100 Montaditos, Spanish Sandwich Shop, Eyes America In A Big Way
America's current economic doldrums don't seem particularly conducive to massive restaurant expansion at first glance. But that isn't stopping Cerveceria 100 Montaditos from thinking big. Right now, there are only two outposts of the Spanish sandwich chain in the United States, both in Miami. But in five years, if the company's executives' plans come to fruition, there will be 4000 -- which would make it the fastest-expanding restaurant chain of all time, according to Business Week. The only comparable phenomenon is Starbucks in the mid-2000s.
The company seems sanguine about its prospects of success because it sells sandwiches at an incredibly low price point. The sandwiches are small, but they include premium ingredients like serrano ham and duck mousse, and cost just $1-$3 each. The company makes profits on volume -- think of it as the Zara of Sandwich shops. The chain was founded just a decade ago, but there are already over 200 locations, mostly in Spain. Next up? A shop in Union Square, the closest thing Manhattan has to a Spanish plaza.
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First Posted: 08/19/11 05:44 PM ET Updated: 10/19/11 06:12 AM ET