Fat Shack Successfully Whets Investor Appetites on 'Shark Tank'

Fast-casual franchise Fat Shack recently hit 14 units before landing an impressive $250,000 from famed investor Mark Cuban on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank,’ according to an article on Franchise Times.

Fat Shack, “an indulgent sub, wing and decadent desert concept,” is putting a New Jersey-inflected spin on late night eats, the article said.

Founder Tom Armenti “opened up the first location in 2010 with $5,000 in the back of a bagel shop that was closed during his prime operating hours of 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. He aimed to cover those pre-game, drunk and bedtime hours for all the hungry students at his alma mater,” the article said. Since then, the brand opened its first franchise location in 2015 at the University of Denver, the article said.

Per the article, Armenti initially answered the open casting call for ‘Shark Tank’ to get some brand exposure, but was pleasantly surprised when Mark Cuban committed to a $250,000 investment. The buzz-building worked: “after appearing on the show and getting an investment from Cuban, business and franchise inquiries skyrocketed,” the article said.