Great Steak Franchise Welcomes Franchise Development Manager

The premier cheesesteak franchise enters a bright new era of rapid expansion with a new franchise development manager

Great Steak, the nation’s premier cheesesteak franchise, welcomes Kira Kusky as the new franchise development manager to helm plans for rapid expansion across the United States. Kira comes to Great Steak with several years in the franchising industry, helping to grow brands on the domestic and international levels. In Kira, entrepreneurs looking to invest in a cheesesteak franchise have a professional resource who is as passionate about the classic American sandwich as they are.

great steak kira kusky development manager

Founded by two Ohio brothers who fell in love with the sandwich on a trip to Philadelphia in 1982, Great Steak grew to more than 70 locations across the nation. In 2016, Great Steak refocused its efforts on franchise expansion, creating a new franchise development website for entrepreneurs passionate about cheesesteaks to get a detailed overview of the Great Steak franchise opportunity. The industry has taken notice: Franchise Times, a national publication dedicated to helping entrepreneurs connect with franchise systems, recently named Great Steak to their prestigious annual Top 200+ list.

“Our franchising efforts have begun in earnest,” Kira says. “The interest in Great Steak has been overwhelming. There are many entrepreneurs who want to bring the classic American cheesesteaks to their communities across the country. It’s an underserved market and a sandwich with a loyal and devoted following. Our plans are to expand the Great Steak franchise rapidly across the country.”

Great Steak is supported by a franchising giant. One of the biggest positives in franchising with Great Steak is that you get the support of Kahala Brands™, a global franchisor that specializes in growing the 20 QSR brands in its portfolio, including Cold Stone Creamery®, Blimpie®, Pinkberry® (in the U.S. only), and Planet Smoothie®, to name a few. Kahala Brands’ success is reflected in its annual system-wide sales of nearly $735 million, and in its 3,000-plus locations in 28 countries around the world.

“Great Steak is supported by a powerhouse franchise system in Kahala Brands,” Kira says. “The support they are able to provide is phenomenal. They are there for Great Steak franchise owners 24/7 and take a very hands-on approach to support. They are dedicated to the franchise owners, not only in terms of proven systems and processes, but also in terms of their outstanding creative and marketing departments, which provide the fuel necessary to grow the brand. They have hundreds of stores around the world, and their experience as a franchising titan is very much a benefit to Great Steak franchise owners.”

Great Steak offers two affordable business models. Our franchise owners produce average revenues in excess of $466,000 a year, according to Item 19 disclosures in our latest FDD.

We offer two unique franchise models for the savvy entrepreneur or the aspiring restaurateur. For those individuals seeking to bring cheesesteak sandwiches to their neighborhood, we offer the in-line restaurant model with an initial investment beginning at $129,200.

No mall food court is complete without an authentic cheesesteak sandwich shop, and Great Steak is the best choice for shopping malls and strip centers from coast to coast with our food court franchise model. Initial investment for the food court model begins at $146,600.

“Great Steak has two franchise models, which are smart investments for entrepreneurs who are passionate about cheesesteaks,” Kira says. “Great Steak is a business you can run with your family, and be supported every step of the way by a global franchising giant. We have relationships with malls, we have dedicated real estate teams; we are careful to choose markets where the desire for cheesesteaks is there already. We want our Great Steak franchise owners to be successful and spread their love of cheesesteaks with their communities.”

Ready to open a Great Steak franchise in your community?

Great Steak is a low-cost investment opportunity; the startup costs for traditional stores range from $146,600 to $511,050. Having sold millions of cheesesteaks since our founding in 1982, Great Steak has an experienced business model for entrepreneurs who are passionate about bringing the classic American cheesesteak experience to their communities. The franchise fee for your first traditional Great Steak franchise is $30,000, and the franchise fee for multiple units may be discounted if certain conditions and criteria are met.