Press Resources
CHARLEYS PHILLY STEAKS FACT SHEET
KEY PEOPLE
- Charley Shin: Founder of Charleys Philly Steaks
- Charley Shin is Founder and CEO of Charleys Philly Steaks, an international fast-casual restaurant brand based in Columbus, Ohio. He opened the first Charleys location in 1986 near The Ohio State University’s Campus. Charley holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from The Ohio State University.
His favorite menu item at Charleys is a Philly Cheesesteak with jalapeño peppers.
- Charley Shin is Founder and CEO of Charleys Philly Steaks, an international fast-casual restaurant brand based in Columbus, Ohio. He opened the first Charleys location in 1986 near The Ohio State University’s Campus. Charley holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from The Ohio State University.
- Candra Alisiswanto: Current President of Charleys
- Candra Alisiswanto is CDO, COO, CFO, and President of Charleys Philly Steaks, based in Columbus, Ohio. He has been with Charleys since 2000 and has served as Director of Business Development, COO, and CFO. He graduated from the Ohio State University with a degree in accounting and finance.
- Brian Hipsher: Chief Marketing Officer of Charleys
- Brian Hipsher is Chief Marketing Officer for Charleys Philly Steaks. He’s been with the company since 2019. Brian holds a degree from the University of Wyoming and held previous roles as Vice President of Marketing at Bibibop Asian Grill, City Barbeque, as well as head of Product Management at Mettler Toledo.
COMPANY FACTS
- Headquarter Office: Columbus, Ohio
- Employee Count: 110 Corporate Employees, 157 Corporate Store Employees
- Franchisee Count: 222 Franchisees
GOSH ENTERPRISES, INC.
- GOSH Enterprises, Inc. is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes: Charleys Philly Steaks, BIBIBOP Asian Grill, and Lennys Grill and Subs.
- GOSH Enterprises, Inc. is privately owned by Charley Shin.
- BIBIBOP Asian Grill
- All about well-being, serving healthy & affordable Asian food at more than 40 restaurants nationwide. Opening its first restaurant in 2013, BIBIBOP is focused on the well-being of customers, teammates, and communities; serving healthy and affordable meals, providing jobs and training, and giving back to local organizations that focus on health, hunger, and education.
- Lennys Grill and Subs
- Hailing from Memphis, TN, Lennys Grill & Subs offers unique grilled and deli sandwiches crafted with freshly baked bread, premium meats sliced to order, and freshly prepared toppings.
HISTORY
- In 1985, Charley took a trip to Philidelphia, where he tasted his first Philly Cheesesteak. At the time, he was a business major enrolled at The Ohio State University.
- Charley comes from a restaurant background—his mother owned a Korean Japanese restaurant in Columbus.
- Charley’s mother invested her life savings of $48,000 into a new restaurant venture—cheesesteaks–where Charley would take the reins
- As a college junior in 1986, Charley opened his first location in a 450-square foot space near The Ohio State University Campus on High Street.
FRANCHISING
- 1991: Charley began franchising his concept to accelerate growth in new markets. The brand found early success in mall food courts and quickly became a leader within the sandwich category with a nationwide presence.
- 1995: First International location opened in Ontario, Canada
- 1999: Established key partnership with the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) to open Charleys restaurants at military installations worldwide. Furthered the International expansion
- 2002: Charleys locations began opening as Charley’s Grilled Subs
- 2012: Charleys locations implemented a nationwide brand name change to Charleys Philly Steaks
- This allowed the brand to focus on cheesesteaks and the namesake philly as the core menu item. The name change also launched a rebranding of store signage, wall décor, and product packaging.
- 2017: Charleys Philly Steaks & Wings opens in Fort Lauderdale
- Extended menu offerings allowed for them to satisfy current fans as well as reach a new base of customers.
- 2020: First Walmart location opened its doors
- 2022: Almost 700 locations (!!) in 47 U.S. States and 16 countries worldwide
PHILANTHROPY
The Charleys Kids Foundation partners with local and international programs that empower kids through education, food, and mentorship.
Participating Charleys locations donate 10 cents from every combo meal sold to be re-invested into community organizations through Charleys Kids. Coinboxes are also available at most locations for customers to contribute additional donations.
CORE MENU
The Charleys Philly Steaks menu features grilled-to-order cheesesteaks, loaded gourmet fries, and real fruit lemonades. Select locations offer an expanded menu with Chicken Wings and are rolling out Frozen Treats
Cheesesteaks
Charleys cheesesteaks are prepared with premium meat, like USDA choice steak or All-White Meat Chicken, All-Natural Cheeses, on toasted rolls. The Charleys Cheesesteak has generated controversy for using provolone, White American, swiss cheese, and mozzarella cheese instead of cheeze whiz, which is often considered to be the official cheesesteak topping. However, Charleys Cheesesteaks (made with grilled steak or chicken, sauteed green peppers and onions, and provolone cheese) most closely resembles the first Philly cheesesteak which was made in 1930.
Charleys Cheesesteaks can also be dressed with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and pickle.
Cheesesteak Variations
Charleys offers a variety of cheesesteak options.
- Steak Philly Cheesesteak
- Chicken Philly Cheesesteak
- Chicken California Cheesesteak
- Veggie Delight Cheesesteak
- Pepperoni Cheesesteak
- Chicken Buffalo Cheesesteak
- Chicken Teriyaki Cheesesteak
French Fries
While they can be enjoyed “topping-less”, the gourmet fries at Charleys are especially popular and feature cheddar cheese sauce, bacon pieces, diced jalapenos, and ranch dressing on their fries.
Real-Fruit Lemonades
The refreshing real fruit lemonades are crafted with three key ingredients—water, sugar, and real fruit. Customers can enjoy Original lemonade, or flavors like peach, strawberry, and blueberry made with real fruit. The brand has also offered seasonal lemonade flavors as limited time promotions.
Chicken Wings
Charleys Philly Steaks & Wings locations feature these core menu items in addition to the expanded Wing menu. Charleys’ Wings are hand-tossed with 10 chef-inspired flavors, available in boneless and classic.
Brand Images – Approved for Press Use
