Philly's Best
Philly's Best is a 20-unit fast-casual restaurant chain in California specializing in authentic Philadelphia cheesesteaks, hoagies, and catering, founded in 1992 by Bob and Andrea Levey. It serves individual consumers, franchisees, corporate catering clients, and community organizations via a hybrid corporate/franchise model with Toast Tab online ordering and multiple delivery partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Philly's Best does
Philly's Best is a fast-casual restaurant chain operating 20 locations across California under the legal entity Philly Foods, Inc., headquartered in Irvine. Founded in 1992 by Navy veteran Bob Levey and his Philadelphia-native wife Andrea Levey in Fountain Valley, CA, the chain specializes in authentic Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks, hoagies, burgers, and salads, with a core menu differentiated by the use of ingredients shipped from the East Coast: Amoroso rolls, Cooper Sharp cheese, Boar's Head premium deli meats, Herr's chips, and TastyKake baked goods. Operations are run through a hybrid model of corporate-owned and franchised restaurants (16 franchises and 3 corporate stores reported in 2019, with continued unit growth to 20 by August 2024), with the founder family retaining direct control and no disclosed private equity, venture capital, or parent company ownership.
The technology stack is intentionally light: Toast Tab provides the POS and direct online ordering infrastructure, with third-party delivery enabled through DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub, and catering distributed through ezCater. A loyalty program (Real Philly Rewards) launched in February 2025 runs on the same Toast-backed platform, with a 1-point-per-$1 earn rate and tiered redemptions. The company sells gift cards (balance managed through StoreCard), operates a community fundraising program (20% donation back to host organizations), and offers catering through the Big Box of Philly package (10 sandwiches for $139.95).
Revenue mechanics comprise four streams: (1) in-store and online food and beverage sales at corporate locations; (2) franchise fees, including a $25,000 initial fee for a single unit ($15,000 for additional locations, $10,000 for multi-unit Area Development), a 6% ongoing royalty, and a 3% brand marketing fund contribution, all billed semi-monthly on gross sales, with a 10% veteran discount; (3) catering revenue through the Big Box of Philly, party platters, and cheesesteak buffets; and (4) gift card sales and fundraising-based traffic. The primary customer segments are individual consumers (dine-in, take-out, delivery), franchisee entrepreneurs ($100K+ liquid assets, $200K+ net worth required), corporate and event catering clients, and community organizations. The brand is actively expanding franchise territories into Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Utah, with the stated 2024 positioning as one of QSR Magazine's 40/40 hottest startup fast casuals.
Philly's Best firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Philly's Best
- Legal name
- Philly Foods, Inc.
- Website
- https://eatphillysbest.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Philly's Best is a 20-unit fast-casual restaurant chain in California specializing in authentic Philadelphia cheesesteaks, hoagies, and catering, founded in 1992 by Bob and Andrea Levey. It serves individual consumers, franchisees, corporate catering clients, and community organizations via a hybrid corporate/franchise model with Toast Tab online ordering and multiple delivery partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Philly's Best industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fast Casual Restaurant
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG)
Keywords
Where Philly's Best is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices21 records
Markets served
Philly's Best business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue from direct sales of cheesesteaks, hoagies, chicken cheesesteaks, burgers, salads, and sides at company-owned and franchised restaurant locations. Customers pay at point of sale for dine-in, take-out, or delivery orders.
- Franchise Fees and Royalties: Initial franchise fee of $25,000 for single-unit franchisees ($15,000 for additional locations, $10,000 for multi-unit operators). Ongoing 6% royalty fee and 3% brand marketing fund fee paid semi-monthly by franchisees on gross sales.
- Catering Services: Catering revenue from Big Box of Philly (10 cheesesteaks or hoagies for $139.95), cheesesteak buffets (serves 15-30), hoagie party platters, and chicken tender party platters. Delivery through ezCater platform.
