{"id":4214,"date":"2023-04-13T17:05:41","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T17:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penn-station.com\/franchise\/?p=4214"},"modified":"2025-06-30T15:41:25","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T20:41:25","slug":"cheesesteak-franchise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penn-station.com\/franchise\/cheesesteak-franchise\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Secrets behind our Cheesesteak Franchise Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"

To understand why Penn Station, Inc. is a repeat, award-winning cheesesteak franchise[1]<\/a>, you\u2019ll need to understand our past. Jeff Osterfeld opened his first deli, Jeffrey\u2019s Delicatessen, in 1983.<\/p>\n

On a trip to Philadelphia, he became inspired by the regionally unique cheesesteak sandwich. He brought these East Coast flavors back and integrated them within his Dayton, Ohio, shop. They were an instant hit. With his deli background and experience in hand, he went on to make a new deli concept two years later, Penn Station, Inc., where the stars of the show would be premium ingredients, cheesesteaks, and a quick-service dining experience.<\/p>\n

The sandwich industry<\/a> was ripe for innovation, and Osterfeld seized the opportunity. Some may say the rest is history, but really a handful of simple secrets make our Philly cheesesteak franchise remarkable for its continued growth.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Franchise Times<\/em> Top 400 Franchises 2020, FastCasual.com Top 100 Movers & Shakers, 2021<\/p>\n

1. Creative Flavor Combos<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The taste of South Philly meets a delicious deli concept at Penn Station, Inc.. We give our subs a creative spin that keep customers wanting to try more. From Chicken Cordon Bleu to pizza to an artichoke sub and, of course, our Dagwood<\/a>, our sandwiches are a cut above other sub shops. As a bonus, guests can order most sandwiches cold, grilled, as a wrap or even a salad.<\/p>\n

2. Empowering Franchisees<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Perhaps the biggest secret to our continued growth as a cheesesteak franchise is our hard-working franchisees<\/a>. With their restaurant experience, passion for the brand, and commitment to operational excellence, every customer gets not only great service but great food as well. We empower our franchisees to reach their best potential with award-winning training and franchisee support[1]<\/a>. We skip the fluff and have a focused, four-week franchisee training program. Our support system includes help with site selection, restaurant design and construction, operation, marketing, and more. As we continue to expand the brand, our franchisees are expanding their portfolios. Our growth in 2022 resulted in a ranking by the Franchise Times<\/em> as a Top 500 Franchise<\/a>. We believe the support we offer our franchisees and the quality ingredients we use contributed to this growth.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> TrainingMag.com 2021 Top 100 Ranking; Most Innovative Employee Retention, June 2021, Franchise Innovation Awards<\/p>\n

3. A No-Secrets Approach<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When customers head to the counter to order, they see our signature, premium ingredients right in front of their eyes. We like to be upfront with our customers at our cheesesteak franchise by assembling our sandwiches in real-time, directly in front of the customer. This allows for transparency most customers appreciate. In fact, a study<\/a> from Harvard Business Review titled \u201cCooks Make Tastier Food When They Can See Their Customers\u201d found when cooks and customers could see each other, customer satisfaction increased by more than 17% and service was more than 13% faster. In a sense, one of our secrets is that we have no secrets.<\/p>\n

4. Fresh-Cut Fries<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While the star of the show may be the cheesesteak, our fresh-cut fries are no mere sidekick. It\u2019s estimated the potatoes and ketchup Americans eat every year makeup<\/a> half of their vegetable consumption, according to a report in the Washington Post <\/em>titled \u201cHow much do Americans love French fries and ketchup? A lot more than you think.\u201d The U.S. loves fries, and our customers love our fries. We use only hand-cut Idaho\u00ae Potatoes that are flash-fried in cholesterol-free peanut oil. Our fresh-cut fries make the perfect pairing with a lunch or dinner cheesesteak sandwich.<\/p>\n

5. Community<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We\u2019re dedicated not only to feeding the communities we serve, but helping them as well. We are passionate about our communities and have several philanthropy programs. It\u2019s important to us to be more than a cheesesteak franchise; we want to make a positive impact.<\/p>\n