McAlister’s Deli will open its first restaurant in Iowa on October 13, continuing its expansion into the Upper Midwest region. With the opening in West Des Moines, McAlister’s now has restaurants in 28 states.

“Opening the first McAlister’s in Iowa underscores our strategic plan to expand the brand’s footprint not only across Iowa, with deals in place to cover the entire state, but throughout the broader Upper Midwest region,” says Paul Macaluso, president of McAlister’s. “Our strong and dedicated franchisees are at the heart of why we’re able to introduce McAlister’s to more diners across the U.S.”

McAlister’s, which opened its 400th restaurant this year, reported nearly $600 million in 2016 system-wide sales and opened 33 restaurants last year. This included growth in existing markets, like Illinois, and in new markets, including northwest Indiana. Conditions are in place to continue growth of the brand in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, among other states.

The West Des Moines location will be operated by The Saxton Group, the largest McAlister’s Deli franchisee with 74 units throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and now Iowa.

Started in 1989 in a converted gas station in Oxford, Mississippi, the fast-casual chain has remained one of the nation’s top franchises by a dedication to hospitality and handcrafted food. This year, the brand climbed 123 spots to No. 23 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 38th Franchise 500 ranking.

To learn more about franchising opportunities with McAlister’s, please contact (888) 855-DELI (3354) or franchising@mcalistersdeli.com, or visit www.mcalistersdelifranchise.com.