---
title: "McAlister’s Deli Celebrates Opening of 400th Restaurant"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/a49fa902-e3fa-498f-8aae-048e2bce3c11
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/mcalisters-deli-celebrates-opening-of-400th-restaurant-2703216
category: "Sandwich & sub"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Sandwich & sub"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2017-07-03T18:13:57.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T04:12:25.358Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/232d4fb6b96607120c8c4a7193c31ff68370.jpg
---

# McAlister’s Deli Celebrates Opening of 400th Restaurant

**TL;DR:** McAlister's Deli celebrates the opening of its 400th restaurant, marking a major milestone in the brand's growth and success. The company has expanded into 28 states throughout the country.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2017-07-03. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/mcalisters-deli-celebrates-opening-of-400th-restaurant-2703216).*

## Story

McAlister’s Deli, the rapidly expanding fast casual restaurant chain, celebrated a major milestone—the opening of its 400th restaurant. And according to its President, Paul Macaluso, it’s a feat that’s been 28 years in the making.

“Behind the scenes, McAlister’s works to help ensure that every franchisee is set up for success. Operational efficiency and simplicity, superior products with a broad menu, differentiated guest experience and exceptional customer satisfaction are only some of the ways McAlister’s Deli has long set itself apart,” Macaluso said. “As we celebrate the 400th restaurant in the brand’s growing system, it’s clear we have a recipe for success that—quite simply—works.”

And yet, despite the success that McAlister’s Deli has experienced over the past two decades, the brand isn’t one to rest on its laurels. The company just announced another successful year of franchise growthin 2016,. The company’s success was fueled in part by new franchise agreements signed with prominent multi-unit franchise owners. The signings validate that the franchise is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to move the brand forward.

“We’re proud to offer real, handcrafted food and delicious sweet tea that’s simple, yet elevated and always made-to-order using the finest and freshest ingredients,” Macaluso said. “But most importantly, we’re proud of the fact that every single one of our restaurants offers more than a place to eat—they serve as community gathering places, each with their own story to tell where people can linger and enjoy the comfort of great food in great company. That’s what makes McAlister’s Deli not just an ordinary sandwich shop—and people appreciate that differentiated experience.”

When McAlister’s Deli opened its first restaurant in 1989 in Oxford, Mississippi, it was in a renovated gas station complete with checkered floors and a roll-up garage door. Today, McAlister’s has since expanded from its start in the south to become a formidable player in the fast casual restaurant industry. With the recent opening of its 400th restaurant, McAlister’s has now expanded into 28 states throughout the country. For Macaluso, much of this ongoing success is due to passion to bringing people together with genuine hospitality.

The goal now is to continue to leverage the brand’s unique position within a rapidly growing industry while maintaining its innovative nature. “Four hundred restaurants—that says a lot about how universal and in-demand our product is. Four hundred locations is a tremendous milestone for McAlister’s, and we know it wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated team members and franchisees,” Macaluso said. “It’s an exciting time for both us as a company and also for our franchisees.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- unit expansion (topic)
- franchise growth (topic)
- McAlister's Deli (company)
- Paul Macaluso (person)
- fast casual restaurant (topic)
- Great Foods USA LLC (company)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/mcalisters-deli-celebrates-opening-of-400th-restaurant-2703216). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/a49fa902-e3fa-498f-8aae-048e2bce3c11).