Penn Station (restaurant)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2008) |
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| Company type | Corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Cincinnati, Ohio |
Key people | Jeff Osterfeld, Founder |
| Products | Sandwiches, east coast subs |
| Website | www.penn-station.com |
Penn Station is a chain of East Coast sub restaurants found throughout the South and Midwest United States. The first restaurant was opened in 1985 by Jeff Osterfeld. Today, there are more than 160 Penn Station restaurants in the United States.[citation needed]
History
The concept for an East Coast sub restaurant came to Jeff Osterfeld soon after he graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In 1983, he opened "Jeffrey's Delicatessen" at Dayton Mall in Dayton, Ohio. It was during a trip to Philadelphia that he first realized the popularity of the cheesesteak sandwich. He began selling a version of the cheesesteak sandwich at his own restaurant, and it instantly became a huge hit.
He eventually expanded to Cincinnati, where he opened his first Penn Station restaurant in 1985. Originally, only four sandwiches were available, including the cheese steak. However, this first restaurant also offered fresh-cut french fries and freshly squeezed lemonade, two items that would become trademarks for Penn Station in the future.
By 1987, Osterfeld had opened several Penn Station restaurants in and around Cincinnati. He began selling franchises that year and restaurants soon opened in St. Louis, Louisville, and Nashville. Today, Penn Station has become a large chain across the South and Midwest, with 175 restaurants currently open. One-legged bank robber orders Penn Station sub after heist
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that on January 20, 2007, a one-legged bank robber in a wheelchair went to a Penn Station East Coast Subs after he was left stranded by his accomplice, who had driven off without him after the heist. As the crime unfolded at the SunTrust branch, the man in the wheelchair gave a teller a note demanding money, police said, He then made his way across a parking lot to the sub shop, where employees thought he was just another customer.
In 2007, Penn Station was ranked #196 on Entrepreneur Magazine's list of the Top 500 International Franchises. In 2006, Penn Station was ranked #177. In 2005, Penn Station was ranked #145. In 2004, Penn Station was ranked #219. In 2003, Penn Station was ranked #186. The rankings are based primarily on financial strength and stability, and the system's growth rate and size.
Menu
The chain is known for its trademark sandwich, the Philly CheesesteakSub. Hand-cut French Fries, Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade and its "signature" Fresh-baked French Bread are among customer favorites as well.
As with most sub sandwich restaurants, standard sandwiches such as club sandwiches, chicken teriyaki, and Italian are available. Penn Station, being an East Coast-style restaurant, offers their version of the Philly Cheesesteak. Also available is their popular pizza sub, among others. All sandwiches are made to order in front of the customer.
Recently, Penn Station has started to offer fresh salads, following a trend in providing healthier menu options. The salads, like the sandwiches, are made fresh, and many salads are simply a "bread-less" version of a particular sandwich.
Penn Station french fries are hand-cut and made fresh. They are fried in cholesterol-free peanut oil.
Beverages include Penn Station's trademark lemonade. Fresh lemonade is made every day from fresh-squeezed lemons. Freshly brewed iced tea is also available, as are Pepsi products.
For a short while, Penn Station tested soups at a few restaurants. There were two different kinds of soups a day, and every two days two different soups were available. The soups did not sell well enough, and the idea was abandoned.
Newly offered items include Hot-Grilled Wraps, which, much like the salads, can transform any sandwich into a wrap.