Cousins Subs
A Milwaukee-founded regional American submarine sandwich restaurant chain.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Cousins Subs, formally associated with the Cousins Submarines name, is a regional American quick-service restaurant brand specializing in submarine sandwiches. The business was established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1972 by cousins Bill Specht and James Sheppard. The founders had lived in New Jersey and sought to reproduce the type of submarine sandwich shop they had encountered on the East Coast after finding that Milwaukee offered relatively few comparable options. The first restaurant opened at 60th Street and Silver Spring Drive in Milwaukee. In its early development, Cousins worked with a local baker to create bread for its sandwiches. Bread became a central part of the brand proposition, reflected in the long-running phrase “Better Bread, Better Subs.” Former East Coast residents were an important early customer group, helping connect the company’s product concept with its founders’ New Jersey experience. Cousins Subs grew as a regional chain rather than as a nationwide restaurant system. Its core footprint has centered on Wisconsin, with additional activity in Illinois and Indiana. During the Great Recession, the company closed more than 40 locations and stated that it was narrowing its focus in order to concentrate on quality and the local business. In 2009, it also announced a stronger emphasis on its local identity and community orientation. The brand’s community platform became more formal in 2013 with the establishment of The Make It Better Foundation. The foundation focuses on improving quality of life in the communities served by Cousins Subs, particularly through initiatives related to health and wellness, hunger, and youth education. Leadership passed to the founding family in 2015 when Christine Specht-Palmert, Bill Specht’s daughter, became chief executive officer after her father retired. In 2016, Cousins Subs announced a broad rebranding and development program. The initiative was intended to expand the company’s Midwest presence, create a unified “Milwaukee Sub Shop” identity across restaurants, and update the exterior design, logo, packaging, uniforms, and in-store digital experience. The company also announced sponsorship relationships involving the Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Green Bay Packers, and Wisconsin Badgers. Cousins later pursued additional geographic growth. In 2018, it announced plans to enter the Chicago market with a target of 40 new restaurants by 2025; six Chicago-area locations were reported by July 2021, but those locations subsequently closed. The company also announced in 2018 that it intended to re-enter the Twin Cities market after closing its Minnesota restaurants in 2015. A plan to open approximately six stores per year had not produced a new location by August 2021. By December 2024, the chain had nearly 100 locations, principally in Wisconsin and Indiana according to the cited Wikipedia reference. Cousins Subs remains a privately held, regionally concentrated sandwich brand whose identity combines Milwaukee roots, bread-focused product positioning, franchised or partner-led Midwest development, and community involvement.
History
Cousins Subs began in Milwaukee in 1972 when cousins Bill Specht and James Sheppard drew on their experience living in New Jersey. They believed Milwaukee lacked the kind of submarine sandwich shop they had known on the East Coast and opened the first Cousins restaurant at 60th Street and Silver Spring Drive. The early business developed a distinctive bread-centered proposition by working with a local baker to produce bread for its sandwiches. The slogan “Better Bread, Better Subs” expressed this emphasis, while former East Coast residents formed an important part of the early customer base. The chain expanded regionally, primarily across Wisconsin and later into neighboring Midwestern markets. Rather than becoming a national operator, it retained a strong Milwaukee and Wisconsin identity. In 2009, after the pressures of the Great Recession, the company announced a more locally focused approach. It closed more than 40 restaurants during that period, describing the retrenchment as a way to concentrate on quality and strengthen the core business. Community involvement became a formal part of the organization in 2013, when Cousins Subs created The Make It Better Foundation. The foundation’s stated areas include health and wellness, hunger, and youth education. In 2015, family succession brought Christine Specht-Palmert, daughter of co-founder Bill Specht, into the CEO role after her father’s retirement. A significant brand modernization was announced in 2016. Cousins Subs planned to remodel its restaurants, align them under a Milwaukee Sub Shop look and feel, refresh its logo and exterior design, revise packaging and employee uniforms, and improve the digital in-store experience. The company also entered sponsorship arrangements with prominent Wisconsin sports organizations, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Green Bay Packers, and Wisconsin Badgers. These actions tied the refreshed brand more closely to Wisconsin culture while supporting plans for Midwest expansion. The company pursued growth beyond its established Wisconsin base in the late 2010s. In 2018, it announced a Chicago-market plan calling for 40 new locations by 2025. Six Chicago-area restaurants were reported by July 2021, but the Chicago locations later closed. Cousins also announced a return to the Twin Cities after shuttering Minnesota restaurants in 2015. Although the initial proposal called for roughly six openings annually, no new Twin Cities locations had materialized by August 2021. The chain continued operating as a regional sandwich business. The cited Wikipedia material reported nearly 100 locations as of December 2024, with restaurants in Wisconsin and Indiana. Its history is characterized by family-founded ownership and leadership, a bread-focused sandwich proposition, periodic geographic retrenchment and expansion, and a continuing emphasis on local communities.
- 2024
Nearly 100 locations reported
[1]The cited Wikipedia article reported that Cousins Subs had nearly 100 locations as of December 2024.
- 2018
Chicago and Twin Cities development plans announced
[1]The company announced a Chicago expansion target and a planned return to the Twin Cities market.
