Pickleman's Franchising

What Pickleman's Franchising does

Pickleman's Franchising is a private, fast-casual restaurant company operating the Pickleman's Gourmet Café brand, founded in 2005 in Columbia, Missouri. The business runs and franchises over 30 dine-in locations across eight US states (Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Nebraska, Texas, and Arizona), concentrated in college towns and select suburban markets. Core menu categories include toasted sandwiches on fresh-baked artisan bread, tavern-style pizzas, salads, housemade soups, mac & cheese bowls, sides, and beverages, supported by catering services, a gift card program, and a mobile-based loyalty rewards program. The brand is differentiated by a no-fryer kitchen model, No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) chicken and pulled pork, non-GMO ingredients, housemade dressings, and small-batch bread sourced from a local St. Louis bakery.

The technology stack is conventional restaurant SaaS: a SpotOn point-of-sale and online ordering platform, iOS and Android mobile apps tied to the loyalty program, gift cards sold through the CardFoundry portal, and standard web analytics (Google Analytics 4, Meta Pixel). The company holds no disclosed patents and has no AI/ML capabilities highlighted in available materials. Digital accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 Level AA, Section 508) is documented across web and mobile properties.

Revenue is generated through three streams: per-transaction food and beverage sales at company-owned and franchise locations, catering services with higher average ticket values, and one-time gift card purchases. The go-to-market is franchise-led, with active national recruitment and approximately 75% of franchisees reinvesting to open additional locations entering 2026. Customer segments span individual college-town consumers, families and suburban communities, corporate catering buyers, and franchise investors. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the loyalty program issues points at 100 per dollar spent, redeemable at increments from $5 to $20, with non-expiring balances.

Name

Pickleman's Franchising

Legal name

Picklemans Franchising LLC

Website

https://picklemans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pickleman's Franchising operates and franchises the Pickleman's Gourmet Café fast-casual restaurant brand, running 30+ locations across eight US states with a college-town concentration. It sells premium sandwiches, pizzas, salads, soups, and mac & cheese, supported by catering, loyalty, and gift cards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast-casual restaurant chain

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus) (THAFAAAO)

Keywords

• Fast casual restaurant
• Gourmet sandwich cafe
• Franchise restaurant chain
• Corporate catering services
• Fresh baked artisan bread

Headquarters

HQ city

Hallsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food Sales: Direct food and beverage sales through company-owned and franchise restaurant locations. Customers pay per order for sandwiches, pizzas, salads, soups, mac & cheese, and beverages.
2. Catering Services: Corporate and event catering with shareable platters and boxed lunch options. Provides additional revenue stream with higher average ticket values than individual orders.
3. Gift Cards: Sale of electronic and physical gift cards through online portal and in-store. Cards sold via CardFoundry platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pickleman's Franchising operates an upscale fast-casual restaurant franchise selling made-to-order sandwiches, tavern-style pizzas, mac & cheese bowls, fresh salads, soups, sides, and beverages through 30+ dine-in locations and online ordering. The company also provides corporate/event catering services, gift cards, and a mobile loyalty rewards program, while expanding through a national franchise program.

