Kansas City Star:
About a year ago, former Applebee’s executive Dave Goebel joined Mr. Goodcents Subs and Pastas, vowing to refresh and reinvigorate the brand.
Goebel, president and chief executive officer of Mr. Goodcents, has been researching eating trends, comparing the chain with its competitors. What do customers like? What can the chain improve on? What changes do the franchisees want? What new products should the company introduce?
First up was a new line of toasted sandwiches that debuted last fall. They now represent about 10 percent of sales, compared with the previous hot-sandwich lineup, which made up only 5 to 6 percent of sales.