- Gift Card Sales: Sale of gift cards at restaurant locations. Points are earned on purchases when paying with gift cards through the Real Philly Rewards loyalty program.
- Fundraising Program: Community fundraising program where organizations can host fundraiser events. Philly's Best donates 20% of check amounts (pre-tax, no alcohol) back to participating organizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Single-unit franchise initial investment |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Veteran franchise discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Big Box of Philly catering |
| Subscription | Monthly | Real Philly Rewards loyalty program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Philly's Best product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Philly's Best operates a fast-casual restaurant chain serving authentic Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks, hoagies, specialty sandwiches, burgers, salads, and sides across 20 California locations. The brand sells prepared food to consumers via dine-in, take-out, delivery, and catering channels, complemented by a franchise program, a loyalty program, gift cards, and community fundraising. All products are built on authentic East Coast ingredients including Amoroso rolls, Cooper Sharp cheese, and Boar's Head meats.
Product overview
Philly's Best is a fast-casual restaurant chain operating 20 locations across California, specializing in authentic Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks and hoagies. The core product portfolio includes various cheesesteak preparations (beef and chicken) with multiple cheese and topping options, hoagies featuring Boar's Head Italian meats, specialty sandwiches, burgers, and neighborhood salads. The company also offers catering services through its Big Box of Philly packages, operates a loyalty program (Real Philly Rewards), runs a fundraising initiative, and sells gift cards. All products are built around authentic Philadelphia ingredients including Amoroso rolls, Cooper Sharp cheese, and Herr's Chips.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Real Philly Rewards: Loyalty program offering points for purchases, redeemable for free food and exclusive rewards.
- Big Box of Philly
- Cheesesteaks for Charity
Products and services
- Cheesesteaks
Quantifiable outcome
- Named #3 top cheesesteak chain in America by Eat This, Not That!
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Philly's Best
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Philly's Best technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature1 record
Philly's Best partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Ronald McDonald House Orange CountyminorPhilly's Best supports Ronald McDonald House Orange County, an organization founded in Philadelphia to provide comfort and support to families of children in hospitals. The brand donated a portion of National Cheesesteak Day sales and plans ongoing support through fundraising and community events.
- California Fire FoundationminorThrough the Cheesesteaks for Charity initiative, Philly's Best partnered with the California Fire Foundation to support recovery efforts for Los Angeles communities affected by recent wildfires. On National Cheesesteak Day, a portion of cheesesteak sales was donated to the foundation's wildfire and disaster relief efforts.
- Toast TabcoreToast Tab provides the point-of-sale (POS) system and online ordering platform for all Philly's Best locations. The platform handles in-store ordering, online ordering for pickup and delivery, and integrates with the Real Philly Rewards loyalty program. Toast powers the restaurant's digital commerce infrastructure.
- DoorDashcoreDoorDash provides delivery services for Philly's Best restaurant locations, enabling customers to order cheesesteaks and hoagies for home delivery through the DoorDash platform.
- Uber EatscoreUber Eats provides delivery services for Philly's Best restaurant locations, enabling customers to order through the Uber Eats platform for convenient home delivery.
- GrubhubcoreGrubhub provides delivery services for select Philly's Best restaurant locations, allowing customers to order authentic Philly cheesesteaks for delivery through the Grubhub platform.
- ezCaterminorezCater provides catering delivery services for Philly's Best, enabling corporate customers and event organizers to order Big Box of Philly catering and other menu items for delivery to their locations.
- Amoroso (Rolls)coreAmoroso Baking Company supplies authentic Philadelphia rolls - the traditional Amoroso rolls and Philly seeded rolls - shipped from the East Coast. These are essential to the authentic Philly cheesesteak experience.
- Boar's HeadcoreBoar's Head supplies premium deli meats including capicola, genoa salami, mortadella, turkey breast, and ham for hoagies. Premium quality meats essential to the authentic product.
