Schlotzsky's to add 9 metro area stores

[metro]

Schlotzsky's plans to add nine city stores

By Trisha Evans
Business Writer

It still has a funny name, but The Original toasted sandwich isn't the only thing Schlotzsky's is serious about.
Schlotzsky's has major expansion plans for Oklahoma.

The sandwich chain plans to double the number of locations in the Oklahoma City metro area within the next five years. Oklahoma City has seven locations now, and Schlotzsky's plans to add nine more.

"This is our homeland,” said D'Wayne Tanner, vice president of franchise sales. "This is the place where the brand is known the best, so it just makes sense for us to try and find ways to increase our presence in this area.”

The chain was born in Austin in 1971 and brought to Oklahoma by franchisee Nat Hardt, who opened a Norman restaurant in 1978.

Hardt, also a franchise consultant for Schlotzsky's Inc., has seen the brand through ups and downs, and in past years, the brand has struggled. Atlanta-based Focus Brands Inc. bought the company last year. Hardt said he has confidence the new owner, also the franchisor of Cinnabon and Carvel Ice Cream and Cinnabon, will revive the brand.

"I think that Schlotzsky's is a really attractive opportunity, especially now with the new franchisor,” Hardt said. "I think they really have their finger on the pulse of what's right for the brand.”

Hardt said getting the right locations and sound marketing will be key to the brand's growth in Oklahoma.

The Tulsa area will see similar growth from the quick-service chain.


Playing to its strengths
Sandwich shops like Schlotzsky's are just one slice of the $500 billion per year restaurant industry, but it's one that's been growing. Restaurant chains like Subway, Quiznos and locally-owned City Bites have mushroomed in the last couple decades.
Hardt said large sandwich chains like Subway take up a fair chunk of the market, and have equally huge ad budgets, but there's certainly room for others.

"Why I think that Schlotzsky's is able to compete in that kind of market is, I really think our food is better than anyone elses,” he said.

Although the company hasn't marketed heavily in the state in the last decade, Hardt said Schlotzsky's still benefits from good brand recognition in Oklahoma. Now it's time to "tap into that brand awareness and get more sandwiches in people's hands,” he said.

Besides brand awareness, Tanner said strong performance and a good overall economy make Oklahoma a key market for Schlotzsky's.

Nationally, Focus Brands plans to open 50 new locations a year. Schlotzsky's has more than 350 locations in 35 states. Besides Oklahoma, the company will target Georgia, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Missouri and Virginia for growth.


Looking for franchisees
With the growth the company plans, it'll need people to man the operations.
Schlotzsky's is calling for single-unit and group franchisees who have a background in the restaurant industry.

"We want to make certain we protect our current franchisees and their margins, then also just grow responsibly to better the consumers as well,” Tanner said.

"We believe this really is a model for wealth creation,” he added.

[bombermwc]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring one back to MWC!!!!!!

[ultimatesooner]

City Bites is local and much, much better

[TStheThird]

Nope, Schlotzsky's is better.

[Lauri101]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring one back to MWC!!!!!!

But only if it's not run by the same folks who had the other MWC location.

I've eaten at Schlotzsky's all over the country and loved the size and portions of the sandwiches. The MWC store cut the meat and cheese serving almost in half and the service was lousy!

[The Old Downtown Guy]

Haven't eaten at a Scholtzsky's in years and don't have any plans to do so . . . I recall that the food's not bad, but that's the best I can say. City Bites has a better variety IMO. But neither of those two chains competes with Someplace Else on Western just south of 23rd . . . locally owned . . . Peggy takes your money at the register and her husband is up at 2AM baking the bread, muffins etc. Their staff goes back ten or fifteen years and I know most of their names. First rate ingredients and unbelievable service. And, I never go in there without running into a friend. It's my deli of choice.

[Easy180]

Another vote for Schlotzky's...It's all about the bread...Blows all the other places away

One in Moore please

[dalelakin]

Someplace Else on Western just south of 23rd . . . locally owned . . . Peggy takes your money at the register and her husband is up at 2AM baking the bread, muffins etc. Their staff goes back ten or fifteen years and I know most of their names. First rate ingredients and unbelievable service. And, I never go in there without running into a friend. It's my deli of choice.

Recommend anything in particular?

[soonerguru]

Schlotzky's has slipped, but it's still by far the best chain sandwich restaurant. City Bites is like comparing apples and oranges; it's an entirely different product.

