Penn Station (restaurant) facts for kids
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Penn Station location in Springboro, Ohio
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Trade name
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Penn Station East Coast Subs |
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Fast casual |
| Founded | 1985 in Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Founder | Jeff Osterfeld |
| Headquarters | Cincinnati, Ohio, United States |
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Number of locations
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306 |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Jeff Osterfeld (CEO) |
| Products | Sandwiches, wraps, salads |
Penn Station is a popular chain of restaurants. They are famous for their "East Coast" style submarine sandwiches, often called "subs." The very first Penn Station restaurant opened its doors in 1985. It was started by a person named Jeff Osterfeld in Cincinnati, Ohio. Today, Penn Station has more than 300 restaurants in 15 different states across the United States.
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How Penn Station Started
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The idea for an East Coast sub restaurant came to Jeff Osterfeld. This was after he finished college at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In 1983, he opened his first restaurant. It was called "Jeffrey's Delicatessen" and was located at the Dayton Mall in Dayton, Ohio.
The Cheesesteak Idea
During a trip to Philadelphia, Jeff noticed how popular the cheesesteak sandwich was. He decided to try selling a similar sandwich at his own restaurant. This new cheesesteak sandwich quickly became a big hit with customers.
Opening the First Penn Station
Jeff later expanded his business to Cincinnati. There, he opened the very first Penn Station restaurant in 1985. At first, this restaurant offered only four types of sandwiches. One of these was the popular cheesesteak. However, this first Penn Station also sold fresh-cut french fries. They also offered freshly squeezed lemonade. These two items became very important and well-known parts of the Penn Station menu.
Growing Across the States
By 1987, Jeff Osterfeld had opened several Penn Station restaurants. These were all in and around Cincinnati. That same year, he started selling franchises. This meant other people could open their own Penn Station restaurants. Soon, new locations opened in places like St. Louis, Louisville, and Nashville. As of 2023, Penn Station has grown into a large chain. It has 306 restaurants operating in 15 states across the United States.
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