What Blimpie does

Blimpie is a 61-year-old American sub sandwich franchise chain founded in 1964 in Hoboken, New Jersey by three teenagers with $2,000 in startup capital. The brand operates as a fast-casual sub shop specializing in freshly sliced, made-to-order sandwiches, with a menu organized across Classic Subs, Premium Subs, Hot Subs, Kids Meals, catering services (Lunch Boxes, Blimpie Blast®, sliders, wraps, party trays), and ancillary offerings including gift cards ($10-$100 loadable balances) and the Blimpie Rewards loyalty program. Its core technology stack is intentionally minimal: a web-based online ordering platform (order.blimpie.com), a Spendgo-powered loyalty and SMS marketing system, and standard social/email channels — there is no proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or API infrastructure disclosed.

The business is monetized primarily through a franchise model governed by Kahala Franchising, L.L.C., a subsidiary of Kahala Brands (which is associated with Canada's MTY Group). Franchising fees and royalties from independent franchisee operators form one revenue stream; in-restaurant and online food sales at the system level form the second; gift card sales generate upfront cash; and the loyalty program drives repeat traffic. Pricing is anchored on accessible value — most prominently The Best Meal Deal at $7.99 (sub, chips, drink) — supplemented by limited-time premium offerings such as the Deli Primo Sub and Dill Club. Customers span individual consumers seeking affordable meals, families, catering buyers, and loyalty program members.

Name

Blimpie

Legal name

Kahala Franchising, L.L.C.

Website

https://blimpie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Blimpie is a 61-year-old American sub sandwich franchise chain founded in 1964, operating through fewer than 100 independently-owned franchise locations under Kahala Franchising, L.L.C. It serves budget-conscious consumers with freshly sliced, made-to-order subs, value meal deals, catering, and a Spendgo-powered loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast Casual Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Sandwiches & Subs QSR (THAFAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Delis & Sandwich Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAF), Sandwiches & Wraps Fast Casual (THAFABAG)

Keywords

• Sub sandwich restaurant
• Fast casual restaurant
• Franchise restaurant chain
• Catering services
• Deli sandwich chain

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. In-restaurant and online food sales: Blimpie generates revenue through direct food sales at franchise-owned restaurant locations. Customers purchase sub sandwiches, meals, and beverages at point-of-sale.
2. Franchise licensing: Blimpie operates under a franchise model where independent franchisees own and operate individual restaurant locations, paying franchise fees and royalties to Kahala Franchising, L.L.C.
3. Gift card sales: Blimpie sells gift cards in denominations from $10 to $100, generating upfront cash receipts before customer redemption.
4. Blimpie Rewards loyalty program: Blimpie Rewards program powered by Spendgo generates customer engagement and repeat purchases. Customers earn 1 point per $1 spent and receive $5 rewards at 50 points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blimpie is an American fast-casual sub sandwich franchise chain that develops, franchises, and operates restaurant locations serving freshly sliced, made-to-order sub sandwiches across Classic, Premium, and Hot sub categories. The brand also offers kids meals, drinks, sides, full-service catering (party platters, lunch boxes, sliders, wraps, signature 3ft/6ft Blimpie Blast sub), gift cards, online ordering, and the Spendgo-powered Blimpie Rewards loyalty program through independently owned franchisee locations in the United States.

