The Trough Sandwich Kitchen was founded by Tony Monaco in California in 2013. The brand began as an offshoot of Monaco's other restaurant, which was only open after 4 p.m. for dinner. He wanted a place of breakfast and lunch, so he established The Trough Sandwich Kitchen right next to his existing restaurant, The Blind Pig. Ironically, pigs eat troughs! The fast-casual franchise quickly became a staple of the community with its handcrafted sandwiches and breakfast options. Customers appreciate the brand's fresh ingredients and can't get enough of the cheesesteaks made with real ribeye and turkey Ruben. The brand's claim to fame is its breakfast burritos, which have fillings like tater tots, cheddar cheese, over easy eggs, and a choice of seven proteins. To take The Trough to the next level, it is looking for qualified franchise partners across the U.S. Franchisees are offered a storefront franchise, which should be at least 1,000 sq. ft. and are visible and accessible.
In terms of the initial investment, it ranges between $154,500 - $421,000, which includes a one-time franchise fee of $25,000. This investment covers many costs of owning a restaurant. Royalty fees are set at 5.5% of gross sales. Franchisees benefit from great support and training. The comprehensive initial training program is broken down into 10 hours of classroom and 80 hours of on-the-job instruction. The classroom section introduces you to The Trough, its history, marketing and advertising, and more. The on-the-job section is more hands on and will explain how to prepare the brand's menu. This support and training are ongoing.