Until this year, Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop was one of the best-kept secrets in the country. A beloved northern California “cult” brand, it grew by word of mouth from one to 56 locations over the course of almost 30 years. Now, under the leadership of veteran franchise gurus who successfully expanded the brand into Arizona in recent months, the secret is out, and Mr. Pickle’s is offering franchise opportunities nationwide.
“We are built differently on purpose and with purpose,” says CEO Michael Nelson, a veteran of Carl’s Jr., Subway, and Wing Stop brands.
According to Nelson, Mr. Pickle’s core ingredients are unique by design.
“Our specialty bread isn’t bound by the sizing scrutiny seen for decades in the sandwich segment. Rather than the bland uniformity, Mr. Pickle’s prides itself on premium quality,” Nelson says, noting that Mr. Pickle’s offers Santa Maria Tri-Tip free from liquid smoke and has the fluffiest, most satisfying take on Dutch Crunch bread on the market.
The menu features both hot and cold sandwiches, and guests enjoy the complimentary mouthwatering chocolate chip cookie that comes free with every sandwich. Mr. Pickle’s also specializes in salads and has an impressive catering program.
“Mr. Pickle’s is also a leader in online ordering technology, partnering with both DoorDash and Paytronix Systems, Inc., one of the most advanced digital guest experience platforms in the world. Through the partnership, Mr. Pickle’s uses the full Paytronix Platform for its loyalty, order, delivery, mobile, and gift system,” Nelson says.
AUV: Over $1 million
AWARDS: NRN Top 500, Top 100 Under 100
CONSECUTIVE GROWTH: 36 months of same store sales and transactions / 29 years of Craveable sandwiches
Through this mechanism, guests are able to get brick-and-mortar pricing directly from the Mr. Pickle’s website.
“We’ve also invested heavily in expanding our loyalty program—Pickle Points—based on customer feedback and evolving technologies,” Nelson says.
Mr. Pickle’s is well-positioned for explosive growth. In recent months, it has already garnered commitments for 25 additional locations in California and Arizona.
“We are looking for experienced multi-unit restaurant franchisees across the country to join us as we expand Mr. Pickle’s nationwide,” Nelson says, adding that all franchisees receive strong, consistent support. “We stand with and behind our franchisees, using our long-term relationships with regional commercial brokers to assist with site selection. We also provide construction support, lease negotiation 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 technology that is free for the franchisee.
To learn more, visit www.mrpickles.com/franchising.