- Cooper Sharp (Cheese)coreCooper Sharp provides their signature American cheese, featured in the Cooper Classic Cheesesteak and Sharp Italian hoagie. Known for ultra-creamy melt and tangy bite.
- Herr's (Chips)minorHerr's supplies potato chips - a beloved Philadelphia tradition served alongside cheesesteaks. Shipped from Pennsylvania.
- TastyKakeminorTastyKake supplies sweet treats - a Philadelphia tradition and beloved Philly-side favorite served at locations.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Philly's Best competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Capriotti's Sandwich Shop: Capriotti's is a direct competitor to Philly's Best, operating a franchise model focused on cheesesteaks and sub sandwiches. Both brands emphasize East Coast-style cheesesteak recipes and franchise expansion across multiple states.
- Charleys Philly Steaks: Charleys is the largest cheesesteak franchise in the United States and directly competes with Philly's Best in the cheesesteak category. Both target fast-casual diners seeking authentic Philadelphia-style sandwiches.
- Jersey Mike's Subs: Jersey Mike's is one of the fastest-growing sub sandwich franchise chains and directly competes with Philly's Best in the hoagie and submarine sandwich category. Both chains emphasize East Coast sub traditions and operate franchise models.
- PrimoHoagies: PrimoHoagies is an East Coast hoagie franchise chain known for authentic Italian-style submarine sandwiches. It overlaps with Philly's Best in the hoagie category with similar emphasis on quality ingredients.
Broad incumbents
- Firehouse Subs: Firehouse Subs is a large established sub sandwich franchise chain with national footprint. It competes with Philly's Best in the submarine sandwich category and is a broader sandwich franchise incumbent.
- Jimmy John's: Jimmy John's is a national sandwich delivery franchise chain owned by Inspire Brands. It competes with Philly's Best on hoagies and sandwiches, particularly in delivery channels.
- Potbelly Sandwich Shop: Potbelly is a national fast-casual sandwich chain that competes with Philly's Best in the broader sandwich category. It has a wider menu but similar dine-in and takeaway experience.
- Which Wich Superior Sandwiches: Which Wich is a national sandwich franchise chain with customizable sub-style sandwiches. It competes with Philly's Best on the sandwich category, particularly through delivery and catering.
- Steak 'n Shake: Steak 'n Shake is an established American fast-casual chain with steakburgers and diner-style fare. While focused on burgers, it represents a broader fast-casual dining alternative for Philly's Best's customer base.
Regional players
- Wawa: Wawa is an East Coast convenience store chain known for its hoagies and food offerings. It shares the East Coast food authenticity positioning that Philly's Best brings to the West Coast, though Wawa primarily operates in different geographies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Philly's Best social profiles
Digital presencePhilly's Best financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Philly's Best leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Philly's Best funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Philly's Best M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Philly's Best
What does Philly's Best do?
Philly's Best operates a fast-casual restaurant chain serving authentic Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks, hoagies, specialty sandwiches, burgers, salads, and sides across 20 California locations. The brand sells prepared food to consumers via dine-in, take-out, delivery, and catering channels, complemented by a franchise program, a loyalty program, gift cards, and community fundraising. All products are built on authentic East Coast ingredients including Amoroso rolls, Cooper Sharp cheese, and Boar's Head meats.
Is Philly's Best a public or private company?
Philly's Best is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Philly's Best founded?
Philly's Best was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Philly's Best based?
Philly's Best is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does Philly's Best make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees and Royalties, catering Services, gift Card Sales and fundraising Program.
Who are Philly's Best's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, Charleys Philly Steaks, Jersey Mike's Subs and PrimoHoagies. Broad incumbents are Firehouse Subs, Jimmy John's, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches and Steak 'n Shake. Wawa is listed as a regional player.
Does Philly's Best have an API?
No public API is recorded for Philly's Best.
What industry is Philly's Best in?
Philly's Best's product category is Fast Casual Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAG, Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722513.