Newk’s Express Café

Once Chris Newcomb, Don Newcomb and Debra Bryson opened the first Newk’s Express Café in 2004, the original team behind the McAlister’s Deli chain wasted no time getting their new concept off the ground.

They also set about to differentiate it from the fast-casual pack.

“After we sold McAlister’s, we knew we wanted to do something different,” Newcomb said. “The model of quick-casual works, but we wanted to upscale the décor and upscale the menu.”

Newcomb and his partners