Quiznos

File:Quiznos logo.svg
Type	Private
Industry	Fast food restaurants
Founded	1981
Headquarters	Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Key people	Richard E. Schaden (Chairman and CEO), Greg MacDonald (President)[1]
Products	Submarine sandwiches, Salads, other food products
Revenue	US$130 million (2004)
Owner(s)	QIP Holder, LLC d/b/a Quiznos
Website	quiznos.com

Quiznos is a fast casual restaurant franchise based in Denver, Colorado. The company specializes in offering toasted subs, although they may be served untoasted at the customer's request. It is the second-largest submarine sandwich shop chain in North America, after Subway.

There are over 4,000 Quiznos shops located in the United States, 300 in Canada, and 100 more scattered across the world, in Brazil, Central America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Sint Maarten, South Korea, Singapore, Venezuela and the Middle East. In the Middle East, Quiznos has outlets in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Quiznos plans to open 15 of its sandwich shops in Kuwait under a master franchise deal. The chain also said it plans to expand to locations in over 40 countries and territories, including Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Central and South America, by 2012.^[2]

Between 2007 and 2009, 1,000 Quiznos stores closed. They are now attempting new strategies to grow the chain back.^{[citation needed]}

History[link]

The first Quizno's Subs restaurant

In 1978, Terrell Braly, along with a group of investors, converted a closed Sinclair gas station located at 1275 Grant Street in Denver, Colorado into a sandwich shop called "Sandwich World". Hussain "Jeff" Jaffarie, the store manager at the time, began the practice of toasting sandwiches in a pizza oven that had been provided by Tombstone Pizza.^{[citation needed]}

In 1979, a competing restaurant opened across the street from the converted fuel station. Trading as Footers Restaurant and owned by Jimmy Lambatos and Todd Disner, this business offered to buy the larger and better located Sandwich World operation. The take-over was accepted in early 1980. The new owners of Sandwich World changed the name to Quiznos and began a franchising operation.^{[citation needed]}

In 2002, Wendy's acquired the rights to the brand for franchises in Australia (and later, New Zealand) but were unsuccessful in launching the chain in either country.^[3]

Although Quiznos may not have originated the concept of toasted sandwich, many competitors began offering similar sandwiches. Subway began offering toasted "subs" in 2004, Boston Market in 2005, and Blimpie in 2006.^{[citation needed]}

As of 2009, Quiznos is currently a privately held Limited Liability Company. Rick Schaden remains as Chairman with his family controlling the company.

Advertising[link]

The company's first major advertising push was a successful advertising campaign during the 2002 Super Bowl. Early TV spots advertised the innovation of toasting sandwiches, as compared to the inventor of pants (humorously contrasted with men wearing bushes). One ad in 2003 depicted a man (a then-unknown Jim Parsons) who had been "raised by wolves" by suckling at a mother wolf's teat. (The ad would be pulled after the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy.) Other ads included several ads in early 2004 featuring Spongmonkeys as well as Quiznos ads in Canada featuring hockey commentator Don Cherry. In 2005, Quiznos launched a series of ads featuring Baby Bob.

Quiznos has also been known to take advantage of underground advertising phenomena in localized areas. For example, they were one of the first advertisers to put ads on the back of famous San Francisco eccentric and alien protester Frank Chu's sign.

In June 2006, Quiznos revealed their new slogan: "Eat Up". Nationally, the subs feature a Quiznos sub with steam emanating from it with the slogan, "Mmmm... toasty", spoken as "Mm mm mm mm mm ... toasty". This slogan, the aforementioned one, and a newer one, "Love what you eat", are used interchangeably. Actor Michael Clarke Duncan currently provides the voiceover for all Quiznos commercials.

On September 18, 2006, Quiznos launched the most aggressive advertising campaign aimed at Subway. Dubbed the "Prime Rib Cheesesteak Challenge", customers were asked to compare the brand new Prime Rib Cheesesteak against Subway's Cheesesteak sandwich. The claim is that the Prime Rib Cheesesteak has twice the meat of Subway's Cheesesteak. If the customers are not satisfied, then they can fill out a form, mail the form along with their receipt, and they will receive a coupon for a free sandwich. One of the commercials features a woman saying "It's not lacking any meat, and that's what real women need".

In subsequent advertisements, Quiznos was shown competing with the fictional "Wrong Way" restaurant whose logo, name, and toaster look similar to Subway's.

Towards the end of 2007, Quiznos unveiled "Sammies", small, flatbread sandwiches available for $2.^[4]

After a Subway marketing promotion for $5 "foot long" sandwiches, Quiznos began matching the promotion. In May 2008, Quiznos was offering large deli sandwiches called "Deli Favorite Varieties" for the same price.

