QSR January 2023

BACK PAGE START TO FINISH

TomSterrett President and CEO D’ANGELO GRILLED SANDWICHES

What was your first job? My first job was at Billy’s Deli Sandwich Shop in Stone Harbor, New Jersey. I was underage, so needed work ing papers. What’s your favorite menu item at D’Angelo What’s on the menu? Each of our restaurants serve up a variety of unique grilled favorites (Korean BBQ, Cheeseburger, Ver monter, signature Steak Number 9) and hot sand wiches (Thanksgiving Toasted, Meatball & Cheese, Pastrami & Swiss), as well as various cold deli sand wiches. What’s your favorite cuisine aside from sandwiches? I love Italian food for the vast repertoire of recipes. People think Ital ian food is Pizza and Pasta, but it’s so much more. Ital ian cooking for me is hard to beat. Who inspires you as a leader? The people around me. My team inspires me every day! And it’s full of amazingly talented and hard working professionals. I could not be more proud of them! What’s the best piece of advice that other restaurant executives should hear? Listen to your teammembers. Being an empathetic leader can boost engagement, increase trust and build better team relationships. What are some of your interests outside of work? Family, lake time, golfing, skiing Grilled Sandwiches? Grilled BBQ Chicken & Cheddar with Bacon

F or more than 50 years, D’Angelo Grilled Sandwiches has remained a dining insti tution throughout New England, serving its crave-able, indulgent, grilled favorites to our loving, nostalgic fans. D’Angelo Grilled Sandwiches was founded in 1967 as a small shop in Dedham, Massachusetts, about 20 miles southwest of Boston. Through out the years, we’ve faced a variety of ownership changes and expansion. We were once acquired by Pepsi-Cola in 1993 and are now owned by Wynnchurch Capital, a private-equity firm based in Rosemont, Illinois, which has over $5 billion in assets. Despite our ownership changes, one fac tor has stayed consistent about D’Angelo Grilled Sandwiches—we have always provided our guests with the freshest, highest quality ingredients and best-tasting sandwiches around while partnering with the communities we serve. Today, with 85 locations already open and operating across five states, D’Angelo Grilled Sandwiches is actively looking to reach new communities across New

England with as many as 20 new company- and franchisee-owned restaurant openings by 2026. In addition to our storied history, loyal follow ing and all-star executive team, the expansion will be driven by a new restaurant prototype, designed to accentuate the increasing demand for walk-in and carry out service. Future D’Angelo locations will be mostly freestanding or end-cap units ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 square feet. The layouts will also integrate a refreshed inte rior design including a white brick logo wall/ design package, sleek new menuboards and pos sible technology advancement, as well as exterior upgrades like a modern paint palette, outdoor signage, and drive-thru services where possible. Opportunities for non-traditional development in airports, C-stores, and other venues are also available. For 55 years and counting, New Eng land residents have continued to show their loyalty to D’Angelo Grilled Sandwiches, making it an ideal region for us to focus our expansion efforts. We’re looking ahead with great enthusiasm. q

D’ANGELO GRILLED SANDWICHES

50

JANUARY 2023 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com