Product overview

Pickleman's Gourmet Café operates as a fast-casual restaurant chain offering a unified product portfolio centered on fresh, premium-quality food. The core offering consists of freshly toasted sandwiches (with lettuce wrap options), tavern-style pizzas, creamy mac & cheese bowls, housemade soups, and fresh salads—all featuring quality ingredients including no-antibiotics-ever proteins, non-GMO components, and housemade sauces. Supporting products include catering services for corporate events and parties, a mobile-based loyalty rewards program, and gift cards. The company operates over 30 locations across Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Nebraska, and Texas, with expansion into Arizona and continued growth in Texas markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pickleman's Gourmet Café Sandwiches Fresh, toasted sandwiches on freshly baked wheat or white artisan bread with premium deli meats, fresh vegetables, and housemade sauces and dressings. Offered to dine-in, online ordering, and catering customers. Signature options include #11 Italian Club, #1 Turkey, and #12 Smokehouse Stack. Romaine lettuce wrap option available.
• Pickleman's Gourmet Café Pizzas Tavern-style crispy thin crust pizzas with artisanal toppings, housemade marinara, and premium ingredients. Varieties include The Hog, Asiago Chicken, and Chipotle Beef. Available for dine-in and catering.
• Pickleman's Gourmet Café Mac & Cheese Bowls Creamy white cheddar mac and cheese bowls served plain or topped with chicken, bacon, pulled pork, or buffalo chicken. Offered to dine-in customers and catering.
• Pickleman's Gourmet Café Soups Fresh soups including Tomato Basil Bisque with caramelized onions and Broccoli Cheese, served with artisan bread. Available for dine-in.
• Pickleman's Gourmet Café Salads Fresh salads including Asiago Caesar, Italian Chop, Buffalo Chicken, Garden Chop, Walnut Cran, Cafe Chop, and Avo-Cobb, featuring housemade dressings free from preservatives and artificial emulsifiers. Available for dine-in and catering.
• Pickleman's Catering Services Corporate and event catering featuring shareable platters, 20-piece sandwich boxes, fresh salads, thin crispy pizzas, and customizable boxed lunches with chips, cookies, and pickles. Available at all Pickleman's locations for office meetings, corporate events, parties, and gatherings.
• Pickleman's Gourmet Café Sides Complementing menu items including Boulder Canyon non-GMO kettle-cooked chips, Grillo's Pickles, housemade chocolate chip cookies, garlic cheese bread, and housemade chicken salad. Available for dine-in and catering.
• Pickleman's Gourmet Café Beverages Assorted beverages including fountain sodas (Coke products), organic iced teas (sweet and unsweet), 3-ingredient non-GMO lemonades, and kids drinks (organic apple juice and milk). Available at dine-in and online ordering.
• Pickleman's Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards available for purchase online through the CardFoundry portal with express shipping for physical cards, and in-store at any Pickleman's location. Balance checking available through CardFoundry.
• Pickleman's Rewards Loyalty Program Points-based loyalty program allowing customers to earn 100 points per dollar spent on purchases, redeemable for rewards of $5 at 100 points, $10 at 200 points, $15 at 300 points, and $20 at 400 points. Points never expire and are transferable between accounts. Integrated with the iOS/Android mobile app.
• Pickleman's Franchise Program National franchise expansion program targeting growth across new markets with operational support, proven business model guidance, and franchise development resources for franchise partners. Currently recruiting new franchise partners nationally with emphasis on Sunbelt expansion. Approximately 75% of current franchisees are reinvesting to open additional locations.
• Pickleman's Mobile Application iOS and Android mobile application enabling online ordering, loyalty rewards management, location search, and enhanced customer engagement for Pickleman's customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5% same-store sales growth in 2025 during challenging restaurant industry conditions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Grillo's PicklesminorOthersPickleman's proudly serves Grillo's Pickles, a brand known for commitment to real, fresh ingredients and bold, briny flavor. Made with seven simple ingredients—cucumbers, brine, garlic, and spices—Grillo's delivers crisp, handcrafted pickles. Grillo's pickles are cold-packed and never heated, preserving crunch and handcrafted taste. This aligns with Pickleman's mission of providing quality, clean-label ingredients.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jersey Mike's Subs: Jersey Mike's is a fast-casual submarine sandwich franchise with a premium East Coast-style positioning and clean ingredient focus. Directly comparable to Pickleman's in product category, customer demographics, and franchise-led growth model, though at significantly larger scale (2,800+ locations).
• Jimmy John's: Jimmy John's is a nationwide fast-casual sandwich chain with a similar focus on made-to-order sub sandwiches and rapid delivery. Comparable to Pickleman's in core sandwich offering and franchise model, though Jimmy John's emphasizes speed and delivery over Pickleman's premium ingredient positioning.
• Firehouse Subs: Firehouse Subs is a fast-casual sandwich franchise founded by firefighters, operating 1,200+ locations. Directly comparable to Pickleman's in sub sandwich focus, franchise-led expansion, and community-engagement brand story, with similar premium positioning.
• Potbelly Sandwich Shop: Potbelly is a fast-casual sandwich chain offering toasted sandwiches, salads, and soups in a similar product mix to Pickleman's. Comparable in menu structure and dine-in fast-casual format, though Potbelly has struggled with same-store sales growth in recent years, providing relevant unit-economic benchmarking.
• Capriotti's Sandwich Shop: Capriotti's is a fast-casual sandwich franchise with premium whole-roasted turkey subs and a similar regional-to-national growth trajectory. Closely comparable to Pickleman's in product positioning, franchise model, and scale stage (100+ locations).
• Which Wich Superior Sandwiches: Which Wich is a fast-casual sandwich franchise with a customizable sandwich concept and franchise-led growth. Comparable to Pickleman's in product category and franchise model, with similar scale (400+ locations).
• Penn Station East Coast Subs: Penn Station East Coast Subs is a fast-casual sub sandwich franchise with grilled sub focus, operating 300+ locations primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. Comparable to Pickleman's in product mix, franchise model, and Midwest regional concentration.
• Erbert & Gerbert's: Erbert & Gerbert's is a Midwest-based sub sandwich franchise founded in 1988 with similar regional roots and premium sandwich focus. Comparable to Pickleman's in geographic concentration (Midwest), college-town customer base, and franchise-led growth model at similar scale (~70 locations).

Broad incumbents

• Panera Bread: Panera Bread is the leading fast-casual restaurant chain in the US with broader menu (soups, salads, sandwiches, bakery). Comparable to Pickleman's as a fast-casual leader with clean-ingredient positioning, though at significantly larger scale (2,000+ locations) and broader menu offering.
• Subway: Subway is the largest submarine sandwich chain globally with 35,000+ locations. Comparable to Pickleman's in product category but operates at vastly greater scale with a value-tier positioning that contrasts with Pickleman's premium positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIC8OnH5zPGpEy4rdxtlMsw
• Facebookfacebook.com/picklemans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pickleman%27s-franchising
• Instagraminstagram.com/picklemans
• TikToktiktok.com/@picklemansgourmetcafe
• Xx.com/picklemans

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pickleman's Franchising