Jreck Subs

What Jreck Subs does

Jreck Subs is a privately held regional submarine sandwich quick-service restaurant chain founded in 1967 in Watertown, New York, operated by Fresh Start Franchising, Inc., a Syracuse-based franchisor entity. The company was started by five teachers from Carthage Central High School — Jerry Haley, Robert Martin, Ellis Martin, Charles Lehman, and Keith Waltz — who initially sold sandwiches out of a converted school bus near Camp Drum (now Fort Drum); the brand name is an acronym of the founders' first names. The chain operates 25+ franchise and corporate-owned locations concentrated across upstate and central New York, serving made-to-order cold subs (Turkey, Italian Combo, Roast Beef, Tuna, etc.), hot subs (Steak and Cheese, Meatball, Chicken Parm, Buffalo Chicken), salads, sides, and sweets, with a Build-Your-Sub customization option covering rolls, cheeses, dressings, and vegetables.

The business generates revenue through three streams: direct retail sales of made-to-order food at restaurant locations (the dominant channel), franchise fees and royalties from franchisees who require $50,000 in liquid capital, and ancillary streams including catering packages (6- and 12-sub boxes, cookie platters), online gift cards, and branded merchandise. Go-to-market is a hybrid franchise-plus-corporate model, with the first corporate-owned store opening in September 2024 alongside a multi-year rebrand (initiated 2022) to modernize store interiors and technology. The customer base is fragmented across individual consumers, the catering/events segment, and franchisee entrepreneurs, with marketing concentrated in organic social (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), email, local press, and community partnerships including school scholarship programs and the Scripps Spelling Bee.

The technology footprint is conventional SMB-stack: SpotOn for e-commerce, Store Locator Plus for the location finder, Google Analytics, EveryBite for menu data, and SecureTree for website hosting. There is no disclosed AI/ML capability, no app, and no proprietary technology platform. Distribution is single-channel domestic, limited to New York State, with a deliberate emphasis on community impact (Winning Attitude Award scholarships across 26 high schools, Children's Miracle Network partnership with Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital) as a brand differentiator against national sub chains.

Name

Jreck Subs

Legal name

Fresh Start Franchising, Inc.

Website

https://jrecksubs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jreck Subs is a privately held, 57-year-old submarine sandwich franchise founded by five New York teachers, operating 25+ franchise and corporate locations across upstate and central New York, serving made-to-order subs, salads, and sides to local consumers and catering customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Sandwich Restaurant

NAICS

Special Food Services (7223), Food Service Contractors (72231)

akta.pro primary industry

Sandwiches & Subs QSR (THAFAAAD)

Keywords

• Made-to-order subs
• Submarine sandwich restaurant
• Franchise restaurant chain
• Quick-service dining
• Catering sandwich boxes

Headquarters

HQ city

Watertown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Sandwich Sales: JRECK Subs generates revenue through direct retail sales of made-to-order submarine sandwiches, wraps, salads, and sides to consumers at their restaurant locations across New York State. Customers customize orders with choice of proteins, cheeses, dressings, and vegetables.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: The company generates revenue through franchise fees from franchisees who operate JRECK Subs locations. Franchisees pay to join the system and receive support on starting, running, and growing their business from the corporate team.
3. Catering Services: JRECK Subs offers catering options including 6 Sub Catering Box (6 whole subs), 12 Sub Catering Box (12 whole subs), and Cookie Platters (24 or 36 cookies), generating additional revenue from event and office catering orders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Jreck Subs operates a quick-service submarine sandwich restaurant chain, serving fresh, made-to-order cold subs, hot subs, salads, sides, and sweets through 25+ franchise and corporate-owned storefronts across upstate and central New York. Customers can fully customize subs via a Build-Your-Sub option (roll, protein, cheese, dressings, vegetables). The company also offers catering packages, gift cards, and franchise opportunities to entrepreneurs.

