QSR February 2023

Call Your Mother Deli HEADQUARTERS: WASHINGTON, D.C. UNITS: 7 Call Your Mother Deli describes itself as a destination for play ful and nostalgic comfort food, including its signature bagels, sandwiches, and baked goods. All stores combined, the brand makes 45,000 bagels each week. The com pany says its bagels are a mixture of the classic New York-style and the sweeter Montreal-style. Cofounder

unforgettable experience for all,” says Michelle Chino, head of cor porate marketing at Sip Fresh. “Our stores offer a fun, interactive experience which the whole family can enjoy. Sip Fresh creations were made for a new era in the beverage industry and are social media, Ins tagram-worthy favorites. We pride ourselves in the quality products we craft and the fun we serve up at each of our locations.” Eye-catching storefronts and displayed juice barrels draw guests to a menu that’s anchored by Fresh Sips ( the juices ) and rounded out by Tropical Sips, Cha Cha Cham oys, Smoothie Sips, and Shakin’ Tea Sips. “Sip Fresh creations were made for a new era in the bever age industry and are social media, Instagram-worthy favorites,” the company adds. “We pride ourselves in the quality products we craft and the fun we serve up at each of our locations.” Sip Fresh, like many, had to close during 2020 lockdowns. It took the time to integrate new tech, optimize the menu, and enable online ordering as stores got back on line. These changes, it says, helped the business and provided a better platform to scale. Sip Fresh initially plans to pursue growth in the Western and Southwestern por tions of the country. “As a multi-unit franchisee for decades, my focus at Sip Fresh is to incorporate the key elements needed to run a successful business from the franchisee’s standpoint,” says Sharon Arthofer, Sip Fresh CEO and founder, and 27-year franchise industry veteran. “We have designed a business model that provides strong consumer traf f ic with manageable labor, highly streamlined operations to maxi mize prof itability. Our goal is for our franchisees to succeed in this new space; prioritizing seamless processes in order to service more guests and establish a loyal follow ing in their community.”

“Everyone has this notori ous alternative side of them, and we lean into that. During the day, you can be good and have a salad. When you’re out on a Friday night, however, that is the time to indulge and Make it Dirty,” Kasim says. Currently the brand touts two brick-and-mortar locations and a food truck named the “Plomobile.” The brand is scheduled to open its f irst out-of-state location in Dallas this summer. Sip Fresh HEADQUARTERS:

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CALL YOUR MOTHER DELI (2)

Andrew Dana is Jewish and draws on the eclectic food from his child hood memories to inspire the menu. Meanwhile, cofounder Dan iela Moreira has worked in several

UNITS: 4

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA

Chinah

CHINAH

SIP FRESH (2), MENU ITEMS: LUCIANO PICAZO

ThestartofCOVID wasparticularly difficult for Chinah, which had two stores at the time

HEADQUARTERS: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

UNITS: 6

The inspiration for Sip Fresh began, as the company likes to say, on a balmy evening at a local bar. Could a juice chain mirror the mix ology trend that had taken over the beverage scene? Sip Fresh carried this mantra throughout growth and development. The chain crafts rec ipes in-house with “Sipologists” during the day in small batches. “Sipistas” greet customers with fresh samples of juices to narrow their choices akin to an ice cream shop. The fresh and interactive experience has set the chain apart in what’s become a $146 billion industry, the company says. “The idea behind Sip Fresh is simple: create fresh, eye-stopping, delicious drinks that provide an

located in the ground floor of office mid-rises. With the switch to work from home, sales predictably fell, dropping as much as 95 percent during Omicron. Realizing that office occupancy may never return to pre-pandemic levels, the fast casual is now pivoting to locations that offer sidewalk access in high foot traffic areas. Ghost kitchens are coming into the fold as well. The company said it’s equipped with a low-cost operating model that will allow it to reach dozens of locations in the next two years and hundreds of stores by the end of the decade. Chinah’s proteins—including tangy braised pork shoul der, crispy air-fried sesame and kung pao chicken, and spicy mapo tofu—are sourced from a commissary and finished onsite in combi-ovens, which don’t require any venting. Because of this, the chain can open new restaurants for as little as $50,000 in equipment, labor, and buildout costs. Chinah is planning to reach Washington, D.C. in 2023, while also growing in New York City. In 2024 and beyond, it will expand to other East Coast cit ies and ultimately, nationwide.

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FEBRUARY 2023 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

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