Since 1972, we’ve operated with one firm belief: There is no substitute for quality. That ideal has propelled us from our family origins — when cousins Bill Specht and Jim Sheppard brought their favorite style of sub sandwich from the East Coast to Milwaukee — all the way to a growing, family focused franchise.
With better bread baked fresh daily, premium ingredients from real Midwest suppliers and diverse menus creating mass appeal, Cousins Subs is keeping up with the promise Bill and Jim made all those years ago: to bring a better sandwich, along with a bit of hometown heart, to every guest throughout the Midwest.
WE BELIEVE IN
BETTER
Continual improvement in everything we do, better products than the other guys, supporting our communities when they need us — these are just a few of the ways that Cousins Subs is built on better.
When you franchise with Cousins, you can share in those beliefs, commitments and qualities to bring a little better to your community.
Local at Heart
Better at Heart
Catering

Grounded: We honor our history, treat everyone as family and aim to become a valuable asset in every community we join. Optimistic: We believe in the power of personal growth and that success is contagious. We challenge ourselves to make every day extraordinary. Purposeful: We believe positive change comes from focused and deliberate actions. Our passions lie in serving others and maintaining the highest quality standards in all that we do. Passionate: We continually strive to improve, exceed expectations and are motivated to help those around us succeed.
WHY I CHOSE COUSINS SUBS
TOM JONES
South Milwaukee - 4 Stores
“I love the industry and my stores, and I enjoy the commitment and hard work that’s involved in running my own franchise. I’m happy with the results I’ve received.”JIM VALENTINE
Waukesha County - 6 Stores
"As a franchisee, the system that Cousins has in place works well. That's what makes it a great business ownership opportunity. There's a great combination of structure and flexibility, plus, Cousins really cares about its franchisees. They're very open to listening, which is one of the things that makes the Cousins family different. In most franchise systems, you're a number, and that's it. But Cousins cares about their people, not just about numbers, and they're a company that's going to grow in the future."AMIT PATEL
Chicago - 40-Unit Development Deal
"When we met with the leadership team, they were extremely friendly, humble, respectful and easy to talk to. That was one of the things that convinced us to move forward with them. Cousins is a brand that has achieved a lot of success, and we're confident in our decision to partner with them."MIKE SMITH
Manitowoc - 2 Stores
"I've always loved Cousins Subs' sandwiches, and I always wanted to own a sub shop, so I sought the brand out. It's been an amazing experience–I’m still surprised that in a town of 35,000, I’m getting to know new people from different parts of the community. I'm eager to become a multi-unit owner so that I can spread Cousins' unique culture far and wide."