Tom & Chee is a grilled cheese restaurant chain that was founded in 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio by Corey Ward and Trew Quackenbush. The restaurant quickly grew in popularity for its creative grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soups. At its peak, Tom & Chee had locations in 10 states across the Midwest and East Coast. However, in recent years the brand has experienced closures of several locations, leading many to wonder – is Tom & Chee still in business?
The History of Tom & Chee
Tom & Chee was founded in 2009 by childhood friends Corey Ward and Trew Quackenbush in Cincinnati, Ohio. The name of the restaurant was inspired by the classic sandwich ingredients of tomato and cheese. Ward and Quackenbush focused on making elevated versions of the traditional comfort food using high-quality ingredients. Some of their signature sandwiches included The Fancy Pants with brie, prosciutto, fig jam and arugula, and The Bacon Blitz with bacon, tomato and parmesan on sourdough.
The first Tom & Chee restaurant opened in downtown Cincinnati in 2009. It quickly gained a loyal following, with customers lining up out the door for the creative grilled cheese sandwiches and thick tomato soups. Encouraged by the success of the first location, Ward and Quackenbush began expanding the concept across Ohio and the Midwest. Between 2009 and 2015, nearly 30 Tom & Chee locations opened in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia.
At the brand’s peak, there were 32 Tom & Chee restaurants in operation. The quick growth was fueled by an appearance on the ABC show “Shark Tank” in 2013, where founders Ward and Quackenbush landed an investment deal with billionaire Mark Cuban. The national exposure helped raise the brand’s profile and drive interest from franchisees looking to open new locations.
Closures of Tom & Chee Locations
Despite its early rapid expansion, Tom & Chee started experiencing closures of some of its locations within a few years. One of the first signs of trouble came in 2015 when the company closed several underperforming restaurants in order to regroup. More closures followed over the next couple years, with shuttered locations in Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, Ohio and other states.
There are differing opinions on what led to the downsizing of the Tom & Chee chain. Some industry experts cite high-profile lawsuits filed in 2015 by two former franchisees over allegations that Tom & Chee misrepresented financial performance of stores. The lawsuits led to significant legal expenses for the corporate office. Other analysts believe the brand expanded too fast without proper operational infrastructure to support so many units.
Rising labor costs and ingredient prices also contributed pressure on store profitability. Several franchised locations struggled to generate strong sales volumes. Without profits to sustain them, many were forced to close once initial capital ran out. Additionally, some cite competition from other grilled cheese brands entering the market during Tom & Chee’s growth phase.
Current State of Tom & Chee in 2023
So where does Tom & Chee stand today in 2023? After closing underperforming units, the brand has consolidated around a core group of higher-sales locations.
According to the company website, there are currently 7 Tom & Chee restaurant locations remaining:
– Cincinnati, OH
– Louisville, KY
– Indianapolis, IN
– Florence, KY
– Nashville, TN
– Pittsburgh, PA
– St. Matthews, KY
The corporate headquarters remains in Cincinnati, where co-founder Corey Ward continues to lead the brand. In an interview last year, Ward said the company has positioned itself for stability by focusing operations around its best-performing restaurants. He says Tom & Chee is profitable and plans to keep its remaining locations open for the foreseeable future.
While large-scale expansion is no longer an active goal, the company has discussed modest expansion potential in the Midwest region if the right franchisee opportunities come along. However, the priority remains strengthening existing stores.
The Menu Offerings at Tom & Chee Today
Tom & Chee has streamlined its menu since its early days but continues offering its signature grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soups. Here are some highlights of what you can find on the current Tom & Chee menu:
- Classic Grilled Cheese – The basics done right with melted American cheese between buttery Texas toast.
- The Fancy Pants – A gourmet option with brie, prosciutto, fig spread, and arugula.
- The Bacon Blitz – Loaded with bacon, tomatoes, parmesan.
- The Honey Imposter – Featuring goat cheese, bacon, spinach with honey.
- Pimento Mac and Cheese Sandwich – Homemade pimento mac and cheese inside a grilled cheese.