Product overview

Blimpie is a sub sandwich franchise chain offering freshly sliced, made-to-order sandwiches through a multi-category product portfolio. The core offerings include Premium Subs (Trio Supreme, The Blimp®, Spicy Italian, Italiano, Hoboken Hero™, Blimpie Best® Deluxe), Classic Subs (BLIMPIE Best®, Roast Beef & Provolone, Turkey & Provolone, Ham & Swiss, Tuna, Club), and Hot Subs (Meatball Parmigiana, Chicken Cheddar Bacon Ranch, Philly Cheesesteak, Turkey Bacon Cheddar, Sicilian, Buffalo Chicken, Ultimate Club, BLTA). Supporting product lines include Kids Meals, Drinks & Sides, and Catering services (Lunch Boxes, Blimpie Blast®, Sliders, Wraps, Meat and Cheese Tray, Cheese Tray, Cookie Platter). The company also operates The Best Meal Deal promotional value meal and limited-time offers like the Dill Club. Ancillary offerings include Blimpie Rewards loyalty program (powered by Spendgo™), Gift Cards, and Online Ordering via order.blimpie.com. Blimpie operates primarily through independent franchisees with locations coast to coast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classic Subs Freshly sliced deli subs including the trademarked BLIMPIE Best® (ham, salami, capicola, prosciuttini, provolone), Roast Beef & Provolone, Turkey & Provolone, Ham & Swiss, Tuna, and Club. Sold to walk-in and online customers at Blimpie franchise locations.
• Premium Subs Elevated sub offerings including Trio Supreme (roast beef, turkey, bacon, swiss), The Blimp® (turkey, roast beef, prosciuttini, salami, pepperoni), Spicy Italian, Italiano, Hoboken Hero™, and Blimpie Best® Deluxe. Sold to consumers seeking higher-end sandwich options.
• Hot Subs Hot sub sandwiches prepared with freshly baked bread or wraps, including Meatball Parmigiana, Chicken Cheddar Bacon Ranch, Philly Cheesesteak, Turkey Bacon Cheddar, Sicilian, Buffalo Chicken, Ultimate Club, and BLTA. Sold to walk-in and online customers seeking warm sandwich options.
• Kids Meals Special-sized sub sandwiches for children 12 and under, including Turkey & Cheese and Ham & Cheese, each served with a side and drink. Targeted at families with children seeking kid-friendly meal portions.
• Drinks & Sides Beverages including soda and bottled water alongside sides such as chips, whole pickles, gourmet cookies, and soup selections that vary by location. Sold as add-ons to sub sandwich orders.
• Catering Catering services for corporate events, office lunches, parties, and gatherings. Includes Lunch Boxes (regular sub, chips, beverage, cookie for minimum 5 orders), Blimpie Blast® (3ft or 6ft signature sub serving 15–20 or 30–40), Sliders, Wraps, Meat and Cheese Trays, Cheese Trays, and Cookie Platters. Targeted at event planners and group hosts.
• The Best Meal Deal Limited-time value meal promotion offering a rotating daily featured sub (Monday Blimpie Best, Tuesday Sicilian, Wednesday Club, Thursday Hoboken Hero, Friday Tuna, Saturday Ham & Swiss, Sunday Turkey & Provolone) with chips and a fountain drink for $7.99; large sub upgrade +$4. Available at participating US locations.
• Dill Club Sandwich Limited-time sandwich featuring ham, turkey, provolone, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and pickles, topped with dill pickle aioli. Available for a limited period at participating franchise locations.
• Deli Primo Sub

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SpendgocoreTechnology or IntegrationSpendgo is the technology partner powering Blimpie Rewards loyalty program. The platform handles point accumulation, reward generation, customer account management, and text message marketing programs. Blimpie and Spendgo have access to customer information collected through the program.
• Kahala BrandscoreOthersBlimpie is owned by Kahala Brands, which operates Kahala Franchising, L.L.C. as the franchisor. Kahala Brands HQ is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Kahala provides headquarters support functions including Sales/Marketing, Operations, Training/Development, R&D/Distribution, Construction/Design, General Management, Legal, HR, Finance, Information Technology, and Communications.
• Franchisee OperatorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent franchisee operators own and operate most Blimpie stores. Each franchisee is independently responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, and managing their own employees; setting employment policies; and handling all store-level employment matters. The franchisor does not control employment matters at franchised restaurants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Capriotti's Sandwich Shop: Capriotti's is a fast-growing sub franchise known for its Bobbie sub, directly competing with Blimpie on premium sub sandwiches and catering for corporate and event occasions.
• Quiznos: Quiznos is a toasted-sub franchise with a similar heritage-era footprint contraction story and menu overlap with Blimpie, making it a directly comparable peer for unit-economics and turnaround analysis.
• Potbelly Sandwich Shop: Potbelly is a fast-casual sub and sandwich chain offering toasted sandwiches, catering, and a loyalty program — overlapping with Blimpie's premium sub and catering use cases at a slightly higher price tier.
• Jimmy John's: Jimmy John's is a 'freaky fast' sub franchise with a comparable limited menu of made-to-order sandwiches and a heavy focus on delivery and catering — directly overlapping with Blimpie's core offering and target customer.
• Subway: Subway is the largest sub sandwich QSR chain globally and the most direct competitor to Blimpie, offering a similar made-to-order sub sandwich menu at comparable value price points. Both compete for the same budget-conscious lunch and catering customer.
• Which Wich: Which Wich is a customizable sub franchise with a build-your-own model that overlaps with Blimpie's made-to-order positioning, though differentiated by its ordering format and packaging.
• Penn Station East Coast Subs: Penn Station is a Midwest-based grilled sub franchise with a similar made-to-order sub model and loyalty/catering programs, making it a relevant regional-scale peer for unit-economics comparison.
• Jersey Mike's Subs: Jersey Mike's is a fast-growing East Coast-style sub chain that competes head-to-head with Blimpie on fresh-sliced deli subs, catering, and value pricing, but has substantially outpaced Blimpie in unit growth in recent years.
• Firehouse Subs: Firehouse Subs is a national sub franchise founded by firefighters, offering premium hot and cold subs with strong catering and loyalty programs. It competes with Blimpie for the same franchisee talent pool and customer occasion.

Broad incumbents

• MTY Food Group: MTY Food Group is the Canadian parent of Kahala Brands and therefore the ultimate parent of Blimpie. It is a broad incumbent that owns/operates dozens of franchise QSR brands, providing portfolio scale and shared services relevant to Blimpie's unit economics.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blimpiesubshop
• YouTubeyoutube.com/blimpiesubshop
• Facebookfacebook.com/blimpie
• Instagraminstagram.com/blimpie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blimpie-international

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 Blimpie