Northern California Family Signs on to Grow Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop with Several New Golden State Locations

(BAY AREA, Calif. – Oct. 16, 2026) – Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop, the beloved Northern California-born sandwich brand that has grown to more than 60 locations across California and Arizona, has signed Sandra and Anthony Sorrell and Sandra’s daughter, Tatiana, as its newest franchisees, with the family committing to develop at least three locations across Northern California and plans to open their first within the next 12 months.

The partnership brings together three family members with complementary professional experience, an entrepreneurial mindset and longstanding ties to Northern California, including one connection to Mr. Pickle’s that dates back to the brand’s earliest days.

For Tatiana, however, the idea started much more recently, and quite literally over lunch.

“I was eating Mr. Pickle’s three times a week,” said Tatiana. “I remember looking down at the paper one day and thinking, ‘I want to check them out. I love them.’”

At the time, Tatiana had been exposed firsthand to the process of opening a franchise, sparking her interest in pursuing business ownership herself. The experience prompted her to begin exploring opportunities with a concept that genuinely reflected what she wanted in both a restaurant and a long-term business.

Having entered the workforce at just 15, Tatiana went on to attend college in Pittsburgh before building a career in sales, gaining valuable experience in customer relationships, business development and understanding what drives a successful operation. With that professional foundation, she began looking at franchising as an opportunity to apply her business experience toward building something of her own.

Already a loyal Mr. Pickle’s customer, Tatiana appreciated its quick-service model, consistency and menu. As she began researching the company from a business perspective, she also recognized the opportunity to grow alongside an established concept with deep roots in the region she calls home.

Soon, the idea became a family venture.

Sandra brings a career in nursing to the business, along with years of experience working with people and an understanding of the importance of care, communication and consistency. Anthony, meanwhile, brings more than a decade of business ownership experience.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Anthony began working at 12 and held jobs at McDonald’s and a shoe store during high school before moving into management at Home Depot and later spending five years in construction. He eventually launched his own fire protection company, which today serves Silicon Valley with fire extinguisher, suppression and other fire safety services.

His history with Mr. Pickle’s stretches back even further.

Anthony attended high school and played football with original Mr. Pickle’s founder Frank Fagundes, later watching as his former teammate grew the concept from a single Northern California shop into a regional favorite.

“I was amazed and proud of what Frank accomplished, so to now become part of something created by someone I knew growing up is incredibly special,” said Anthony.

Together, Sandra, Anthony and Tatiana have committed to developing at least three Mr. Pickle’s locations across Northern California and are currently exploring opportunities and negotiating potential sites with the goal of opening their first within the next year. Longer term, the family sees the potential to grow to as many as five restaurants.

Their plans extend beyond the number of locations. As experienced professionals and business owners, the family wants to create quality jobs, support the people who work alongside them and become active members of each community in which they open.

“We want to create stability for the people who work with us, give them a good, solid job and show what is possible through building a business,” said Tatiana.

The family signs on with Mr. Pickle’s during a period of continued growth for the 31-year-old brand, which has expanded to more than 60 locations across California and Arizona while maintaining a franchisee-led strategy centered on quality, consistency, community connection and long-term operators.

“This is exactly the type of family we want growing Mr. Pickle’s,” said Mike Nelson, chief executive officer of Mr. Pickle’s. “Sandra, Anthony and Tatiana understand hard work, they know how to serve people, and they are approaching this opportunity with a long-term commitment to their family, employees and communities. Add to that their authentic connection to Northern California and the brand itself, and they are a tremendous fit for where we are headed.”

That growth comes as Mr. Pickle’s continues investing in both its franchisees and guest experience. In 2026, the brand earned its highest-ever position on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list at No. 65 and was also ranked No. 31 on Restaurant Business’ Future 50 list. Recent expansion into Los Angeles County has further grown its California footprint, while menu innovation has included the introduction of The Sammie, a new sandwich size created to meet evolving consumer preferences, as well as rotating signatures and its not-so-secret menu.

Behind the scenes, Mr. Pickle’s has also invested in an enhanced technology platform through PAR Technology that unifies loyalty, ordering and guest data systems, providing franchisees with additional tools as the concept grows.

For more information about Mr. Pickle’s or franchise opportunities, visit www.mrpickles.com.