Top 10 Sandwich Franchises To Watch in 2020

The sandwich and sub shop sector is continuing to dominate the U.S. QSR and fast casual segments, with an estimated value of $25 billion in 2019. The sandwich category continues to attract franchisees and entrepreneurs looking to buy into a successful concept and proven market. Brands are innovating new ways to bring fresh ingredients and exciting sandwich options to customers while providing franchisees with exceptional support and growth opportunities.

Here are some of the most successful and promising sandwich franchises to watch in 2020.

Blimpie

Locations: 2,000-plus

Investment range: $139,970 to $401,450

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.blimpiefranchise.com/

Blimpie got its start in Hoboken, New Jersey back in 1964 when three friends were inspired to bring a bigger and better sandwich to their local area. Fast forward to today and the company has become wildly popular within the QSR segment. Blimpie’s menu includes 10 cold deli subs, plus hot subs, paninis, wraps and salads. 

What you can learn from this brand: Even after five decades, Blimpie is still finding new ways to innovate and increase the success of its operations. The brand recently piloted a rollout of personalized mobile offers and targeted promotions, increasing average customer spending by 11%. 

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop

Locations: 88

Investment range: $365,000 to $793,217

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.ownacapriottis.com/

Capriotti's is a Delaware-based fast casual sandwich chain started in 1976 by Lois Margolet and her brother Alan with a goal of creating a sandwich for “real turkey lovers.” Capriotti’s became famous for its nightly tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house and hand-shredding them each morning to feature in a variety of fan-favorite subs. Since starting to franchise in 1987, the chain has opened close to 100 locations all around the country.

What you can learn from this brand: Capriotti’s has maintained a level of quality throughout the years that has resulted in a notoriously beloved reputation, including a public endorsement by former Vice President Joe Biden and a recent ranking as the best fast food in Delaware by Food and Wine magazine. As brand intimacy becomes a bigger conversation among millennial consumers, beloved brands like Capriotti’s are slated for continued growth in the segment. 

Cheba Hut*

Locations: 25

Investment range: $336,000 to $678,000

Franchise opportunity website: https://franchise.chebahut.com/

Cheba Hut has been escaping the norm and getting “toasted” since 1998. Founder Scott Jennings wanted to break the mold of mundane fast-casual concepts and set the brand apart by becoming the first marijuana-themed sandwich franchise. The Denver-based brand is dedicated to combining locally sourced ingredients with a relaxed, fun and authentic dining experience that includes a full-service bar and a menu of over 30 signature subs.

What you can learn from this brand: Cheba Hut’s dare-to-be-different approach to the sandwich segment has paid off as the company continues to ride the explosive popularity of pro-cannabis culture. The brand recently engaged in some masterful viral marketing, calling out Quizno’s as “bandwagon douchebags” after the chain copied Cheba Hut’s magic mushroom-themed menu item.  

Cousins Subs

Locations: 100

Investment range:  $197,200 to $648,000

Franchise opportunity website: https://cousinssubsfranchise.com/

Cousins Subs was founded way back in the early 1970s by Bill Specht and James Sheppard, both of whom, as you might guess, are cousins. The East Coast natives decided to bring their sub shop concept to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and quickly gained a dedicated following that consisted mostly of East Coast folks who missed their subs. The brand takes its motto of “We Believe in Better” seriously, crafting the finest sandwiches possible with bread baked daily, ingredients sliced deli-fresh and grilled subs made to order.

What you can learn from this brand: After a rebranding effort a few years ago, Cousins Subs has become a leader in innovative restaurant technology. In addition to launching a delivery-only restaurant in downtown Milwaukee, the sandwich concept recently unveiled a POS technology system that includes POS-integrated third party delivery. 

Jimmy John’s

Locations: 2,800

Investment range: $313,600 to $556,100

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.jimmyjohns.com/franchising/

Since its founding in the early 1980s, Jimmy John’s has become one of the biggest sandwich franchises in the country by doing things a little differently, including no oven-baked hot sandwiches, freakishly fast service and only one cheese option. The brand’s French-style sub rolls are baked fresh daily, and the craveable assembly of meats and veggies are freshly sliced each day in-store. The chain’s quirky, irreverent ad messaging is a big hit with the college-age crowd.

What you can learn from this brand: While most franchises are jumping on the third-party delivery bandwagon, Jimmy John’s has decided to pave its own way, keeping all delivery services in-house as a way to reduce delivery times and improve customer satisfaction. To promote the brand’s in-house delivery service, Jimmy John’s recently announced its plan to buy one lucky winner a home inside a Jimmy John’s Delivery Zone.

