Central Texas Franchisee Recognized for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Community Commitment and Continued Growth

CHICAGO – Potbelly announced today that the International Franchise Association (IFA) named franchisee Jignesh Patel a 2026 Franchisee of the Year, recognizing his entrepreneurial leadership, investment in his team and commitment to growing the brand across the Austin, Texas market.

Jignesh will be honored during the IFA26 Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., Sept. 14-16. Nominated by their respective brands, IFA Franchisee of the Year recipients represent leading franchise owners from across the country who demonstrate excellence in entrepreneurship, community outreach, workforce development and service to others.

Since joining Potbelly, Jignesh has established himself as a growth-minded operator, pairing ambitious development with strong operations and a people-first mindset. Together with fellow franchisee Nitin Patel, he grew an original six-shop development commitment to 15 locations across the Austin market after becoming one of the first franchisees to participate in the Potbelly 50/50 Large Area Developer Incentive Program. The pair currently operates three Austin-area shops, with a fourth opening soon. Beyond development, community outreach is central to Jignesh’s approach to ownership, from creating welcoming neighborhood gathering places to providing employees with opportunities to grow into leadership roles. As their business continues to scale, he remains focused on investing in experienced leadership, strong teams and the infrastructure needed to support long-term success.

“Jignesh embodies the entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to people that define a great Potbelly franchisee,” said Jennifer Durham, Senior Vice President of Franchising and Development at Potbelly. “He has approached growth thoughtfully, building strong teams and investing in the communities his shops serve while remaining focused on delivering a great neighborhood experience. We’re incredibly proud to see his leadership recognized by IFA.”

For Jignesh, the recognition reflects the people behind the growth and his commitment to creating Potbelly shops that become meaningful parts of their neighborhoods.

“Being named an IFA Franchisee of the Year is an incredible honor and a reflection of the team that has helped us build and grow,” said Jignesh. “We see tremendous opportunity ahead with Potbelly, but our focus has always been on growing the right way, investing in our people, delivering great food and good vibes and building shops that become part of the communities we serve.”

As Potbelly grows nationwide, the brand remains focused on awarding franchises to experienced franchisees, entering markets strategically and delivering the craveable food and neighborhood hospitality guests have loved for nearly 50 years.

For more information about franchising with Potbelly, visit https://franchising.potbelly.com.

About Potbelly 

Founded in Chicago in 1977, Potbelly Sandwich Works is a neighborhood sandwich concept known for warm, toasty sandwiches, signature salads, hand-dipped shakes, and genuine “good vibes” hospitality. Each shop reflects the unique character of its local community, all while delivering a consistent guest experience. A strong operational model, industry-leading average unit volumes and healthy shop-level profitability have consistently positioned Potbelly among the top-performing sandwich concepts in the fast-casual restaurant industry, earning the brand repeated recognition on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list. Potbelly has also received significant industry recognition through honors, including Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list and Yelp’s Fastest Growing Brands ranking, QSR Magazine’s Best Places to Work, and Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchise Cultures list, highlighting the brand’s momentum, franchisee satisfaction and strong company culture. Backed by a robust development pipeline, Potbelly is entering its next phase of growth, advancing toward the brand’s 500th location nationwide. As Potbelly approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027, prioritizing operational simplicity, exceptional franchisee support and a focus on long-term shop profitability remain consistent across its system. For more information, please visit our website at franchising.potbelly.com.

About The International Franchise Association:

Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the approximately 832,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.8 million direct jobs, $907.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.