A Quiznos turkey sandwich

The Coca-Cola Company was originally the primary soft drink supplier for the franchise, until 2006. At that time, Coca-Cola went on to sign an exclusive agreement to provide soft drinks to the competing Subway franchise. As a result, Quiznos in turn signed an exclusive deal with PepsiCo (except in Canada and on college campuses that have exclusive deals with Coca-Cola).^[5]

Franchises[link]

The Seattle Times reported that the company initially ignored the plight of a Quiznos employee who took over operations of one Quiznos store after the true owner abandoned it.^[6] Months later, the store was closed.^[7] In June 2004, the Quiznos at Downtown Crossing, Boston, was at the center of a hepatitis scare.^[8]

Lawsuits[link]

Quiznos has been the target of several lawsuits related to its treatment of franchisees, including lawsuits in New Jersey and Wisconsin.^[9] It has faced more lawsuits from franchisees than bigger chains, such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and even its sandwich rivals Subway and Blimpie, according to an analysis by the legal research firm Thomson West. In February 2007, Quiznos franchisees filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status in Michigan.^[9]

One lawsuit filed in New Jersey that sought class-action status, said that the astounding growth record of Quiznos is merely a facade. In 2003 and 2004, Quiznos said it sold 234 “trade areas” in the state of New Jersey to franchisees, collecting the $25,000 franchisee fee, but none of these locations ever opened, according to the lawsuit.^[9] Three years after handing over her check for the licensing fee, Elisa Whitehall said she had yet to open a Quiznos in the location she bought and Quiznos refused to return her $25,000 licensing fee.^[9]

On November 27, 2006, Bhupinder Baber, franchise owner of two Long Beach, California Quiznos locations, committed suicide after a legal battle with the company.^[10] In his suicide note, Baber attributed mistreatment by Quiznos to driving him to suicide.^[11] The Toasted Subs Franchisee Association (TSFA), a group of franchisees, posted Baber's suicide note on its website, and intended to raise money for Baber's family. Quiznos attempted to terminate the TSFA's franchises. The TSFA in turn filed an injunction on December 15, 2006 in the District Court of Colorado.^[12]

In 2006, Quiznos sent letters to 300 franchises saying mystery shoppers would be coming to test their services. The company sued franchise owners Richard Piotrowski and Ellen Blickman for not putting enough meat in a prime rib sandwich. Piotrowski and Blickman countersued and won the lawsuit in 2009. Judge Morris Hoffman called the meat-weighing exercise and subsequent termination letters a “charade” aimed at bolstering a national ad campaign against rival Subway.^[13][14]

As of July 1, 2010, Quiznos was close to reaching a settlement over the multiyear class-action lawsuit that covers nearly 10,000 of its current and former franchisees. The case comprises four separate class-action lawsuits dating back to 2006 which consolidated in 2009 — involved allegations by attorneys for franchisees that Quiznos Franchise Co. LLC and other entities with ownership or control of the Quiznos chain had violated U.S. racketeering and corruption statutes. Also at issue was the chain’s supply chain and food costs, marketing and advertising funds, and disputes among franchisees that agreed to, but did not open, locations and whether royalties are owed. Quiznos has denied all claims made in the lawsuits and the settlement agreement involves no finding or admission of liability. The cost to Quiznos has been estimated from $100 to $200 million USD. ^[15][16]

Finances and profitability[link]

One lawsuit cited a memorandum drafted by a Quiznos lawyer in 2003 that stated “40 percent of Quiznos units are not breaking even”, a fact that prospective franchisees say they were never told.^[9] The Small Business Administration said 25 percent of Quiznos franchises with SBA loans failed.^[17] In contrast, Subway had a 7 percent failure rate.^[17]

In 2005, Fredrick N. Westerfield was running three Quiznos in Wisconsin. After spending $14,000 in personal savings to keep the stores running, he realized he had a debt of $750,000. He closed all his stores. “Customers used to come into the store and say to me, ‘You must be rolling in the money,’ ” recalled Mr. Westerfield. “If they only knew.” ^[9]

About 1,000 Quiznos locations nationwide closed between 2007 and 2009.^[17]

Recently, Quiznos announced a new lease-to-own strategy to regrow the chain where aspiring restaurateurs can own the restaurant after two to five years. Quiznos also plans to build 400-square-foot (37 m²) restaurants inside convenience stores. Industry analysts and former franchisees say, however, that the changes will not work. Former franchisee Brett Freifeld said these measures do not address the company's biggest problem: Owners have to buy everything from Quiznos - from meat and payroll services to toilet paper - at prices so high that it is hard to make a profit.^[17]

