Brian Loughran has been with Jersey Mike’s since 1996, starting at the restaurant as a part-timer during high school. In 2004, he joined the home office and has been a part of the system since, now serving as director of training. Without hesitation, he says the company’s culture has kept him aboard and engaged. What drives that culture is a “relentless approach to training,” he said during a recent interview.
“I started as an hourly team member and here I am. I am not the exception, I’m the norm,” Loughran said, noting that founder Peter Cancro has long called Jersey Mike’s a “training company.” As such, the brand prioritizes an equal balance of “great subs and great service,” especially as it grows at a significant clip. For context, the 2,500-plus-unit company has added over 1,000 new restaurants in the past nine years and, according to Datassential, grew by over 14% from 2021 to 2022. Sales during that time jumped by over 22%.
