Jersey Mike’s is changing how it reaches customers. For decades, the sandwich chain poured more than $200 million a year into advertising with virtually no spending on digital channels. That ended in 2026.
CEO Charlie Morrison said on a recent earnings call that the company had no investment in digital marketing of any kind before this year, as reported by QSR. The shift matters because the brand already has near-universal awareness, with more than 90% of surveyed consumers familiar with the name. Turning that familiarity into actual orders has been the harder task.
Targeting a New Customer Base
The chain’s customers have long skewed older, male, and higher-income. Morrison has made it a priority to bring in younger diners, women, and Hispanic guests, groups that have been underrepresented at Jersey Mike’s counters.
To do that, the company directed roughly 20% of its advertising budget this year toward paid social, search, and connected TV. These channels are well suited to reaching younger and more diverse audiences, who spend far more time on streaming and social platforms than in front of traditional broadcast ads.
Early Results Look Promising
The numbers suggest the strategy is working. Loyalty program sign-ups have climbed 21%, and digital orders now account for 43% of total sales. Limited-time offers have also helped draw in fresh faces: about half the buyers of the Mike’s Hot Italian during its first run were new to the brand.
Financial results reflect the momentum. Same-store sales rose 3% in the third quarter, up from 2.3% in the previous quarter, while systemwide sales grew 11% to $1.2 billion.
The results show that even a brand founded in 1956 can adapt. By pairing digital advertising with limited-time menu items, Jersey Mike’s is converting awareness into sales and building a broader customer base. For franchisees, the early gains point to a growth strategy that could keep traffic rising in the quarters ahead.
Source: Entrepreneur, “Jersey Mike’s Spends $200 Million a Year on Ads. Until This Year, Almost None of It Went to Digital,” Oct. 30, 2026.