Jersey Mike's CEO Plans Digital Push to Win Younger Diners
The newly public sandwich chain spent almost nothing on digital marketing and is now shifting strategy to reach younger customers.
Jersey Mike's, the fast-growing sandwich chain that recently went public, is overhauling its marketing approach after its CEO acknowledged the company spent nearly nothing on digital advertising — a gap that executives now say must be closed to stay competitive.
The chain's top executive said Jersey Mike's needs to be far more proactive about reaching younger consumers, a demographic that increasingly discovers and engages with restaurant brands through social media, mobile apps, and targeted digital channels rather than traditional advertising.
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The admission is notable given Jersey Mike's rapid expansion and rising brand recognition in the competitive quick-service restaurant space. The company built its reputation largely through word-of-mouth and in-store experience, but that low-cost, organic approach appears to have hit its limits as the brand eyes the next phase of growth following its stock market debut.
Shifting to a digital-first marketing posture carries both opportunity and risk for the chain. Done well, it could accelerate customer acquisition among millennials and Gen Z — the core engine of fast-casual spending. Done poorly, it risks diluting the authentic, community-driven identity that differentiated Jersey Mike's from larger rivals like Subway and Jimmy John's.
The move signals a broader reckoning across the restaurant industry, where brands that relied on grassroots loyalty are now being forced to compete for digital attention and loyalty-app engagement as consumer behavior shifts decisively online. Continue reading at MarketWatch.com
