QSR February 2023

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 Sandwich Concept Has a Unique Recipe for Growth

The crowd favorite in northern California since 1995, Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop is ready to franchise nationwide. /BY KARA PHELPS

MR. PICKLE’S SANDWICH SHOP, A BELOVED NORTHERN California brand that has grown from one to 56 locations over the course of almost 30 years, recently announced plans to expand franchise opportunities nationwide. “We are bringing quality back to the sandwich segment,” says Michael Nelson, CEO of Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop. “The brand is special in that it doesn’t turn to big-box vendors for its core ingredients such as its bread and best-in-class pro teins—instead, we partner with artisan bakers, regional farms, and ranches to source those key products.” Mr. Pickle’s core ingredients are unique by design. Its specialty bread isn’t boundby 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 and meats, Mr. Pickle’s prides itself on premiumquality. For exam ple, it offers the only SantaMaria Tri-Tip on the market that’s free from liquid smoke. The menu features a range of popular

hot and cold sandwiches, notably the signature Mr. Pickle sandwich: chicken breast, bacon, Monterey Jack, avocado, and veggies. It special izes in salads and catering as well, and the brand is committed to main taining close-knit relationships with its vendors as it grows. Mr. Pickle’s is also a leader in online ordering 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 36 months. “We have the support to make that happen without sacrificing on qual ity,” Nelson says. The Mr. Pickle’s concept is well-positioned for explosive growth. In the last few months, it’s already garnered commitments for 25 addi tional locations in California and six in Arizona. It’s looking for experi enced multi-unit restaurant franchisees across the country to sign on. All franchisees receive strong and consistent support. “We standwith and behind our franchisees every step of theway,” Nelson says. “We use

our long-term relationships with regional commercial brokers to assist with site selection. We also provide construction support, lease negoti ation support, in-store training, mentorship, and more.” The store design is adaptable to nontraditional construction and centers—it isn’t limited to a standard rectangular space, and very little build-out is required. Mr. Pickle’s also does not use traffic counts for site selection—instead, it refers to state-of-the-art artificial intelligence tech nology that is free for the franchisee. “The Mr. Pickle’s leadership team has a background both as success ful multi-unit franchisees for several brands in the quick-service restau rant space, as well as decades of experience in franchise leadership and support,” Nelson says. “They aremarrying everything they have learned through decades of hardwork into this brand to ensure its long-termsuc cess. They have systems in place that will change the game, ensuring via bility and profitability.” RF

To learnmore, visit mrpickles.com .

MR. PICKLE’S SANDWICH SHOP

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FEBRUARY 2023 | RESTURANT FRANCHISING