Potbelly Sandwich Works

Infobox Company
name = Potbelly Sandwich Works
company_
type = Private
foundation = 1977
location_city = Chicago, Illinois
location_country =
location =
locations =
key_people = Bryant Keil Chairman Aylwin Lewis, President & CEO
area_served =
industry = Fast casual
products = Sandwiches, Salads, Soups, Ice Cream
services =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent =
divisions =
subsid =
slogan =
homepage = [http://www.potbelly.com/ www.potbelly.com]
dissolved =
footnotes =
intl =

Potbelly Sandwich Works is a chain of fast casual restaurants that sells submarine sandwiches in the United States. Its name is derived from potbelly stoves common in the late 19th century. The company is headquartered in the tower of Chicago's Merchandise Mart.

Since 2006, it has been owned by private equity firm American Securities Capital Partners. [http://www.american-securities.com/investments/Default.aspx]

History

Potbelly Sandwich Works began in a Chicago antique store in 1977 by Peter and Laura Hastings and has been offering hot sandwiches longer than competitors such as Subway, Quiznos Sub, and Blimpie. All locations share an antique store theme. In 1998, the chain expanded to locations outside of the Chicago area, after being purchased by Bryant L. Keil. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_37_38/ai_n6199049] There are now over 200 Potbelly locations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin.

Potbelly's menu features a variety of sandwiches that are all served hot on regular or wheat bread. All sandwiches can be ordered "skinny" style in which one third of the bread is cut out. The chain began offering salads in February 2007. The menu also includes soup, shakes, malts, and cookies. Most restaurants feature live music from local musicians during their lunch hours.

The name of the store derives from Peter Hastings' hobby of restoring old potbelly stoves.

At some urban locations, employees deliver orders via bicycle.Fact|date=August 2008

Rooted in the environmentalism and localism of 1970s Lincoln Park, the original Potbelly store cut its rolls from full loaves of freshly baked Gonnella bread delivered every morning in a single large paper bag. The store also did early recycling of cans and other materials. In the original store, there still is a downspout for this purpose leading to the basement, but it is not operational. The famous trash area also had two holes, one labeled for cans and bottles and one for regular garbage.

On November 5, 2007, a new Potbelly store in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, became the first to feature a drive-through. A second drive-through store was added shortly after in Waukegan, Illinois.

References

External links

* [http://www.potbelly.com/ Official website]