Charleys Cheesesteaks and Wings Franchise Opens 100th Location
Iconic cheesesteak franchise celebrates 100th store opening as it continues nationwide expansion
There’s no doubt about it – the growth keeps coming for Charleys Cheesesteaks and Wings, America’s iconic philly cheesesteak sub shop. Just recently, Charleys Cheesesteaks and Wings launched its 100th location within its parent company, Charleys Philly Steaks. Adding to the total of 690+ locations.
Why is this such a big deal? Well, it marks the 100th location in just five years after launching the Cheesesteak & Wings model. And, it should be noted, this amazing growth happened during the pandemic, a time in which many restaurants were forced to close down and struggled to stay afloat. Charleys Philly Steaks, on the other hand, proved it has a business model that thrives despite the challenges the industry faced.
“The first Charleys Cheesesteak and Wings franchise location opened in Florida, and since then, the concept has rapidly grown, with restaurants operating in over 15 states,” Brian Hipsher, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our guests have spoken loud and clear — they love our delicious wings and cheesesteaks. Pretty much all new locations now include wings, it’s a natural evolution for the brand.”
Indeed, Charleys Philly Steaks which opened in 1986, now has more than 600 locations across the country, and has become America’s go-to sub shop for the classic philly sandwich, as well as a range of other delicious offerings.
“Our goal is to reach 3,000 stores in the coming years,” says Charley Shin, CEO and founder of Charleys Philly Steaks. “We’ve been growing at about 60 stores a year for the past several years, and about 70% of our growth comes from our existing franchisees reinvesting in the brand—which is extremely positive.
We exist to help our franchisees become successful in business, and we want to help as many entrepreneurs as we can. This brand has never been more successful than it is today, and we’ve never been more excited about the future.”
So it only made sense to start offering one of America’s other favorite meals: chicken wings. In 2017, the menu expanded to include Boneless and Classic Wings. Select locations across the country offer this extended menu and operate under the name Charleys Cheesesteak and Wings franchise. Now, by offering a menu limited to wings, cheesesteaks and fries, Charleys’ business model is simple to operate and that makes it an easy brand for customers to connect with for lunch and dinner.
“Adding wings to our menu has been a key driver in same-store sales,” Shin says. “We want to broaden our appeal and increase customer frequency. It’s made us a much stronger brand as a result.”
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