Back to the Deli: Schlotzsky's® Launches Modernized Prototype and New Brand Identity

The iconic sandwich brand reclaims its deli positioning through a refreshed identity and next-generation design

ATLANTA, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Schlotzsky's^®, one of seven iconic brands within the GoTo Foods portfolio, is entering a new chapter of growth defined by clarity, confidence and scale. Today, the brand announces a return to "Schlotzsky's Deli" alongside the debut of a next-generation restaurant prototype focused on design and customer experience. Together, the refreshed positioning and new prototype design translate Schlotzsky's heritage into a modern, scalable experience designed to improve clarity for customers and support sustainable franchise growth.

Why "Schlotzsky's Deli" Matters
Since its founding in 1971, Schlotzsky's has evolved alongside its guests, adapting formats and expressions over more than five decades of growth. Today, the brand is embracing its heritage and returning to the name customers know best: Schlotzsky's Deli. A 2025 Schlotzsky's guest survey revealed that two-thirds of respondents refer to the restaurant brand as a deli. By intentionally bringing "Deli" back front and center, the brand is restoring clarity and celebrating its authenticity. The rebrand is intended to help customers more easily understand what Schlotzsky's Deli offers and why it's distinct, rooted in what they already know and love.

The menu remains anchored in abundance and craveability, led by the brand's most famous menu item, The Original^® sandwich, which is still the brand's top seller. Guests continue to enjoy a broad lineup of sandwiches, pizzas, calzones, soups and salads, with built-in convenience through catering and delivery – all designed to meet customers where they are and how they choose to order.

"For more than 55 years, Schlotzsky's has built a fiercely loyal following by being unapologetically bold, abundant and unmistakably itself," said Donna Varner, Chief Brand Officer of Schlotzsky's Deli. "This evolution makes something clear that's been true all along: we're a deli that fuels real life, not just a lunch break. It's the same fun name, serious sandwiches and over-the-top flavor people have loved for decades."

Life Needs Lotz: A Brand Built for Real Life
Grounded in its new "Life Needs Lotz" positioning, Schlotzsky's Deli is establishing a clear, enduring brand ethos that will guide menu innovation, operational evolution and marketing going forward. Designed to meet the realities of modern life, the brand delivers bold flavor, abundance and choice in formats that are easy to access and simple to execute. This clarity creates a strong customer advantage by reinforcing everyday relevance and repeat occasions, while also endeavoring to strengthen franchisee advantage through scalable operations, evolving flexible formats and an effort to improve unit-level economics. Together, the brand's revitalized identity and modernized restaurant design position Schlotzsky's Deli to grow with purpose, consistency and profitability across markets.

A Prototype Designed for Clarity, Speed and Scale
Schlotzsky's Deli is debuting a next-generation restaurant prototype, delivering instant streetside brand recognition and a frictionless, intuitive guest experience while creating a more flexible, efficient operating model for franchisees. Purposefully engineered to cut through the visual clutter of today's fast-casual landscape, the prototype replaces noise with confident exterior branding and a thoughtfully curated interior experience. From entry to ordering, pickup and dine-in, the layout creates natural pause points that guide guests seamlessly through the space. Key features include self-order kiosk, dedicated digital pickup zones, grab-and-go offerings, pre-made cold deli subs and strategically placed beverage stations designed to support speed of service, throughput and ease of use.

Behind the scenes, the back-of-house has been reimagined for greater efficiency. Optimized equipment placement, reduced redundancy and a more compact kitchen footprint are designed to support labor efficiency, streamline peak-period operations and simplify execution without sacrificing quality or consistency. Designed with franchisee success at its core, the modular prototype adapts across a range of footprints, including non-traditional formats, allowing operators to tailor configurations based on market needs and physical space. Compared to the previous 1,400–3,600 square foot range, the next-generation prototype caps at approximately 2,100 square feet. This more efficient footprint expands real estate optionality and supports a broader range of site types and markets. Through footprint reduction, value engineered materials and modular construction, the prototype is designed to deliver measurable cost-to-serve improvements, including an estimated 20–25% reduction in operating costs and support more attractive unit-level economics over time, all while delivering a modern brand experience rooted in the brand's deli heritage.

"This design empowers franchisees with unparalleled flexibility without sacrificing impact and brand presence," Varner added. "It's efficient, easily adaptable and strategically engineered to support a range of development paths, whether launching a new restaurant or refreshing an existing location."

Built for the Future, Powered by GoTo Foods
With a modernized identity and a scalable, franchisee-forward prototype, Schlotzsky's Deli is positioned to accelerate expansion by leveraging shared platform company capabilities across design, operations, digital and development support, bringing bold flavors and a modern deli experience into new and existing markets nationwide. For franchise opportunities, please visit https://development.gotofoods.com/schlotzskys/.

About Schlotzsky's^®
Founded in 1971 in Austin, Texas, Schlotzsky's^® is a fast-casual restaurant franchise, known for its Original^® oven-baked sandwich. The menu features made-to-order options with bold flavors and fresh ingredients, influenced by the food scene in Austin. As of December 28, 2025, there are over 290 restaurants in 25 states serving hot sandwiches on scratch-made sourdough buns, specialty pizzas, fresh salads and warm, oven-baked Cinnabon^® cinnamon rolls at select locations.  Join Schlotzsky's Rewards for exclusive offers. Check us out online at www.schlotzskys.com to find a store near you, and connect with us on Facebook  Instagram, TikTok and X.

About GoTo Foods
Atlanta-based company GoTo Foods (formerly known as Focus Brands) is a leading developer of global multi-channel foodservice brands. As of December 28, 2025, GoTo Foods, through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of over 7,300 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shoppes and bakeries in all 50 states and in 71 countries and territories under the Auntie Anne's^®, Carvel^®, Cinnabon^®, Jamba^®, Moe's Southwest Grill^®, McAlister's Deli^® and Schlotzsky's^® brand names, as well as the Seattle's Best Coffee^® brand on certain military bases and in certain international markets. The iconic GoTo Foods brands benefit from strong enterprise growth engines, including marketing, digital, technology and franchise sales & development to propel growth and brand performance. Please visit www.gotofoods.com  and connect with us on LinkedIn to learn more.  

GoTo Foods is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work^®, the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition, and the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience for the second consecutive year.

Contact:
Taylor Nortman 
[email protected]

SOURCE GoTo Foods