Analysts who follow the company say it is clear that the chain is nearing default on its loans and scrambling to restructure $875 million in debt.^[18] Quiznos had an estimated 14 percent drop in sales during 2010 and the loss of 600 restaurants, the steepest decline of any major fast-food chain, according to restaurant consulting firm Technomic Inc.^[18]

New owners[link]

During the approach to Christmas 2011, the Denver Post reported that Quizno's owners, CCMP Capital Advisors LLC and Consumer Capital Partners, were handing ownership to Avenue Capital Group, a hedge fund controlled by billionaire Marc Lasry, while restructuring their $875,000,000 debt in an attempt to forestall filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.^[19]

References[link]

External links[link]

	Colorado portal
	Companies portal
	Food portal

Wikinews has related news: Quiznos restaurant chain airs controversial commercial

• Official website
• Official website (US)
• Official website (Canada)
• Official website (Ireland)
• Official website (UK)
• Official website (Venezuela)
• Official website (Brazil)
• Quiznos Franchise website
• Toasted Sub Franchisee Association (TSFA) website
• Bluemaumau website, a Franchise industry blog, with entry titled 'Judge Determines Quiznos Terminations Are a Charade'
• Backed into a Corner, an April 2005 story about the Seattle shop (with RealAudio) from This American Life
• Quiznos Settlement Finalized, among Highest Penalties in Franchise History (August 2010)

Jim Parsons
Parsons at Comic Con in 2009
Born	James Joseph Parsons (1973-03-24) March 24, 1973 (age 39) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Houston (BA) University of San Diego (MA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1994–present

James Joseph "Jim" Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American television and film actor. He is best known for playing Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, with his performance often cited as a significant reason for the program's success.^[1][2][3] He has received several awards for his performance, including the Television Critics Association award for the highest individual achievements in comedy,^[4] the National Association of Broadcasters Television Chairman's Award for a significant breakthrough in a specific art discipline,^[5] two consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series^[6] and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy.

Early life[link]

Parsons was born and raised in Houston, Texas, the older of two children.^[7] After playing the role of the Kola-Kola bird in a school production of The Elephant's Child at age six, Parsons was determined to become an actor.^[7][8] The young Parsons was heavily influenced by sitcoms, particularly Three's Company, Family Ties, and The Cosby Show.^[9] He attended Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas, a northern suburb of Houston. Parsons points to a role in Noises Off during his junior year as the first time "I fully connected with the role I was playing and started to truly understand what it meant to be honest on stage".^[7]

After graduating from high school, Parsons received an undergraduate degree from the University of Houston. He was prolific during this time, appearing in 17 plays in 3 years. He was a founding member of Infernal Bridegroom Productions, and regularly appeared at the Stages Repertory Theatre.^[10] Parsons enrolled in graduate school at the University of San Diego in 1999.^[10] He was one of seven students accepted into a special two-year course in classical theater, taught in partnership with the Old Globe Theater. Program director Rick Seer recalled having reservations about admitting Parsons, saying, "Jim is a very specific personality. He's thoroughly original, which is one reason he's been so successful. But we worried, ‘Does that adapt itself to classical theater, does that adapt itself to the kind of training that we're doing?' But we decided that he was so talented that we would give him a try and see how it worked out."^[11] Parsons enjoyed school, and told an interviewer that he would have pursued a doctorate in acting if possible: "school was so safe!...you frequently would surprise yourself by what you were capable of, and you were not surprised by some things."^[12] Parsons graduated in 2001^[11] and moved to New York.^[10]

Career[link]

In New York, Parsons worked in Off-Broadway productions and made several television appearances. In a much-discussed 2003 Quiznos commercial, Parsons played a man who had been raised by wolves and continued to nurse from his wolf "mother".^[10] He had a recurring role on the television show Judging Amy^[13] and appeared on the television series Ed.^[10] Parsons also had minor roles in several movies, including Garden State and School for Scoundrels.^[14]

Parsons has estimated that he auditioned for between 15 and 30 television pilots, but on many of the occasions when he was cast, the show failed to find a television network willing to purchase it.^[10] The exception came with The Big Bang Theory. After reading the pilot script, Parsons felt that the role of Sheldon Cooper would be a very good fit for him.^[7] Although he did not feel any sort of relationship with the character, he was enchanted by the dialogue structure, the way the writers "brilliantly use those words that most of us don't recognize to create that rhythm. And the rhythm got me. It was the chance to dance through that dialogue, and in a lot of ways still is."^[9]

