Knuckies Hoagies

Knuckies Hoagies is a fast casual hoagie and sandwich franchise based in Milton, Georgia. Todd Broaderick founded the company in 2019 and remains its CEO, overseeing operations and leadership development. The legal entity is Knuckies Franchise Company LLC. The system has five franchised units and no company owned locations, so all operating stores are run by franchisees. The brand appeared on the 2023 QSR 40/40 list, which recognizes 40 emerging limited service restaurant brands with fewer than 40 locations. Its distinguishing features include a proprietary bread program developed with Engelman's Bakery, 14 executed Walmart leases across six states, and store formats ranging from 800 to 2,200 square feet. Knuckies operates within the $315.1 billion U.S. limited service restaurant market. This overview was prepared independently by PeerSense franchise research analysts and is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or reviewed by Knuckies Franchise Company LLC or its principals.

The global limited service restaurant market was valued at $1.2 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach $1.4 trillion by 2030, reflecting a 3.2% compound annual growth rate. Other projections estimate a 5.71% compound annual growth rate through 2035 and place the global market at $1.214 trillion by 2032. The U.S. market reached $315.1 billion in 2024, making it the largest national market in this category. Delivery and takeout are growing quickly, with limited service delivery sales increasing more than 20% in the past year. Fast casual dining, the segment most closely associated with Knuckies, is projected to grow at a 3.2% compound annual growth rate over the same period. Demand is supported by interest in speed, portability, value, customizable menus, digital ordering, drive through service, and mobile ordering. Sandwich and hoagie concepts also benefit from repeat purchases, comparatively low food costs against full service restaurants, and broad demographic appeal.

The stated Knuckies Hoagies investment runs from $107,450 to $406,450. The company reports an average turnkey investment of approximately $295,000. Total costs vary according to the selected format and construction conditions. Available formats include traditional inline stores from 800 to 2,200 square feet, modular container drive through units, and smaller spaces located within Walmart stores. The ongoing royalty is 5% of gross sales, while the brand marketing fund contribution is 2%, for total ongoing fees of 7% of gross revenue. The company has executed 14 Walmart leases across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas. A location inside an existing retailer may reduce traditional build out costs and avoid an independent lease negotiation. The $107,450 to $295,000 range for lower format builds may fit investment levels commonly considered for SBA backed small business lending, which can affect the amount of equity required at entry.

Knuckies locations are designed to operate with 2 to 6 employees. The system offers inline stores, Walmart embedded units, and modular container drive through locations, allowing the format to match local real estate and available capital. CEO Todd Broaderick has described the brand as having proven reproducible processes intended to make operations easier. The supply chain includes Sysco for food distribution, Engelman's Bakery for the proprietary bread program, and Pepsi for beverages. Franchise opportunities are currently concentrated in the Southeastern United States, with active development in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company has not publicly provided the full length of initial training or the schedule for field consultant visits. Broaderick's direct role in operations and leadership development indicates a founder led support structure. Buyers should review the current Franchise Disclosure Document for territory exclusivity, multi unit expectations, and absentee ownership terms.

FTC franchise rules permit franchisors to omit these representations. Buyers must instead assess industry benchmarks, unit growth, and other available information. These figures are context rather than projections for Knuckies. Walmart locations average over 10,000 customer transactions per day at many U.S. stores, which may support traffic for an embedded food concept. The PeerSense Loan Activity Score is 55, in the Moderate range, reflecting the early stage system, limited unit count, and absent financial disclosure, along with its supply partnerships, industry recognition, and expansion plans.

Knuckies entered 2024 with a handful of operating locations and ended the period with seven units operating. During that period, the company also completed a Walmart partnership covering 14 leases across six states. Its stated goal for 2025 is to open 14 new locations. Planned markets include Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, along with continued development in Georgia. Walmart has approximately 4,700 U.S. stores, creating a potential real estate pipeline with existing customer traffic. The company also uses modular container drive through formats for nontraditional sites such as parking lots, mixed use developments, and event corridors. The bread program with Engelman's Bakery gives the concept a product distinction from sandwich operators using standard commodity bread. Its inclusion on the 2023 QSR 40/40 list provides outside recognition of the brand at this stage of development.

The intended franchisee profile centers on operational simplicity rather than mandatory restaurant experience. A 2 to 6 employee model may suit owner operators or semi absentee owners managing a small team. The six states under active development and 14 executed Walmart leases may offer opportunities to buyers with local relationships in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, or Texas. The Walmart format may appeal to owners who prefer built in customer traffic over independent site selection and starting local marketing from the beginning. Multi unit development may be available and encouraged in view of the 2025 goal of 14 new locations, but buyers should confirm incentives and area development terms in the FDD. Opening time will depend on the format. Modular container and Walmart units may require less construction and permitting time than inline stores, while 90 to 180 days is a reasonable general planning window for nontraditional formats. Buyers in the current development corridor should be prepared for the risks associated with an emerging franchise system.

The Knuckies investment case combines participation in the $315.1 billion U.S. limited service restaurant market, an investment from $107,450 to $406,450 with a stated average turnkey cost of $295,000, and 14 pre executed Walmart leases. The planned addition of 14 locations in 2025 would be the most aggressive expansion in the company's six year history and would test its ability to maintain operating standards across new markets and formats. PeerSense offers due diligence information that includes SBA lending history, Loan Activity Score details, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and comparison tools for evaluating Knuckies against other limited service restaurant concepts.