Pickle Barrell The

What Pickle Barrell The does

Pickle Barrel is a privately held submarine sandwich restaurant brand founded in 1974 (or 1975 per company materials) by Ken and Kerry Olson in Bozeman, Montana. The company operates two primary physical locations: the original Bozeman flagship at 809 West College Street across from Montana State University (now owned by Jenny O'Brien), and a Livingston, Montana franchise opened in 1994 and operated by Karla and David Pettit. The menu centers on made-to-order hot and cold submarine sandwiches featuring freshly baked bread prepared daily on-site, with ingredient preparation also done fresh each day. Differentiated SKUs include oversized sandwiches marketed as 5 inches longer and 3x heavier than competitors, plus a signature "Pickle It" offering at the Bozeman location where sandwiches are served inside a pickle instead of bread.

The business generates revenue through four streams: (1) direct retail sandwich sales at restaurant counters for dine-in and takeout, (2) catering trays serving up to 10 people for events and business lunches, (3) a nationwide direct-to-consumer shipping channel launched through shop.picklebarrelmt.com, and (4) a branded merchandise line including T-shirts ($30), long sleeves ($35), hoodies ($45), and baseball caps. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through physical storefronts, an e-commerce shop, and social media (Facebook, Twitter). All locations add a 15% gratuity on orders over $75. The company has no public revenue disclosure, no institutional investment, no parent company, and no subsidiaries, consistent with a small, independently operated lifestyle business.

Operational footprint extends modestly beyond the two flagship locations, with the menu referencing phone numbers for additional Montana outposts (Belgrade, Billings) and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, suggesting further franchise or operator relationships. The company's competitive positioning relies on multi-decade brand heritage in Bozeman, locally baked bread, oversized sandwich portions, and word-of-mouth loyalty from a customer base that includes former MSU students returning across generations.

Name

Pickle Barrell The

Legal name

Pickle Barrel

Website

https://picklebarrelmt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pickle Barrel is a privately held Montana sandwich shop brand founded in 1974, operating two physical locations in Bozeman and Livingston, plus nationwide e-commerce shipping and a branded merchandise line, serving walk-in diners, MSU students, travelers, and catering customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sandwich Restaurant (Quick-Service Restaurant)

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

akta.pro primary industry

Delis & Sandwich Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAF)

Keywords

• Submarine sandwich restaurant
• Made-to-order sandwiches
• Sandwich catering trays
• Branded apparel merchandise
• Nationwide sandwich shipping

Headquarters

HQ city

Bozeman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sandwich Sales: Direct retail sales of made-to-order hot and cold sandwiches at restaurant locations
2. Catering Trays: Bulk sandwich trays serving up to 10 people per tray for events, business lunches, weddings, graduations and tailgating
3. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including T-shirts ($30), long sleeves ($35), hoodies ($45), and baseball caps
4. Nationwide Shipping: Shipping sandwiches across the United States through their online shop

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Pickle Barrel operates submarine sandwich restaurants serving made-to-order hot and cold sandwiches, salads, and catering trays built on bread baked fresh on-site daily at each location. The business also sells branded merchandise and ships sandwiches across the United States through its online shop, with two physical locations in Bozeman and Livingston, Montana.

Product overview

Pickle Barrel is a submarine sandwich restaurant chain with two locations in Montana (Bozeman and Livingston). The company offers made-to-order hot and cold submarine sandwiches with freshly baked bread and ingredients prepared daily. Core products include hot sandwiches (various steak varieties, chicken, pork, and specialty subs), cold sandwiches (classic deli-style and specialty combinations), and fresh salads. The company also provides catering trays for events serving up to 10 people, operates a merchandise line (apparel and accessories), and offers nationwide sandwich shipping. A unique offering called 'Pickle It' at the Bozeman location allows customers to have any sandwich served in a pickle instead of bread. The company has been in operation since 1974-1975.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hot Sandwiches Made-to-order hot submarine sandwiches including steak varieties (Steak, Cheese Steak, Pepper Steak, Mushroom Steak, South of the Border Cheese Steak), meat options (Meatball, Downtown Chicken, Pulled Pork), and specialty items like The Blue Streaker, served on freshly baked bread.
• Cold Sandwiches Cold submarine sandwiches served with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, mayo, vinegar, oil and spice, including classic combinations (American, Italian, Veggie, Chicken Salad, Cheese, Ham & Cheese, Roast Beef) and specialty subs (Bobcat Special, Big Sky Special, Dragon Slayer, Ken's Special, Beach Comber).
• Salads Fresh garden-style salads including Garden Salad, Paul's Ranch Salad with chicken and ranch dressing, and Chef Salad, not available at all locations.
• Pickle Barrel Catering Trays Catering trays feeding up to 10 people per tray with any variety of sandwiches and includes pickles, used for business lunches, wedding rehearsals, graduations and tailgating.
• Pickle It Option A specialty offering available exclusively at the Bozeman location that allows any sandwich to be made inside a pickle instead of bread.
• Sandwich Shipping Service Direct-to-consumer nationwide shipping service allowing customers to order Pickle Barrel sandwiches for delivery across the United States through the company's online shop.
• Pickle Barrel Branded Merchandise Branded apparel and accessories including Pickle Barrel Baseball Cap, T-Shirt ($30), Long Sleeve ($35), and Hoodie ($45), available in sizes Small through X-Large.
• Pickle Barrel Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase at all Pickle Barrel locations.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Firehouse Subs: National franchised sub chain with strong regional brand loyalty and catering focus. Comparable on made-to-order sub model and event/group catering, a category Pickle Barrel also serves.
• Jimmy John's: National franchised submarine sandwich chain that Pickle Barrel explicitly benchmarks against on its homepage. Direct competitor in made-to-order sub sandwiches, with much larger scale and broader footprint.
• Penn Station East Coast Subs: East Coast sub franchisor with made-to-order submarine sandwiches and catering trays. Directly comparable on product, customization, and catering business model.
• Subway: Largest global submarine sandwich chain, also explicitly named by Pickle Barrel as a comparison. Competes on price, speed, and convenience in the same made-to-order sub category.
• Which Wich: Franchised sandwich chain with made-to-order subs and a strong catering program. Comparable on made-to-order sandwich model, franchise structure, and B2B group ordering.
• Jersey Mike's Subs: Fast-growing East Coast-style sub chain with a focus on fresh, made-to-order sandwiches. Closely comparable on product, customization model, and quality positioning versus Pickle Barrel.
• Potbelly: National sandwich shop chain offering made-to-order toasted sandwiches and catering trays. Comparable on sandwich-focused menu, made-to-order preparation, and B2B catering channel.
• Blimpie: Long-standing sub sandwich franchisor with traditional made-to-order submarine offerings. Comparable legacy sub category competitor with franchised model.
• Capriotti's Sandwich Shop: Fast-growing sub franchisor known for oversized, premium sandwiches and catering. Closely comparable to Pickle Barrel's oversized, quality-focused positioning and franchise expansion model.

Broad incumbents

• Quiznos: Established toasted-sub franchisor that once competed aggressively with Subway. Comparable sub category and franchised operating model, though footprint and momentum are weaker.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/picklebarrelmt
• Facebookfacebook.com/120630334621236
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pickle-barrell-the

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Pickle Barrell The