The national sandwich chain Potbelly will soon be making its Central Florida debut, according to a recent report by QSR. The report states that the company has partnered with franchisees Shari Nasir and Imran Malik of Sugarland Investment Group, LLC to open six locations in the Orlando area.
Franchisee Shari Nasir tells What Now Orlando that they are currently searching for ideal locations for the very first store.
“It’s all going to depend on real estate at this point, you know how it is right now,” Nasir says. “We are hoping for something in the Winter Park vicinity for our first store.”
When asked about why she became inspired to actually run Potbelly stores in Florida, Nasir says “I ate it growing up. As soon as they officially allowed franchising in Florida, I got in touch with them to run a shop. It’s going to be the best sandwich that Central Florida has ever tasted.”
Highlighting the brand’s versatility of service, Nasir adds, “I think it’s going to be really great for Florida—not only for dine-in customers, but also for office and even catering.”
Founded in Chicago in 1977 by Peter Hastings, Potbelly would explode into a nationally-known sandwich chain throughout the following decades, ultimately becoming a publicly traded company in 2013. Apart from its signature hot subs, Potbelly also serves salads, mac and cheese, soups, cookies, shakes, coffee and breakfast sandwiches.
Nasir and her team are aiming for a Q3 2023 grand opening for their first store, and will be opening the following locations into 2024.