In his audition, Parsons so impressed series creator Chuck Lorre that Lorre insisted on a second audition to see if Parsons could replicate the performance.^[10] Parsons was cast as Sheldon Cooper, a genius physicist with nonexistent social skills who interacts with his other nerdy friends and the attractive waitress who lives across the hall.^[10] The role requires Parsons to "rattle off line after line of tightly composed, rhythmic dialogue, and then do something with his face or body during the silence that follows."^[10] Parsons credits his University of San Diego training with giving him the tools to break down Sheldon's lines.^[7]

Television critic Andrew Dansby compares Parsons' physical comedy to that of Buster Keaton and other silent film stars. Lorre praises Parsons' instincts, saying that "You can't teach that."^[10] Lorre describes Parsons' "great sense of control over every part of his body, the way he walks, holds his hands, cocks his head, the facial tics" as "inspired".^[14] Reviewer Lewis Beale describes Parsons' performance as "so spot-on, it seems as if the character and the actor are the same person."^[9] Parsons admits that the work is "more effort than I ever thought a sitcom would take. And that's really the fun of it."^[9]

In August 2009, Parsons won the Television Critics Association award for individual achievement in comedy, beating Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Steve Carrell, and Neil Patrick Harris.^[9][15] He was nominated for Emmy awards in 2009 and 2010, winning in 2010 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.^[16] In September 2010, Parsons and costars Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco signed new contracts, guaranteeing each of them $200,000 per episode for the fourth season of The Big Bang Theory, with substantial raises for each of the next three seasons. The three were also promised a percentage of the show's earnings.^[17] In January 2011, he won the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy (the award was presented by co-star Cuoco).

In 2011, Parsons appeared with Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and Rashida Jones in the comedy film The Big Year. It was released in October.^[18] That same year, he appeared as the human alter ego of Walter, the newest Muppet introduced in The Muppets.^[19]

On May 18 2012, Parsons began appearing on Broadway as Elwood P. Dowd in a revival of Harvey.^[20][21]

Personal life[link]

Parsons lives in Los Angeles.^[22] In an interview for a New York Times article in May 2012, he said he is gay, having been in a relationship for ten years.^[23][24]

Stage appearances[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2011)

• The Balcony
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1994) .... Rosencrantz
• La Ronde (1995)
• Endgame (1995) .... Clov (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Marat/Sade (1995) (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Guys and Dolls (1996) .... Rusty Charlie (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Eddie Goes to Poetry City (1996) .... Eddie (New York Theatre)
• Jack and the Future Is In Eggs (1996) .... Father Jack
• Othello (1996) (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Suicide in B-flat (1996) (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Woyzeck (1996) .... Doctor / Horse's Head (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• The Cherry Orchard (1997) .... Yasha, a young man servant (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Chili Queen (1997) .... Buddy (Stages Repertory Theatre, World Premiere)^[25]
• Camino Real (1997) .... Baron (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Last Rites (1997) .... Tiger Clean (Infernal Bridegroom Productions, World Premiere)^[25]
• Threepenny Opera (1998) .... MacHeath (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Below the Belt (1998) .... Dobbitt
• In the Jungle of the Cities (1998) .... J. Finnay (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Tamalalia 3: The Cocktail Party (1998) .... Psychotic psychiatrist (Infernal Bridegroom Productions, World Premiere)^[25]
• King Ubu is King (1998) .... Tom, Mister Nice Guy (Infernal Bridegroom Productions, World Premiere)^[25]
• The Pitchfork Disney (1998) .... Presley Stray (Stages Repertory Theatre)
• Marie and Bruce (1999) .... Herb / Fred / Waiter (Infernal Bridegroom Productions)^[25]
• Tamalalia 4: The Camp-Out (1999) (Infernal Bridegroom Productions, World Premiere)^[25]
• Da (2001) (Old Globe Theatre)^[26]
• What Happened Was (2002) .... Jackie (The Paradise Theatre)
• The Castle (2002) .... Jeremiah (Manhattan Ensemble Theatre)^[27]
• Tartuffe (2002) .... Valère (La Jolla Playhouse)^[28]
• The Love for Three Oranges (Gozzi) (2004) .... Prince Tartaglia (La Jolla Playhouse)^[29]
• The Normal Heart (2011) .... Tommy Boatwright (John Golden Theatre)^[30]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

Music videos[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Find more about Jim Parsons on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Images and media from Commons

• Jim Parsons at the Internet Movie Database
• Jim Parsons at AllRovi
• CBS Biography
• Movieline interviews Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons On Learning Lines, Emmy Nods and Cast Ping Pong Deathmatches
• Fresh Air Interview: Jim Parsons On The Science Of Sheldon, 'Big Bang'