McAlister’s Deli

Locations: 400-plus

Investment range: $762,000 to $2,028,500

Franchise opportunity website: https://mcalistersdelifranchising.com/

Back in the late 1980s, McAlister’s Deli had humble beginnings in Oxford, Mississippi with its first location in an abandoned movie-set diner. Since then, the kid-friendly, family-oriented brand has come to be defined by a sense of Southern hospitality and is dedicated to serving seasonal menu items and providing great customer service. The brand has become known for its craveable sandwiches, spuds, salads and sweet tea.

What you can learn from this brand: McAlister’s Deli is serious about its community approach, participating in local activities such as annual Free Tea Day each summer, volunteering in charity marathons and working at local fundraisers. McAlister’s Deli is a prime example of a franchise making its hospitality as memorable as its food, which perfectly appeals to the generation’s growing demand for mission-driven and socially responsible marketing. 

Penn Station

Locations: 315

Investment range: $347,955 to $556,804

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.penn-station.com/franchise/

Penn Station East Coast Subs was founded by Jeff Osterfeld in the late 1980s with the desire to provide a “display cooking” concept where customers could see their food being prepared right in front of them, including fresh-cut french fries and hand-squeezed lemonade. The menu of four classic subs, three chicken subs, and three Italian subs can be served both hot or cold.

What you can learn from this brand: Penn Station East Coast Subs has continued to stand out in the segment for decades by providing both customers and franchisees with industry-leading services. The brand was recently named No. 10 on Forbes’ “Best Franchises to Buy List” as well as ranked among Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Food Franchises of 2019, coming in at No. 10 in the Sandwich category. Penn Station East Coast Subs recently donated $79,371.57 to the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati and the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association through a combination of customer donations garnered by 47 Cincinnati and 15 Dayton restaurants and $50,000 from Penn Station, Inc. As more and more consumers look for reliable and trustworthy brands, the people-centric commitment to both its franchisees and consumers is what has positioned the brand for unparalleled longevity in the segment.

Pita Pit

Locations: 600-plus

Investment range: $216,354 to $435,102

Franchise opportunity website: https://pitapitusa.com/franchising

When Nelson Lang and John Sotiriadis founded Ontario-based Pita Pit in the mid-1990s, the healthy-eating trend was nowhere near as popular as it is today. They wanted to offer a fresher, healthier menu than traditional high-fat, high-carb, high-calorie fast food, settling on Lebanese-style pita sandwiches filled with fresh veggies, grilled meats, and zesty sauces. Many of the shops stay open late into the night, appealing to university students. 

What you can learn from this brand: Pita Pit has developed its franchising opportunity over the past twenty years to account for the growing demand of health-food related concepts. As the trend picks up, Pita Pit has differentiated itself in the traditionally less-than-healthy sandwich and sub shop segment by offering strictly fresh and healthy meals.

Togo’s

Locations: 240-plus

Investment range: $325,000

Franchise opportunity website: https://togosfranchise.com/

Togo's Sandwiches was founded in 1971 in San Jose, California, by a young college student with a large appetite for big, fresh and meaty sandwiches. Today, that spirit of the founder and the original sandwich shop continues as Togo’s serves up the highest-quality ingredients, including fresh artisan breads, hand-sliced premium pastrami, turkey and roast beef, as well as Hass avocados hand-mashed in-house daily. With more than 200 locations open and under development throughout the West, the brand has become a coastal-cool staple for hungry patrons.

What you can learn from this brand: Togo’s continues to stand out in the crowded sandwich segment through brand revamps and a willingness to innovate. The brand is currently undergoing an exciting transformation as part of a strategic ‘Togo’s 3.0’ initiative, with new, modern store designs, technology such as ordering kiosks, third-party delivery partnerships and even state-of-the-art convection ovens that open up the menu to more hot sandwich options.

Which Wich

Locations: 500

Investment range: $181,100 to $480,250

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.whichwichfranchising.com/

Started in 2003 by Jeff Sinelli in Dallas, Texas, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches has become famous for the way customers place orders using red Sharpies to mark pre-printed menus on sandwich bags, selecting from among 10 categories of sandwiches, then choosing the bread, cheese, spreads and toppings. Patrons are encouraged to use the red markers to decorate their bags and hang them in a gallery area in the shop.

What you can learn from this brand: After 15 years of franchising, Which Wich hasn’t slowed down one bit, offering franchisees superior support systems and opportunities for community engagement. The brand recently opened up its very first location inside of a hospital in Mobile, Alabama. As millennial and Gen Z consumers continue to look for authentic, mission-driven brands, Which Wich is a prime example of brands doing it the right way.