How to Choose a Sub Shop Franchise: What Customers Want Most

A sub shop franchise can be a lucrative investment, today and in the future. IBISWorld estimates the sandwich and sub store franchise industry to have increased by 4.5% in 2022 and have a market size based on revenue of $23.6 billion. In the U.S., sandwiches are viewed by customers as a staple meal. Tapping into this thriving deli franchise market has the potential for great returns on investment by providing customers with a quality version of what they already crave.

Think Like a Customer

Savvy restaurant brands profit by understanding certain key consumer insights and catering to their customers’ needs. Today’s customers are smart, connected, and hungry for meals that check several boxes when it comes to eating out. Here are four ingredients most customers want when choosing to dine out.

Different Flavors

According to consumer research from the Brisan Group, a product insights company, while many Americans make sandwiches at home, they also frequently order sandwiches from fast food and fast casual restaurant chains once a week or once every other week. The agency also reports that when sandwiches are made at home, they are typically filled with cold cuts and plain wheat bread. However, when the consumer goes out for lunch or dinner, they’re looking for a fresh take on the classics and something more elevated than what they can prepare at home. In fact, consumers surveyed told Datassential they desire new food trends—leading the firm to report that new and different flavors will help restaurants win and retain repeat customers.

Convenience

Efficiency is one of the most valued cultural concepts in the U.S. The fast-paced lifestyle of Americans is engrained in every part of the day—including mealtimes. Consumers crave convenience as much as they crave quality food. This trend is not just based in the U.S. The global fast-casual restaurant industry market is anticipated to balloon by more than $186 billion between 2022 and 2026. If this prediction holds true, the industry could see a compound annual growth rate of 12 CAGR. To keep consumers interested, fast and efficient service will continue to be a key factor in food choices.

Dinner Options

Our busy lives don’t end when the workday ends. Consumers are busy after work. With a dinner daypart available in some sandwich franchises, there is potential to make money outside the traditional lunchtime hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Marketing sandwiches as a craveable dinner option is a smart business move any way you slice it. The flavors are typically more unique than traditional lunchtime cold cuts, with hot, made to order grilled sandwiches and fresh-cut fries, along with an inviting fast-casual atmosphere, a sub shop franchise allows for convenience, menus with healthy options, and a wider eating timeslot customers crave.

Delivery options, either through the restaurant itself or a third-party service, are essential to creating a convenient and quality meal for everyone.

Health is a Driving Factor

The same IBISWorld research mentioned above also reports that the main positive indicator for franchises like this is growth in healthy eating preferences. Consumers are more interested in a healthy diet, and a sub shop can provide that choice. Another report found almost 30% of the population limits meat consumption in some form — creating a new and rising market for plant-based options, salads, and wraps at sub shops.

It’s a Great Time to Invest

Deli franchises thrive in today’s market with wide-ranging appeal to a majority of consumers, all of which investors should consider when evaluating their next franchise venture. With the ability to integrate exciting flavors into salads and wraps, and with a relatively small store footprint (typically around 1,600 square feet of leased space), this type of investment is increasingly attractive.

Penn Station East Coast Subs

Penn Station East Coast Subs checks all the boxes when it comes to what consumers and investors want in today’s sub shop franchises. With enticing flavors, lunch and dinner options, catering programs, and ease of ordering via online ordering and third-party delivery services, Penn Station is a fast-casual chain to consider. Named one of Franchise Business Review’s Top 7 Sandwich Franchises in 2021, Franchise Times Top 400 Franchises in 2020, and a Top 100 Training Program in 2021 by TrainingMag.com, there has never been a better time to join the growing team.

We have territories available throughout the Midwest from Nebraska to North Carolina and from Michigan to Mississippi.

If you’re ready to own your own location, request information to get started.

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