more,&rdquo; Lunde said. &ldquo;By evolving our ordering system, we&rsquo;re allowing our restaurants to make sandwiches faster and more accurately with less labor. The franchisee doesn&rsquo;t have to have as much staff on the floor, and the guest gets their food faster.&rdquo;

Having an irresistible core product doesn&rsquo;t hurt, either. With fresh, high-quality ingredients, big portions and unique signature sandwiches, Togo&rsquo;s has established a strong fan base that can only be described as cult-like. And now, by introducing a more streamlined business model, customers can continue enjoying the food they&rsquo;ve always loved&mdash;but faster.

&ldquo;This is the most exciting time to be a part of Togo&rsquo;s. We&rsquo;re on the verge of a next generation concept. It&rsquo;ll be an incredible evolution, and I&rsquo;m so excited about the direction we&rsquo;re heading. We make the best sandwiches in the industry, and now, we&rsquo;re on our way to providing the best franchise opportunity in the industry,&rdquo; Lunde said.&nbsp;

Togos’ New Chief Concept Officer Has Big Plans for the Next-Generation Brand

1851 Franchise

A longtime Togo’s fan, Glenn Lunde wants to make the best sandwich shop in the industry the best franchise opportunity in the industry, too. 


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

togos-new-chief-concept-officer-has-big-plans-for-the-next-generation-brand

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue and Lifewise Partner To Deliver Safer, Healthier Homes for Seniors

trublue-and-lifewise-partner-to-deliver-safer-healthier-homes-for-seniors

Keke's Breakfast Cafe

Keke’s Sets Sights on Columbus for Franchise Growth

kekes-sets-sights-on-columbus-for-franchise-growth

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier Enters Montana with First Conversion Deal in Bozeman

fitness-premier-enters-montana-with-first-conversion-deal-in-bozeman

Strategic Franchising

What Makes a Franchise Opportunity Stand Out with Strategic Franchising Systems?

strategic-franchising-systems-franchise-opportunity-insights

Melting Pot

Melting Pot Wraps Up Q3 2025 With New Openings and Continued 50th Anniversary Celebration

melting-pot-wraps-up-q3-2025-with-new-openings-and-continued-50th-anniversary-celebration

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

houses, Why Top Franchises of 2025 Outperform Independent Businesses

Why the Top Franchises of 2025 Outperform Independent Businesses

how-franchises-outperform-independent-business-2025-tech-data

Photo of Happinest Brands teams standing together in front of branded vehicles

Happinest Brands Continues Strong 2025 Trajectory With Major Q3 Growth and Strategic Wins

happinest-brands-q3-franchise-growth

Franchise Owners Step Up To Support Communities During Government Shutdown - 1851 Franchise

Franchise Owners Step Up To Support Communities During Government Shutdown

franchise-community-support-shutdown

Slim Chickens Opens R&D Center at World Headquarters To Drive Menu Innovation

slim-chickens-rd-center-fayetteville

Nearly 40% of Americans Are Eating Out Less as High Prices Redefine Dining Habits

nearly-40-of-americans-are-eating-out-less-as-high-prices-redefine-dining-habits

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

image  of Happinest franchise collection and all their brands that work together. 

The Happinest Advantage: A Marketing Partner Invested in Your Bottom Line

happinest-franchise-marketing-strategy

Baker Tilly: Global Advisory, Tax and Assurance Firm Serving Diverse Industries

baker-tilly-global-advisory-tax-and-assurance-firm-serving-diverse-industries

Coffee & analytics image with photo of Nick Powills

Athletes And Franchising: Why the Connection Runs Deep

athletes-in-franchising

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

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

Togos’ New Chief Concept Officer Has Big Plans for the Next-Generation Brand

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS