Penn Station is a chain of fast casual restaurants that serve east coast style subs. Its philosophy is to bring quality and freshness to the sub restaurant market. This has served it well as its fresh-cut french fries and freshly squeezed lemonade have become its trademarks. The hot grilled subs made from fresh baked bread are also quite popular.

It has over 290 branches across 15 Southern and Midwestern states. It is a private corporation that is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio; where its first ever branch was opened in 1985 by Jeff Osterfeld. It is said that the idea for an East Coast sub restaurant came to Jeff when he visited Philadelphia and saw the popularity of the cheesesteak sandwich.

History

In 1983, Jeff Osterfeld decided to take an entrepreneurial leap into the food business. He opened “Jeffrey’s Delicatessen” at the Dayton Mall in Dayton, Ohio. He was very intrigued by the positive impact his presence had on the business. He realized that his presence improved sales, service, and product quality. These insights sowed the seeds of “ownership mentality” in him.

On a trip to Philadelphia Jeff was impressed by the popularity of the cheesesteak sandwich, so he decided to serve a variation of it in his deli. The idea was a success as the sandwich was loved by his customers. Jeff felt that people wanted casual dining quality food but did not want to wait for it as much. So in 1985, he took his fast dining concept to downtown Cincinnati and opened the first ever Penn Station Restaurant.

Initially, the restaurant had only four sandwiches where the star was the grilled cheese steak. Along with the subs, fresh-cut french fries, and hand-squeezed lemonade were served. The food was prepared to order, directly in front of the customers using the finest meats and the freshest ingredients. The concept of to order freshly prepared food quickly became a hit.

By 1987, Penn Station had expanded into several branches. Jeff felt that his concept of a high end, fast dining experience that focuses on freshness and quality would be a hit all over. So in 1988, he decided to franchise his business. This started the rapid expansion of the business and made it into the successful chain (of more than 290 branches) that it is today.

Review

Penn Station Restaurants do subs really well. They use freshly baked bread that is soft on the inside and crispy and toasted on the outside. They use the finest, freshest ingredients such as the hand selected potatoes and cholesterol-free peanut oil used to prepare the french fries. The lemonade is made from scratch daily by hand-squeezing fresh lemons.

The menu at Penn Station has very good offerings and a lot of variety. There are grilled subs and cold subs and they are both available in four different sizes: 6, 8, 10, and 12 inches. The french fries are available in three different sizes and packaged chips can also be bought. Malt vinegar is offered as a free condiment with the fries, which makes them taste even better.

The Philadelphia Cheesesteak sandwich containing steak and provolone cheese is a must try. It comes with your choice of sautéed onions, mushrooms, banana peppers, spicy mustard, mayo, or pizza sauce. Chicken lovers should try the Chicken Parmesan sandwich made from a juicy chicken breast topped with provolone and Parmesan cheese.

Penn Station is ideal for people who want a good, quick meal for a decent price. The ambiance is casual and relaxed and the staff is really friendly. The behavior of the staff shows that they really want you there. The seating is spacious and comfortable and the place is always kept clean. All in all, it is an A class establishment.