Las Vegas-based Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop announced Thursday it has signed a franchise agreement that will bring three new stores to Fresno. The first is expected to open in early spring in Fig Garden Village.

Founded in 1976 in Delaware, Capriotti’s is known for slow-roasting whole turkeys in-house and hand-shredding them each morning to feature in a variety of subs. Their best seller is The Bobbie, featuring roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo on a soft roll.

The stores will be operated by Javier Gomez, who owns 11 Rally’s and Checkers franchise locations across the Central Valley.

“In 2018, I was looking for additional concepts to add to my portfolio and was introduced to Capriotti’s at a franchise convention in Las Vegas,” Gomez said in a news release. “I was offered a free sandwich and after my first bite of the famous Bobby sandwich, I was hooked. The loyal fanbase coupled with the incredible food made my choice to invest with this brand a no-brainer.”

Gomez got his start in the restaurant business as a junior in high school, working at a KFC in Los Angeles. After graduation, he went on to work at Checkers and Rally’s, where he became a shift manager at 18. With plans to move up in the company, he uprooted his life and traveled 300 miles north to work in Fresno, later moving up to a district manager position before becoming a franchise owner.

Award-Winning Sandwiches

We could not be more excited to have Javier joining the Capriotti’s family, as his nearly three-decades of experience in the restaurant industry and a proven track record of growing businesses in new markets is unmatched,” said David Bloom, Capriotti’s Chief Development Officer. “The new Fresno locations will bring our award-winning sandwiches to Central Valley and we’re looking forward to seeing the reaction from our new lifelong fans.”

Capriotti’s has won accolades including “Best Sandwich Shop” by the Las Vegas Weekly and “Best Sandwich/Sub Shop” by the Newark (NJ) Post, both in 2020.

The locations of the other two Capriotti’s locations in Fresno have not yet been revealed.