Executives who helped build out one of the nation’s most iconic sandwich chains are making the shift from hoagies to hot dogs.
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Several former Jersey Mike’s leaders have joined Dog Haus as the company works to expand from about 60 locations to 300 in pursuit of a $1B valuation.
"When you’ve been in the trenches with people through that type of brand growth that you saw at Jersey Mike’s, you say, 'My gosh, let’s run it back,'" Dog Haus Chief Marketing Officer James Field told Fox Business.
He was previously chief innovation officer at Jersey Mike’s. His new company has also brought on several former Jersey Mike’s franchisees, including Chief Development Officer Chris Rigassio and Chief Operating Officer Garen Khodaverdian.
They are working to divide the country into 15 regions that will guide the expansion.
Dog Haus operates from coast to coast across 14 states and Washington, D.C. It opened its first international outpost on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula in June.
The fast-casual chain offers hot dogs, burgers and fried chicken sandwiches. Some locations also include a beer garden.
"We believe that going 60 to 300 over the next few years is really a layup," Dog Haus CEO Michael Montagano told Fox Business. "It's really about what we can do beyond that."
Some of the team he has assembled helped Jersey Mike’s expand into a roughly $8B valuation by the time Blackstone purchased a majority stake in the chain in January 2025.
The company, which started with a single New Jersey store in 1956, has grown to more than 3,400 locations across the U.S. It also announced a 400-location foray into the UK and Ireland earlier this year.
Dog Haus is one of many fast-casual brands that have expanded their footprints across the U.S. in recent years as time-poor Americans seek relatively affordable dining options.
Those ranks also include Cava, which will open 75 new restaurants by the end of the year as it seeks a 1,000-location footprint by 2032.
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