Kelly’s Roast Beef sets sights on New Hampshire expansion

Revere, MA The Boston-based inventor of the North Shore roast beef sandwich, Kelly’s Roast Beef, is looking to continue expanding in the Northeastern United States with an emphasis on growth in New Hampshire. The chain plans to capitalize on their fame in their home region by securing multi-unit franchisees who will fulfill their mission of sharing their signature roast beef and seafood menu items with communities in New Hampshire. As Kelly’s gears up to open their first location in the state this October in Salem, the brand aims to open 12 more restaurants in New Hampshire within the next six years.

“When we set out to expand across New England, New Hampshire was definitely at the top of our list, so we’re thrilled to be finally opening in Salem next month,” said Neil Newcomb, CEO of Kelly’s Roast Beef franchising. “Because our brand is so well-known in this region, we’re confident that the Salem location will be successful and create more lifelong fans of Kelly’s. Once locals taste our signature roast beef sandwiches, they’ll be coming back for more in no time and the demand for us to expand throughout the state will grow.”

The Kelly’s Roast Beef sandwich has become a local legend within Massachusetts. The process begins with a carving machine that thinly slices 25-day aged, medium-rare roasted sirloin-tip meat. The sirloin is then placed on a buttered, griddled hamburger roll, and topped with any condiments the customer desires plus a slice of cheese. A small sandwich gets five to six ounces of roast beef, while a large can get anywhere from seven-and-a-half to eight-and-a-half. Today, a busy location during its peak season can sell upwards of 20,000 roast beef sandwiches a month. Across its multiple locations, Kelly’s estimates a staggering one million sandwiches are sold a year. The figures are impressive but equally impressive is that even in the face of tremendous volume, Kelly’s has not gone towards a commissary set-up. Instead, each location roasts its beef in-house all through the day, ensuring that sandwiches can still be carved to order as they have been for decades. That, in and of itself, is the hallmark of a Kelly’s sandwich, said Newcomb, “It’s never sitting. It’s a medium-rare, melt-in-your-mouth, roast beef sandwich.”

“There’s a reason why we’ve been a local staple for over 70 years: no other fast-casual concept compares to the high-quality food and customer service that Kelly’s delivers every single day,” said Newcomb. “We are committed to upholding our reputation and can’t wait to find more franchise partners who will help us do so in a new market like New Hampshire.”

The Kelly’s franchise opportunity has been a long time coming. Throughout the years, Kelly’s has gained national attention on the Food Network’s show $40 a Day with Rachael Ray, a PBS Special called “Sandwiches You Will Like”, Robert B. Parker’s Wonderland by Ace Atkins, NBC›s three-time Emmy award-winning 30 Rock, and on the silver screen in Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting. In 2019, Thrillist named Kelly’s one of “11 New England Chains the Entire Country Needs” and Business Insider said travelers shouldn’t leave Boston without trying the roast beef sandwich at Kelly’s.

Including a franchise fee of $40,000, the total initial investment to open a Kelly’s franchise is $1.8-$3 million.

Founded in 1951 and franchising since 2020, Kelly’s Roast Beef is the inventor of the North Shore roast beef sandwich. Kelly’s roasts its beef in-house all through the day, serves everything fresh and made-to-order, and estimates serving a staggering one million sandwiches a year. The brand has become a symbol for Boston and has been referenced in pop culture, including in 30 Rock and Good Will Hunting. Today, there are five locations open in the Boston metropolitan area.