- 2016
Restaurant and brand rebranding announced
[1]Cousins announced a unified Milwaukee Sub Shop concept, restaurant remodeling, updated design elements, packaging and uniforms, digital enhancements, and Midwest expansion.
- 2015
Family leadership transition
[1]Christine Specht-Palmert became CEO following the retirement of her father, co-founder Bill Specht.
- 2013
The Make It Better Foundation is established
[1]The company created a foundation supporting community welfare, especially health and wellness, hunger, and youth education.
- 2009
Local-market refocusing follows recession-era closures
[1]Cousins announced a stronger local focus after closing more than 40 locations during the Great Recession.
- 1972
First Cousins restaurant opens in Milwaukee
[1]Bill Specht and James Sheppard founded Cousins Subs and opened the first restaurant at 60th Street and Silver Spring Drive in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Products and positioning
Regional quick-service sandwich chain emphasizing fresh-baked bread, submarine sandwiches, Milwaukee roots, and community involvement.
Sandwiches · 1972
Submarine sandwiches
Submarine sandwiches are the brand’s defining product category and the basis of its name and positioning. Cousins developed its identity around bread made with a local bakery partner in its early years, promoting the relationship between bread quality and sandwich quality through the “Better Bread, Better Subs” slogan.
Handheld meals
Wraps
Wraps are included among the broader prepared-food categories associated with Cousins Subs. Available reference material identifies wraps as a typical product type, but does not provide a detailed account of specific varieties, ingredients, or launch dates.
Prepared meals
Salads
Salads are included among the chain’s typical prepared-food offerings. The available reference material does not specify the individual salad range, formulation, or introduction date.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Milwaukee Sub Shop rebranding and sports sponsorship program
Wisconsin · Midwest United States
Cousins Subs connected a restaurant remodel and visual identity refresh with a more explicitly Milwaukee-centered restaurant concept. The program included updates to the logo, exterior, packaging, uniforms, and digital guest experience, alongside sponsorship agreements with the Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Green Bay Packers, and Wisconsin Badgers.
Outcome. The program was intended to unify the chain’s presentation and support further Midwest development; the available source does not quantify its commercial impact.
- 2013The Make It Better Foundation
Communities served by Cousins Subs
Cousins Subs established a community foundation focused on quality of life, with priority areas including health and wellness, hunger, and youth education.
Outcome. The foundation became the company’s formal vehicle for community-oriented activity; the available source does not provide quantified results.
Brand decisions
2018
Chicago market expansion planStrategyBackground
Cousins announced an effort to establish a larger presence in the Chicago market.
Action taken
The company announced a target of 40 new Chicago-area locations by 2025.
Aftermath
Six Chicago-area locations were reported by July 2021, and all locations in the market later closed.
2018
Planned return to the Twin CitiesStrategyBackground
The company had closed its Minnesota restaurants in 2015 and announced an intention to re-enter the Twin Cities market.
Action taken
Cousins proposed opening approximately six stores per year in the market.
Aftermath
No new Twin Cities locations had opened by August 2021, according to the cited reference.
2016
Brand modernization and Midwest expansionStrategyBackground
Cousins sought to strengthen consistency across its restaurant network while developing a broader Midwest footprint.
Action taken
The company announced restaurant remodeling, a unified Milwaukee Sub Shop identity, refreshed physical and graphic assets, digital improvements, and sports sponsorships.
Aftermath
The initiative provided the framework for later regional development, but its financial impact is not stated in the available sources.
2009
Refocus on the local core businessStrategyBackground
The Great Recession placed pressure on the restaurant network, and the company had closed more than 40 locations.
Action taken
Cousins Subs announced a greater emphasis on its local business and quality.
Aftermath
The decision reinforced the brand’s regional orientation, although the source does not provide later financial or store-level performance measures.
Recent events
- 2018
Cousins Subs announces Chicago expansion plan[1]
Other
Cousins announced a plan to open 40 Chicago-area locations by 2025. Six locations were reported in the area by July 2021, and the Chicago locations later closed.
- 2018
Cousins Subs announces planned return to the Twin Cities[1]
Other
The company announced plans to re-enter the Twin Cities market after closing its Minnesota restaurants in 2015. The proposed development pace was approximately six restaurants per year, but no new locations had opened by August 2021.
- 2016
Cousins Subs announces broad rebranding and Midwest expansion[1]
Campaign
The company announced restaurant remodeling, updated visual identity and packaging, digital improvements, a unified Milwaukee Sub Shop concept, and further Midwest development.
- 2015
Christine Specht-Palmert becomes chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Christine Specht-Palmert, daughter of co-founder Bill Specht, assumed the CEO role when her father retired.
- 2013
Cousins Subs establishes The Make It Better Foundation[1]
Other
The foundation was created to support community quality of life, with stated areas of interest including health and wellness, hunger, and youth education.
- 2009
Cousins Subs announces increased focus on local business[1]
Other
The company said it would place greater emphasis on its local business after closing more than 40 restaurants during the Great Recession in an effort to concentrate on quality.
Sources4 sources
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