What Charleys Philly Steaks does

Charleys Philly Steaks is a privately held quick-service restaurant franchise founded in 1986 by Charley Shin and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, operating under Gosh Enterprises, Inc. The company specializes in made-to-order Philly cheesesteaks built around USDA Choice Steak, grilled onions and peppers, and melted provolone, with a complementary wings platform (bone-in and boneless in chef-inspired sauces), loaded and gourmet fries, chicken tenders, breakfast items, and a range of sides and beverages. Its digital infrastructure consists of a POS and online-ordering platform, iOS and Android mobile apps, and the Bite Club Rewards loyalty program that uses points accumulation, birthday rewards, referral incentives, and tiered offers to drive repeat traffic.

The business model is predominantly franchised: more than 500 independently operated locations span all 50 US states and international markets including Japan, South Korea, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Germany, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, Italy, and the Bahamas. Locations cluster in high-traffic venues such as shopping malls, outlet centers, military bases, travel plazas, Walmart sites, and standalone builds. Revenue is generated through food and beverage sales, catering (party trays, boxed lunches, group orders up to and over 20 portions), gift card sales (with float economics), and loyalty-driven repeat visits. Customer segments are primarily general consumers, military personnel, families with children, and corporate/event catering buyers. Sister brands Bibibop Asian Grill and Lenny's Grill and Subs operate under the same corporate umbrella, alongside the Charleys Kids Foundation charitable program.

Recent strategic emphasis has been on category innovation (Spicy Lemon Pepper Wings, Nashville Hot LTO, Old School Triple Melt, Protein Box), loyalty ecosystem deepening (Bite Club Rewards Member Appreciation Month enhancements), and earned-media positioning following the November 2025 Eat This, Not That! "#1 Philly Cheesesteak in America" recognition. The company is actively recruiting franchisees to expand across the US and internationally.

Name

Charleys Philly Steaks

Legal name

Gosh Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Charleys Philly Steaks®

Website

https://charleys.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Charleys Philly Steaks is a privately held quick-service restaurant franchise founded in 1986, operating 500+ locations across the US and internationally and specializing in made-to-order Philly cheesesteaks, wings, and loaded fries for general consumers, military personnel, families, and catering customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Restaurant / Cheesesteak Franchise

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

Keywords

• Quick-service restaurant
• Philly cheesesteaks
• Restaurant franchising
• Chicken wings
• Fast casual dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue stream from direct sales of cheesesteaks, wings, fries, and other menu items at franchise locations. Operates as a quick-service restaurant model with dine-in, takeout, and delivery options.
2. Catering Services: Corporate and event catering services providing cheesesteaks, wings, and sides for group orders including party trays and boxed lunches.
3. Gift Card Sales: Sale of gift cards through company website and retail locations, generating float revenue and driving future customer acquisition.
4. Loyalty Program Engagement: Bite Club Rewards program drives repeat customer visits and increases average order value through exclusive member offers, birthday rewards, and referral incentives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Charleys Philly Steaks operates a franchise quick-service restaurant business built around made-to-order Philly cheesesteaks using USDA Choice Steak with grilled onions, peppers, and melted provolone, supplemented by hand-tossed wings, loaded fries, chicken tenders, fat burritos, breakfast, and beverages. Sales are generated across 500+ franchise locations in the US and international markets via dine-in, takeout, drive-thru, mobile ordering through the Bite Club Rewards app, and catering.

Product overview

Charleys Philly Steaks is a quick-service restaurant chain specializing in made-to-order Philly cheesesteaks and chicken wings. The company's product portfolio centers on its core offerings: Philly Cheesesteaks (featuring USDA Choice Steak with grilled onions, peppers, and melted provolone), Wing Packs (hand-tossed bone-in and boneless wings in various chef-inspired sauces), and Loaded Fries/Gourmet Fries sides. These are complemented by chicken tenders, fat burritos, fried dough, shakes, and real-fruit lemonades. The company operates a platform-plus-module model featuring the Bite Club Rewards loyalty program (with mobile app for iOS and Android), catering services for groups, and special offerings like breakfast and kids meals. Additional brand extensions include the Charleys Kids Foundation charity program and gift cards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Charleys Kids Foundation: Charities foundation that serves youth organizations in the United States and around the world, with the mission of advancing the causes of education, mentorship, and food literacy for children and young adults. 10 cents from every combo meal purchased at participating Charleys restaurants is donated to the foundation.
• Bite Club Rewards

Products and services

• Philly Cheesesteaks Signature made-to-order cheesesteaks made with USDA Choice Steak, grilled onions, peppers, and melted provolone on a toasted roll, available in multiple varieties for individual quick-service diners.
• Wings (6 & 10 Piece)

Quantifiable outcome

• Named America's #1 Philly Cheesesteak by Eat This, Not That!

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Capriotti's Sandwich Shop: Specialty sandwich franchise known for the 'Bobbie' roast turkey sub, with a comparable franchise model and premium positioning. Direct comparable in sandwich QSR category with similar unit-economics profile.
• Wingstop: Wing-focused QSR franchise with a comparable franchise-driven growth model and digital-first ordering. Direct peer in the wing segment that competes for the same chicken-wing occasions at Charleys' 30- and 50-piece catering tier.
• Which Wich Superior Sandwiches: Sandwich QSR franchise with customizable offerings and a franchise-led growth model. Comparable as a sandwich QSR franchise with similar unit-level economics and franchisee profile.
• Penn Station East Coast Subs: East Coast-style sub franchise known for grilled subs, with a franchise model and product focus on hot, grilled sandwiches. Direct competitor in sub/sandwich QSR space with overlapping menu architecture.
• Jersey Mike's Subs: East Coast-style sub and cheesesteak QSR franchise operating ~3,000 locations with a comparable franchise-led growth model. Closest comparable in sub/sandwich QSR positioning and franchise-driven unit expansion.
• Jimmy John's: Sandwich-focused QSR franchise emphasizing fast delivery and digital ordering, with a comparable footprint size and franchise distribution model. Direct competitor in the sub/sandwich QSR space.
• Firehouse Subs: Sandwich QSR franchise founded by firefighters with a menu centered on hot subs. Comparable in category, scale, and franchise-led growth strategy, with a similar real estate mix including non-traditional venues.

Broad incumbents

• Buffalo Wild Wings: Established wing-focused casual dining chain with broader menu and bar positioning. Comparable as a wings-focused brand with broader casual dining format and a larger parent (Inspire Brands).
• Subway: Largest global sandwich QSR franchise by unit count, operating broadly across all dayparts and geographies. Comparable as a broader sandwich QSR incumbent with overlapping menu, franchise model, and international footprint.

Others

• Lenny's Grill and Subs: Operated by the same parent company (Gosh Enterprises, Inc.), offering cheesesteaks, philly subs, and grilled sandwiches. Sister brand within the Gosh corporate portfolio with overlapping menu and franchise model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/charleys
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC644kwf67BTZAKGSxhAgJfw
• Facebookfacebook.com/charleysphillysteaks
• Instagraminstagram.com/charleyscheesesteaks
• TikToktiktok.com/@charleyscheesesteaks?lang=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charleysphillysteaks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Charleys Philly Steaks