I hope Schlotzky's continues to improve its product. I'll never forget how good the one in Norman was in the late 1970s - early 1980s.

[mecarr]

Another vote for Schlotzky's...It's all about the bread...Blows all the other places away

I admit the bread is good, but when I saw the nutritional information my jaw dropped. Any notion that sandwiches are fresh and healthy do not apply when it comes to Schlotszky's.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Haven't eaten at a Scholtzsky's in years and don't have any plans to do so . . . I recall that the food's not bad, but that's the best I can say. City Bites has a better variety IMO. But neither of those two chains competes with Someplace Else on Western just south of 23rd . . . locally owned . . . Peggy takes your money at the register and her husband is up at 2AM baking the bread, muffins etc. Their staff goes back ten or fifteen years and I know most of their names. First rate ingredients and unbelievable service. And, I never go in there without running into a friend. It's my deli of choice.

I completely agree...But I'll throw Jersey Mike's in there as having a DAMN good sandwich as well. Someplace Else is the best though.

Recommend anything in particular?

At Someplace Else? yeah....Always start with the basic sandwich at a new place. Get their hoagie.

[metro]

I agree, the bread is wonderful at Schlotzky's, can't beat the Muffaletta or "Original" as they call it. Someplace else is good as well. As others said, you can't compare citybites to these places, completely different type of sandwich, if anything I'd say CityBites is more comparable to Subway only better. Another awesome sandwich is Which Wich? which is currently only in Norman on Campus Corner. It's a mean good sandwich!!

[bombermwc]

Don't call it a Muffalletta please! If youve ever had the origional Muffalletta from the Central Grocer in NOLA, then you know there is absolutely nothing similar. Places like Bourbon St. Cafe and Jason's Deli just screw the thing up. How can you toast a Muffalletta???? SACROLAGE!

But seriously, I love the Scholtzky's Origional though. Yeah it's really bad for you, but most fast food is. The bread is awesome and so are the Pizzas.

Totally agree that I want new management if they come back to MWC. They were the slowest Shlotszkys I ever went to, but I never noticed them cutting the meat/cheese though.

[Martin]

i'm a big fan of the large deluxe original... schlotzky's take on the muffaletta. granted it's a whole different beast than the real deal. i love their sourdough bread and how the cheese melts into it. great stuff. i'm looking forward to seeing more locations.

while i like jason's deli for many things, i agree that their muffaletta isn't much to write home about. haven't had one from bourbon street. la baguette makes a decent one, though.

i'm not a huge city bites fan. i don't mind eating there, but i wouldn't say that they're anywhere near the best in my book. to each his own.

definitely going to have to try someplace else in the near future.

-M

[CMSturgeon]

I just want to say 'ew.' Ate a horrible ceasar there, hate sourdough bread. It's expensive and you wait forever for your food! Not excited about this at all.

[PUGalicious]

I'm with you... I've never liked Schlotsky's even though my wife used to like it.

[karlanee]

MMM - I'm with you on CityBites. It's okay, but I usually end up getting a potato when I go there because something about their sandwiches just don't excite me. I do like Schlotsky's but haven't had it in ages. The thing I don't like about it is the grease! You can't hold the sandwich without making a mess of your hands. And I agree that the service really isn't very good - wonder why they don't concentrate on fixing what's wrong before they try expanding.

[SoonerDave]

I broke off City Bites a few years ago when it seemed they kinda lost interest in sweeping and cleaning the stores. Went to a couple of them that just didn't seem clean to me, and the price for what you get just wasn't compelling.

We used to go to Schlotsky's quite a bit, and their bread is really good, but I think we got burned out on it. When you start looking at what you get for what you're paying for, you start to kinda say, "eeek!!"

We really like McAlester's Deli, pretty good variety. Granted, not precisely all the same kinds of sandwiches, but in the ballpark.

As far as the "health quotient" goes, you wouldn't eat at ANY of these places seven days a week, no more than you would eat at any one kind of place over and over again. It isn't *one* food that gets you, its ALL of them

[Spartan]

Another vote for Schlotzky's...It's all about the bread...Blows all the other places away

One in Moore please

Hello, Panera?

[CMSturgeon]

Another vote for Schlotzky's...It's all about the bread...Blows all the other places away

One in Moore please

Even though I don't like Schlotzky's, I do think a location in Moore would do quite well.

And I think we should get a Panera Bread on 19th street as well.

[SoonerDave]

Oohhh, dangitall, you HAD to and say Panera.....now I want a Frontega Chicken Sandwich......