Experienced restaurant operators and family enterprises join the 34-year-old brand as existing restaurants offer paths to ownership in greater Philadelphia and South Jersey

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PrimoHoagies has welcomed seven new franchisees in 2026, attracting experienced restaurant operators, diversified family businesses and a new generation of owners to its Italian specialty sandwich brand. With approximately 10–15 existing restaurants available for acquisition, most in greater Philadelphia and South Jersey, the company is highlighting opportunities for qualified operators to enter established markets and build toward multi-unit ownership.

The brand’s approximately 80 franchise owners include 20 multi-unit owners. This year’s additions span new restaurant development and acquisitions, with partners bringing experience in national restaurant franchises, airport concessions, real estate and other family enterprises.

“For an experienced operator, acquiring an existing PrimoHoagies can be a practical starting point for building a larger portfolio,” said Angela Coppler, Senior Vice President of Development at PrimoHoagies. “You can enter a market where the brand is already known, take on an established restaurant and bring your own operating strengths to the business. Select existing restaurants can offer a lower initial investment than new construction, depending on the transaction and required improvements.”

Acquisitions Create Opportunities for Experienced Operators

Across the brand’s legacy markets, some longtime franchisees are preparing for retirement and ownership transitions after decades with PrimoHoagies. Those transitions create opportunities for incoming owners to carry established neighborhood businesses forward, while investing in their teams, customer relationships, and long-term growth.

Alvin Patel, a recently approved franchisee currently in training, is preparing to acquire an existing restaurant, with closing anticipated in early November. A longtime PrimoHoagies customer in the Philadelphia region, Patel brings extensive multi-unit restaurant experience across Dunkin’, Saladworks and Frutta Bowls. Learning that a restaurant in his hometown was approaching an ownership transition prompted him to explore the opportunity. His plans include building an organization capable of supporting a multi-unit PrimoHoagies portfolio over time.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, Dev and Falguni Patel entered the brand by acquiring an existing restaurant. Their business background includes Wayback Burgers, convenience stores with deli operations, fuel locations and real estate investments, alongside a record of operational achievement and community recognition. With hands-on restaurant experience and a family management structure, the Patels saw PrimoHoagies as a complementary addition to their portfolio and are already exploring additional locations.

Acquisitions also provide a path for the next generation of existing franchise families. After nearly 20 years of PrimoHoagies ownership, Patrick McCoyd partnered with his son Ian to acquire the Lansdale, Pennsylvania, restaurant. Ian had spent several years managing and overseeing the family’s Newtown restaurant. Becoming an owner gives him a new level of responsibility and an opportunity to continue growing with the brand.

New Restaurant Owners Bring Portfolio Experience and Community Ties

Dapyr Enterprises opened its first PrimoHoagies in Middletown, Delaware, on July 21. The multigenerational family enterprise operates a home care company and a Philly Pretzel Factory franchise. For Dante Harrington, Tye Edwards, Desiree Edwards and Derrick Taylor, adding PrimoHoagies connected their Philadelphia roots with a clear opportunity in their adopted community.

The family recognized that customers buying pretzels for celebrations were also purchasing PrimoHoagies catering, making the concepts a natural complement. They have brought family involvement and local relationship building to their Middletown restaurant, which has performed in the system’s top quartile since opening.

In Quakertown, Pennsylvania, Mike and Marianne Corrado opened their hometown restaurant on July 1. For Mike, the opening fulfilled a longstanding ambition to own a deli and become a PrimoHoagies franchisee. The couple’s connection to the product and their community has helped the restaurant become one of the system’s top 10 performers in its first months of operation.

The Grove, Inc., in partnership with M2 Concepts, LLC, opened PrimoHoagies’ first airport restaurant in February at Philadelphia International Airport’s Terminal A-East. The experienced concessions operator worked with the PrimoHoagies team to adapt the brand to an airport environment, including a breakfast menu. The opening demonstrates how the straightforward menu and flexible operating format can extend into nontraditional spaces.

“Our franchise partners bring different experiences, but their belief in the food and their commitment to running great restaurants connect them,” said Nicholas Papanier, Jr., Owner, President and CEO of PrimoHoagies. “It is exciting to welcome operators who see how PrimoHoagies fits into businesses they have spent years building, and families who want to grow with us for generations.”

A Smaller Prototype Supports the Next Phase of Development

PrimoHoagies is also advancing a new restaurant prototype, with five locations in development. The approximately 1,100-square-foot standard design is intended to improve labor efficiency and throughput while expanding real estate options. Modern finishes and visible food preparation reinforce the brand’s premium ingredients, while separate ordering and payment areas from pickup support a smoother experience for in-store guests, mobile orders and delivery.

The first two projects using the design are planned for Bluffton, South Carolina, where Patrick McCoyd is in permitting, and Huntersville, North Carolina, with franchise partners Kartik Ramakrishnan and Naveen Patlolla. McCoyd’s Bluffton project grew from his family’s connection to the Hilton Head area and his desire to bring PrimoHoagies to that community.

Ahead of the Restaurant Finance & Development Conference, PrimoHoagies is inviting experienced operators and prospective franchisees to explore existing restaurant acquisitions, new development and nontraditional opportunities. The brand operates more than 120 restaurants.

For more information about PrimoHoagies’ franchise opportunities, please visit ownaprimo.com.

This is not an offer to sell you a franchise. The offer of a franchise can only be made through the delivery of a franchise disclosure document.  Certain states require that we register the franchise disclosure document in those states.  We will not offer or sell franchises in those states until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the franchise disclosure document to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law.  PrimoHoagies Franchising, Inc. does not offer franchises until completion of its candidate approval process and the required Franchise Disclosure Document has been delivered to a prospective franchisee before executing a franchise agreement, in compliance with law.

The information provided in these materials is not an assurance that any franchisee of PrimoHoagies can expect to achieve any specific amount of sales or income. PrimoHoagies does not guarantee or warrant that any level of success or profit can be achieved through the operation of a PrimoHoagies location.

Sales and earnings are affected by many factors, and, if selected as a franchisee, you are likely to experience financial results materially different from those reflected in the data provided in this document.   You are urged to consult with appropriate financial and legal advisors in connection with the information provided in this and other documents.

About PrimoHoagies

Founded in 1992, PrimoHoagies is a family-owned Italian specialty deli franchise known for its commitment to authentic hoagies, premium meats, fresh ingredients and their award-winning bread. Founded on traditional family recipes, the brand delivers a high-quality sandwich experience while providing franchise partners with an efficient and scalable restaurant model. The brand has been recognized by USA Today as a “Best Sandwich Shop” for three consecutive years and continues to earn accolades from Franchise Times and Entrepreneur.

Contact: Cole Koretos | Franchise Elevator | ckoretos@franchiseelevator.com

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SOURCE PrimoHoagies