{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-03/potbelly-waldorf-maryland-opening","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-03/potbelly-waldorf-maryland-opening.md","title":"Potbelly Opens 26th Maryland Shop in Waldorf","headline":"Potbelly Opens Waldorf Station Shop, Its 26th Location in Maryland","description":"Potbelly opens its 26th Maryland shop at Waldorf Station on November 6, operated by former CEO Bryant Keil and his son Hampden under a 15-shop plan.","section":"Expansion","published_at":"2026-11-03T17:10:44+00:00","modified_at":"2026-11-03T17:10:44+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["Potbelly opens a Waldorf Station shop in Charles County on November 6, its 26th location in Maryland.","Bryant Keil, who bought the original Potbelly in 1996, operates the shop with his son Hampden Keil.","The Keil family acquired 12 existing Maryland shops and committed to developing 15 new ones across the state.","A December 1 grand opening offers free Potbelly for a year to the first 25 guests in line."],"companies":[{"name":"Potbelly Sandwich Works","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00024sj/potbelly-sandwich-works","website":"http://www.potbellysandwichworks.com"}],"source":{"publisher":"Yahoo","title":"Potbelly to Open in Waldorf, Maryland","url":"https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/potbelly-open-waldorf-maryland-164523811.html"},"other_sources":[],"tags":["Expansion","Potbelly Sandwich Works"],"body_markdown":"Potbelly Sandwich Works opens a shop at Waldorf Station in Waldorf, Maryland, on November 6, its 26th location in the state. [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/potbelly-open-waldorf-maryland-164523811.html) published the announcement. The shop brings the chain into Charles County and is owned and operated by former Potbelly CEO Bryant Keil and his son Hampden Keil.\n\n## Inside the Waldorf Station Opening\n\n[Potbelly](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00024sj/potbelly-sandwich-works) is a fast-casual sandwich chain based in Chicago with more than 445 US locations, according to [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The Waldorf shop sits within Waldorf Station, a 150-acre mixed-use center at the intersection of U.S. 301 and Maryland Route 5. It joins 25 other Potbelly shops across Maryland.\n\nBryant Keil bought the original Potbelly shop in Chicago in 1996 and grew the concept to 250 locations by 2008. He returned to the brand as a franchisee with Hampden, acquiring 12 existing Maryland shops and committing to develop 15 new shops across the state. \"Three decades after I purchased the original Potbelly shop, one of the most rewarding parts of returning to the brand as a franchisee has been the opportunity to grow it with my son,\" Keil said.\n\nThe shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, with dine-in, order-ahead pickup, catering and third-party delivery. A grand opening on December 1 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. will offer free Potbelly for a year to the first 25 guests in line, along with a ribbon-cutting, samples and games.\n\n## Potbelly's Expansion Record\n\nPotbelly announced plans to scale from 445+ locations to 2,000 shops over the next 10 years, including 50 new openings targeted for 2026, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show franchise-led expansion into Denver, a Philadelphia re-entry, and five new units in Scottsdale and Mesa. RaceTrac acquired Potbelly in October 2025 for $566 million, and the chain generated $560 million in system sales last year before the acquisition.\n\n## Earlier Potbelly Openings This Fall\n\nPotbelly opened a shop in Middleton, Wisconsin, on October 6 at Greenway Station Shopping Center, its third location in the Madison area, Yahoo reported. On September 5 the chain opened a West McKinney, Texas, shop in the Eldorado Neighborhood Shops, owned by Barry and Remington Burke, QSR Magazine reported. Potbelly also opened its first Georgia location in Chamblee on September 1 as part of an Atlanta metro expansion, Restaurant Dive reported.\n\n## What Comes Next for Potbelly\n\nThe December 1 grand opening at Waldorf Station runs from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. with free Potbelly for a year for the first 25 guests. The Keil family's commitment covers 15 new Maryland shops.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}