About
Like so many things, it all started by a wrong turn made right.
Charley was taking a family vacation when a missed exit brought
him to South Philly. His first encounter with a local delicacy, a
Philly Cheesesteak, was love at first bite. Totally hooked, he
brought his findings back home to Columbus, Ohio and began
testing recipes on his college buddies.
After perfecting the recipe, Charley's fortune took another turn
for the best. His mother let him borrow from her life savings to
open the first Charley's on the Ohio State University campus. The
450 square foot, 16 seat restaurant featuring Philly Steak Subs,
Gourmet Fries and Natural Lemonade was an instant hit.
To keep up with customer demand, Charley began franchising in
1991. Locations began popping up all over the world, including
mall food courts, strip centers, airports and even Army & Air
Force Bases. You can now enjoy the award-winning taste of
Charley's Grilled Subs in hundreds of locations, from Ohio to
Hawaii to Alaska to Japan and beyond.