Product overview

JRECK Subs is a restaurant chain offering fresh, made-to-order submarine sandwiches and related food items. The company operates a unified product portfolio centered on its core sandwich menu, which includes Cold Subs (Turkey, Ham, Italian Combo, Roast Beef, Tuna, Veggie, Hard Salami, Capicola, Pepperoni), Hot Subs (Steak and Cheese, Super Steak, BLT, Meatball, Cheeseburger, Grilled Chicken, Popcorn Chicken, Fried Chicken, Chicken Parm, Buffalo Chicken), Salads, Sides, and Sweets. All subs are customizable through a 'Build Your Sub' option. The company also offers complementary services including Catering (sub boxes and cookie platters), Gift Cards, and a Merch Store. Franchise opportunities are available for entrepreneurs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cold Subs Made-to-order cold submarine sandwiches including Turkey, Ham, Italian Combo, Roast Beef, Tuna, Veggie, Hard Salami, Capicola, and Pepperoni, sold to individual consumers at Jreck Subs restaurant locations.
• Hot Subs Made-to-order hot submarine sandwiches including Steak and Cheese, Super Steak, BLT, Meatball, Cheeseburger, Grilled Chicken, Popcorn Chicken, Fried Chicken, Chicken Parm, and Buffalo Chicken, sold to individual consumers at Jreck Subs restaurants.
• Salads Fresh salads including Grilled Chicken Salad, Fried Chicken Salad, Julienne Salad, and Garden Salad, offered as an alternative to sandwiches for dine-in or takeout customers.
• Sides Side items including Fries, Cheesy Ranch Fries, Sour Cream & Chive Fries, Mozzarella Sticks, Chips, and Popcorn Chicken, sold alongside subs at Jreck Subs restaurants.
• Sweets Dessert items including Brookies and Cookies (Carnival/M&M's, Chocolate Chip, White Choc Macadamia), offered as add-on items at Jreck Subs restaurants.
• Catering Catering services for events and groups including the 6 Sub Catering Box (6 whole subs cut into quarters), 12 Sub Catering Box (12 whole subs), and Cookie Platters (24 or 36 cookies), ordered by office, school, and event organizers.
• Gift Cards Jreck Subs gift cards available for purchase online, allowing customers to give Jreck Subs credits redeemable at restaurant locations.
• Franchise Opportunities Franchise ownership opportunities for entrepreneurs to open and operate Jreck Subs restaurant locations, requiring at least $50,000 in liquid capital and providing corporate support on starting, running, and growing the business.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26 high schools supported through Winning Attitude Award scholarship program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Upstate Golisano Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2025JRECK Subs is partnering with Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital to support the Children's Miracle Network. This partnership helps provide care to children and adults throughout the community by raising funds that benefit local hospitals and help fund what's needed most.
• Scripps National Spelling BeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJRECK Subs is a proud sponsor of the Scripps Spelling Bee, reflecting the company's dedication to supporting schools and fostering educational initiatives. The sponsorship includes the tagline 'It's how you spell delicious.'
• Fresh Start Franchising, Inc.coreOthersFresh Start Franchising, Inc. is the parent company that operates JRECK Subs. The company is based in Syracuse, NY and manages the franchise operations and corporate-owned stores.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Capriotti's Sandwich Shop: Fast-growing sub QSR franchisor with a customizable, made-to-order menu similar to JRECK's build-your-sub model, focused on franchise expansion across the U.S.
• Blimpie: Established East Coast sub QSR franchisor with comparable sandwich, salad, and catering menus and a similar franchise-led growth model targeting regional markets.
• Which Wich: Sandwich QSR franchise with a customizable, build-your-own model directly comparable to JRECK's Build Your Sub option, supported by franchise unit growth.
• Togo's: West Coast-anchored sub QSR franchise with made-to-order sandwich offerings, comparable in size and franchise-driven footprint to JRECK, serving similar consumer occasions.
• Subway: The largest global sandwich QSR chain. Directly competes with JRECK on submarine sandwiches in upstate New York markets, though with vastly greater scale, digital ordering, and delivery infrastructure.
• Jersey Mike's Subs: Fast-growing East Coast-origin sub QSR franchisor with a made-to-order, fresh-focused positioning nearly identical to JRECK's value proposition, actively expanding in upstate NY.
• Jimmy John's: National sub QSR franchisor with strong delivery and digital ordering capabilities, directly competing for the same made-to-order sandwich occasion as JRECK in overlapping markets.
• Firehouse Subs: National sub QSR franchise focused on hot specialty subs with strong community and first-responder branding that parallels JRECK's community-driven identity.
• Penn Station East Coast Subs: East Coast sub QSR franchise with a similar made-to-order, hot sub-focused menu and community-driven franchise model, operating in overlapping regional markets.
• Potbelly Sandwich Shop: Publicly traded sandwich QSR chain with comparable made-to-order sub menu, catering services, and franchise/multi-unit operations targeting similar lunch occasions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/jrecksubs
• Xx.com/jrecksub
• Facebookfacebook.com/jrecksubs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jreck-subs

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 Jreck Subs