QSR December 2022

S P ON S O R E D B Y MR . P I C K L E ’ S S ANDW I C H S HO P

This 56-Unit Premium SandwichConceptHas a UniqueRecipe forGrowth The crowd favorite in northern California since 1995, Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop is ready to franchise nationwide. / BY KARA PHELPS

M r.Pickle’sSandwichShop,abeloved northernCaliforniabrandthathas grown from one to 56 locations over the course of almost 30 years, recently announced plans to expand franchise oppor tunities nationwide. “We are bringing quality back to the sand wich segment,” says Michael Nelson, CEO of Mr. Pickle’sSandwichShop. “Thebrand is spe cial inthat itdoesn’t turntobig-boxvendors for its core ingredients such as its bread and best in-class proteins—instead, we partner with artisanbakers, regional farms, and ranches to source those key products.” Mr. Pickle’s core ingredients are unique by design. Its specialty bread isn’t bound by the sizing scrutiny seen for decades in the rest of the sandwich segment. Rather than the bland uniformity seen so often in other concepts’ breads andmeats, Mr. Pickle’s prides itself on premiumquality.Forexample, ito ers theonly SantaMaria Tri-Tip on themarket that’s free fromliquid smoke. The menu features a range of popular hot andcoldsandwiches, notably thesignatureMr. Pickle sandwich: chicken breast, bacon, Mon terey Jack, avocado, and veggies. It specializes in salads and catering aswell, and the brand is committedtomaintainingclose-knit relation shipswith its vendors as it grows. Mr. Pickle’s is also a leader in online order ing technology. It’s invested in infrastructure for loyalty, order, delivery, mobile, and gift programs with a goal of getting to 50 percent online sales in the next 36months. “We have the support tomake that happenwithout sac rificing onquality,”Nelson says. TheMr. Pickle’s concept iswell-positioned for explosive growth. In the last fewmonths,

it’s already garnered commitments for 25 additional locations in California and six in Arizona. It’s looking forexperiencedmulti-unit restaurant franchisees across the country to signon. All franchisees receive strong and consis tent support. “We stand with and behind our franchisees every step of the way,” Nelson says. “Weuseour long-termrelationshipswith regional commercial brokers to assist with site selection. We also provide construction support, lease negotiation support, in-store training,mentorship, andmore.” The store design is adaptable to nontradi tional constructionandcenters—it isn’t limited toastandardrectangular space, andvery little build-out is required.Mr. Pickle’salsodoesnot

use tra c counts for site selection—instead, it refers tostate-of-the-art artificial intelligence technology that is free for the franchisee. “The Mr. Pickle’s leadership team has a backgroundbothas successfulmulti-unit fran chisees for several brands in the quick-service restaurant space, as well as decades of experi ence infranchise leadershipandsupport,”Nel son says. “They aremarrying everything they have learned through decades of hard work intothisbrandtoensure its long-termsuccess. Theyhavesystems inplace thatwill change the game, ensuring viability andprofitability.” ◗

To learnmore, visit mrpickles.com.

MR. PICKLE’S SANDWICH SHOP

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DECEMBER 2022 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com