News

American Grilled Cheese Kitchen debuts first franchise in Florida

December 11, 2018

American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, based in San Francisco, opened its first franchise store in November in Fort Myers, Florida.

It is the first of five planned locations for south Florida, according to a press release, as part of a development deal with Fort Myers-based entrepreneur Steven Brown-Cestero.

"It's been amazing," Brown-Cestero said in the release. "We sold out on our first weekend. We've had guests drive 2 1/2 hours just to try us out. The pent-up demand for a place like this is just incredible. I couldn't be more pleased."

"It was our chance to see if and where our beloved grilled cheese concept would flourish," said founder and CEO Nate Pollak in the release.

The Fort Myers franchise store reflects design elements of the brand's original San Francisco store's aesthetic. Pollak and Brown-Cestero worked hand-in-hand to design the location to be the model for future franchises.