Potbelly targets 20 Colorado locations, including Highlands Ranch in Douglas County

Potbelly Sandwich Works is aiming for 20 Colorado locations, and Highlands Ranch is on the list, putting one of Douglas County’s biggest suburban retail corridors in the path of a national sandwich chain that is still recruiting operators.

The move matters because Potbelly is not treating Colorado as a one-store test. The company’s franchise materials list Colorado as an available market and say its growth strategy is built for large, multi-unit developers. Potbelly’s initial franchise fee is $40,000 for a first shop, with a $20,000 deposit for each additional shop, and the brand highlights a 50/50 development incentive program for qualified operators.

That tells a clear story about how the chain wants to expand: it is looking for franchise groups that can build out several sites at once, not single-store owners. For Highlands Ranch and the rest of Douglas County’s southern suburbs, that raises the odds that one new sign could lead to several more if the market performs.

Highlands Ranch is a logical target. The area remains one of the largest suburban retail corridors in Douglas County, with steady community-oriented development that keeps adding daily traffic. A new 22,000-square-foot Highlands Ranch Senior Center opened in January 2025 at 200 E. Highlands Ranch Parkway, a $12 million project that underscored how much new activity still clusters around the community’s commercial spine.

Potbelly’s expansion push also fits a broader restaurant surge in Colorado. Little Caesars has announced plans for up to 25 new Colorado locations in 2026, signaling that national chains still see room to grow across Front Range suburbs and exurban trade areas. Highlands Ranch, with its mix of residential density, retail access and commuter traffic, sits squarely in that lane.

The chain’s timing is also aggressive nationally. In December 2025, Potbelly said it closed the year with 30 new shop openings, 387 growth commitments and its largest development pipeline to date. It projected 50 new shop openings in 2026 as it moved toward 500 locations systemwide.

For Douglas County, the bigger takeaway is not just that Potbelly wants in. It is that Highlands Ranch continues to look attractive to brands betting on routine, repeat customer traffic from nearby homes, offices and community destinations. If Potbelly lands here, it would likely be a sign that more restaurant growth is coming to the county’s daily lunch and dinner routes.