Potbelly Sandwich Shop Is Opening a Whopping 40 New Restaurants
Everyone needs a great sandwich store, and if your neighborhood lacks one, you may be in luck. Potbelly, a Chicago-based sandwich franchise, is opening 40
In 2021, the epidemic drove foot traffic to drop, forcing the company to close 28 sites and lose approximately 30% of revenue.
The brand returned in 2022 with an intention to open 2,000 units nationwide over the next decade.
A revised website, loyalty program, breakfast menu, and special promo discounts helped Potbelly win back consumers and record revenue in
Q3 2022, with retail and catering sales rising. Potbelly signed a 14-restaurant deal with STA Management and a second deal with
entrepreneur Rob Wilbern to open five more locations in Illinois in late 2022, bringing the total to 450, with 27 Maryland locations announced earlier this year and 40
Potbelly is partnering with Royal Restaurant Group, a Florida-based food and beverage franchise company created earlier this year by Randy Pianin
and Robert Negron, who acquired 23 Burger Kings in Jacksonville, Fla. After acquiring 40 Potbelly locations, they're entering the sandwich business.
Potbelly President and CEO Bob Wright remarked, "We're delighted to have Royal Restaurant Group join the Potbelly system and further our
growth in several key areas of the U.S.," per Restaurant Business. "I have no doubt their expertise will benefit our company and help support our long-term goals."