FRANCHISE EXPANSION

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop

Opens Local Stores

ENTREPRENEURS

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, a popular sub shop founded in 1976 in Delaware, is now open in Austin. Restaurant entrepreneur Julian King opened a ghost kitchen1 last year and then the first brick-and-mortar at 1200 Barbara Jordan Blvd. in the Mueller area in March 2022. King said his business is going so well, he and his business partner, Warren Shu, are looking at four additional locations.

The next location will open soon at 3944 Ranch Road 620 South in Bee Cave and King and Shu are evaluating market conditions in Sunset Valley, Pflugerville, Round Rock, and Cedar Park. The Texas stores are part of the franchise of 100+ stores across the United States.

In May 2020, King and Shu began interviewing potential concepts and built a spreadsheet with 45 possibilities. They ran numbers, narrowed the list, and chose 20 semi-finalists serving sandwiches, pizza, sushi, and tacos. They decided Austin was a great fit for the Capriotti’s brand of sandwiches.

Capriotti’s is famous for their Bobbie® sandwich—slow-roasted hand-pulled Butterball turkey topped with cranberry sauce, handmade stuffing, and mayo. When learning about Capriotti’s, King tried The Hot Bobbie® with grilled turkey and declared, “We’ve got a hit on our hands. It’s Thanksgiving in a sandwich.”

1 Physical spaces for operators to create food for off-premises consumption; i.e., eateries that prepare delivery-only food Capriotti’s offers sandwiches made with American Wagyu roast beef, the most prized type of beef in the world, from Snake River Farms in Idaho. They also use fresh bread shipped every day from a baker in Las Vegas.

While King and his staff work hard to ensure Capriotti’s offers delicious food, he prioritizes hospitality—working every day at a level that ensures customers will return.

HOSPITALITY IS KING

King’s hometown is Atlanta, Georgia. He said hospitality runs in his family, with both of his parents working for Delta Airlines. Growing up, King thought he might like to work in healthcare. When he was a teen, he landed an internship for a pediatrician’s office. To make money, he began working as a server at night. He soon noticed he was unhappy during the day, but happy at night and realized the restaurant industry was a good fit. His parents encouraged him to aim high and work toward restaurant ownership—career advice he valued and has followed.

He moved to Austin for a job, and loves the city for its warm weather and friendly vibe. When he isn’t working, you can find him enjoying the outdoors running, biking, or cheering on the Austin FC team. When the team wins a game, King’s store gives away a free cookie the next day.

FOR PARTIES

Catering for groups accounts for half of the Austin area sales. The stores offer party trays, box lunches, and shareable salads. King approaches the catering side of the business with the same commitment to excellence, striving to ensure customers have wonderful experiences every time.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

King serves on the Board of Advisors for Legacy Collective, a diverse community committed to dismantling systemic issues through innovative philanthropy. Legacy Collective donated $5M to various charities in the past three years via giving circles and a subscription model.

King says he receives phone calls from people familiar with Capriotti’s who are eager for Austin locations to open. The sandwiches from Capriotti’s are so beloved, there are “Capaddicts” who drive for miles to get one and wait outside when a new shop opens. To try a Capriotti’s sub, visit the Mueller location today, or order delivery or catering through DoorDash, ezCater, Favor, GrubHub, or Uber Eats.

King is a graduate of Cornell’s top-ranked hospitality program, and his career includes management positions at Via 313, Comedor, Tin Roof Bistro, The Cheesecake Factory, and Fresh City.