- Soup Options – Tomato basil, baked potato, broccoli cheddar, seasonal selection.
- Salads, Sides – Fresh salad offerings include apple pecan, cobb, Greek. Sides like chips, coleslaw, applesauce.
- Kid’s Menu – Smaller portion grilled cheese options for children.
- Dessert – Rotating selection of cookies, brownies and rice krispie treats.
While the offerings have been scaled back slightly, the focus remains the creative grilled cheese sandwiches and soups that put Tom & Chee on the map. The prices remain reasonable as well, with most sandwiches under $10 and soups around $4 per cup.
The Customer Experience at Existing Tom & Chee Locations
Customers who visit one of the 7 remaining Tom & Chee locations can expect a focused experience centered around the signature grilled cheese menu. The restaurants still highlight their grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soups, but offer a more limited selection compared to the early days. The vibe is casual, comfortable and family-friendly. Staff is generally enthusiastic about the brand story and their specialty product.
Thanks to its smaller footprint, most of the restaurants offer a quick, convenient experience for picking up a grilled cheese on the go. There is often still seating available for dining in and enjoying your food. Decor is kitschy and colorful with an emphasis on the brand’s tomato and cheese theme.
Many of the convenient pick-up features added during 2020 to adapt to the pandemic, like online ordering and curbside pick-up, still remain in place. Customers generally give positive reviews on the food quality and service at existing locations.
Why Tom & Chee? Reasons to Visit Today
Here are some of top reasons Tom & Chee continues to have an enthusiastic customer base who seek out the remaining locations:
- Nostalgia Factor – For many, visiting Tom & Chee brings back fond memories of the brand’s heyday and eating there in the early 2010s.
- Quality Ingredients – The grilled cheese sandwiches and soups are made with fresh, high-quality ingredients.
- Creative Menu – The sandwiches like Pimento Mac and Cheese and Honey Imposter offer adventurous yet comforting flavor combinations you can’t find elsewhere.
- Good Value – With most sandwiches under $10, it’s a budget-friendly dining option compared to many other chains.
- Local Connection – For those in Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville and other existing markets, supporting Tom & Chee has an appeal as a local brand.
While it no longer has the scale it once did, Tom & Chee retains a loyal fanbase in its core markets who continue to crave the grilled cheese sandwiches that made the brand famous. For many, eating at Tom & Chee is an opportunity for nostalgia and comfort food done right.
The Future of Tom & Chee
It’s unlikely that Tom & Chee will return to the rapid nationwide expansion it experienced in its early years. However, the brand does seem to be stable in its current form with a profitable core of restaurants. Here is what the future could potentially hold for Tom & Chee:
- Maintaining current footprint – If sales remain strong, the existing 7 locations could operate for years as a small regional chain centered around Cincinnati and Louisville.
- Limited new openings – The company has indicated it would consider opening a few new locations in the Midwest with the right franchise partners. This modest growth strategy could expand their footprint to key neighboring markets.
- Closures of underperforming units – If any existing restaurants start underperforming significantly, the company may prune back its portfolio further and consolidate around the highest-sales locations.
- Brand acquisition – Another scenario could be a larger franchisor or restaurant group acquiring the Tom & Chee brand and assets out of bankruptcy. They would likely keep it as a niche regional player.
Realistically, Tom & Chee is unlikely to fade away completely given its strong brand awareness and niche customer base. But its future probably involves optimizing as a small chain of 5-15 units focused on core Midwest markets. This scaled-down version of Tom & Chee could potentially operate sustainably for quite some time.
Conclusion
In summary – yes, Tom & Chee is still in business! While the brand has closed many locations since its peak, 7 Tom & Chee restaurants remain open today in Cincinnati, Louisville, Indianapolis, Nashville and other markets. The company is smaller but stable under original co-founder Corey Ward. Locations continue serving high-quality grilled cheese sandwiches and soups using signature recipes. The future will likely involve sustaining their niche customer base rather than large-scale growth. But for grilled cheese lovers in the Midwest, Tom & Chee lives on as a culinary staple.