 Select Sandwich Co.’s new design-your-own-salad option is a hit among customers. With more than 20 years of experience and 30 locations in southern Ontario, Select Sandwich Co. offers an alternative to traditional fast food.
Founded by entrepreneur Brian Kahn, the company says it was one of the first to offer customers the option to design their own sandwich. In addition to in-store dining, Select Sandwich offers catering and free delivery to its catering customer.
A hands-on leader, Kahn worked in his own Select Sandwich store before building the company’s business and franchisee operations. With front-line experience, Kahn and his team are bringing quality and value to every aspect of the company.
Food and Drink magazine spoke with Vice President Carol Kahn to find out what distinguishes the growing sandwich shop from its competitors.
Food and Drink: Why do customers choose Select Sandwich over other Quick Service sandwich shops?
Carol Kahn: We’ve always been known as the original design-your-own-sandwich place.
We have 10 different types of breads, multiple fillings and condiments so customers can make an endless combination of sandwiches.
Beyond that, we’re known for our hot entrees, such as curries, ethnic dishes, roast chicken, etc.
The newest item that has gotten a lot of attention is our design-your-own-salad option.
Customers can pick from four different salad bases and build their salad how they want. We have more than 70 ingredients to add to their salads, such as chicken, tofu, beef, nuts, seeds and cheeses.
FAD: You offer catering. How big is that side of the business?
CK: Probably about 40 percent of our business is catering. It varies from location to location.
One of the most unique things about our catering service is that we don’t charge for delivery. Almost everyone in the catering business charges, but we will deliver orders within a 15-minute drive from our stores for free.
FAD: Are all of your locations franchised, and how do you choose franchisees?
CK: Yes, all locations are franchised. One of the most important things we look for in a franchisee is customer service skills. We also want someone who is business-minded.
The franchisee doesn’t necessarily need a business degree, but they need to have a business-oriented way of thinking. If they don’t have both of those skills, they probably won’t be as successful as possible.
FAD: With customer service being such a priority, how do you ensure that each store exceeds customer expectations?
CK: It all starts in training. Throughout our extensive training period, customer service is one of our main focuses. We post our support office phone number and encourage customers to call in with comments.
We also have a team of people that calls our catering customers to find out if they are happy with our service. Each store owner takes the time to call their customers, as well.
We also survey our in-store customers periodically to ask for their input.
FAD: How do you choose your vendors?
CK: Our franchisees order from our list of approved vendors. Our vendors are really part of our team, and we have worked with many of the same people for 20 years, it’s a true partnership.
We work with large distributors, but we also identify unique products from smaller vendors. We make sure that all of our vendors know that our franchisees are our customers and must always bear that in mind.
FAD: What role do Select Sandwich locations play in their respective communities?
CK: We get very involved with sponsoring local sports teams and events. Brian Kahn, the president of the company, recently shaved his head and raised $2,500 during a local radio spot in support of breast cancer awareness. We’re a small company, but we try to be as involved as possible.
FAD: What were some highlights from last year?
CK: We had a very busy year and are very proud of our accomplishments. We took a new approach with our marketing, updating our look and clarifying our positioning within our market. In doing so, we have created a new catering brochure, we are currently redesigning our website and we have introduced our new design-your-own salad concept.
We also opened our newest location in Ottawa and designed an additional restaurant concept, Urban Kitchen.
FAD: What do you see on the agenda for 2008?
CK: We plan to continue growing the Select Sandwich brand, but we’re also excited to introduce our new concept, Urban Kitchen. We have our first location slated to open in Newmarket Ontario early this year. Urban Kitchen is a more gourmet-type of sandwich shop which will service more departs than Select Sandwich and will appeal to a broader customer base – it has a very modern but comfortable atmosphere. It is based on a fast-casual dining rather than the quick service model of Select Sandwich; this way the two models will not be in direct competition. We’re excited for growth in both concepts in 2008. |
