Tom & Chee, the popular grilled cheese restaurant from Cincinnati, has renewed its partnership with The Cure Starts Now. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to finding a cure for pediatric brain cancer. The renewal of this partnership shows Tom & Chee’s commitment to supporting important causes in their community. It also comes as the company continues to thrive in its journey since its big break on “Shark Tank.”
Tom & Chee is excited to continue its partnership with The Cure Starts Now, a foundation focused on research for pediatric brain cancer. This partnership includes fundraising events and campaigns to raise awareness. It also gives customers a chance to help with every purchase they make.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with The Cure Starts Now,” said the Tom & Chee leadership team. “It’s an honor to support their vital research and help raise awareness through our platform.”
From a Pop-Up Tent to “Shark Tank” Fame
The Tom & Chee story began in 2009. Founders Trew Quackenbush, Jennifer Quackenbush, Jenny Rachford, and Corey Ward started selling grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup from a pop-up tent in Cincinnati’s Fountain Square.
The idea was simple, but it quickly became a hit with locals. Trew Quackenbush, a chef, and Corey Ward, a graphic designer, came up with the idea for the grilled cheese business during a backyard cookout.
The business was so successful that they opened their first restaurant location in 2010. Just six months later, they opened a second location in Newport on the Levee.
The business gained national attention when Adam Richman visited for his Travel Channel show “Man v. Food Nation” in 2011.
Game Changing “Shark Tank” Experience
Tom & Chee’s big moment came in 2013 when Quackenbush and Ward pitched their business on season 4 of “Shark Tank.” At that time, they were looking for a $600,000 investment in exchange for a 10% stake in the company.
The Sharks were impressed by the business’s sales, which had already grossed over $1.5 million. Barbara Corcoran offered $300,000 for a 15% stake, as long as another Shark joined her in the investment.
“Everything in my bones [is] saying this is a runaway hit,” Corcoran said during the episode. Mark Cuban then agreed to partner with her, and together they offered the full $600,000 for a combined 30% equity stake.
What happened after “Shark Tank”
The “Shark Tank” appearance gave Tom & Chee a huge boost. “After the episode aired on a Friday night, Tom & Chee received 2,400 franchise inquiries by the following Monday morning,” and soon that number grew to over 9,000.
However, things didn’t go exactly as planned. The deal with the Sharks fell through when Mark Cuban decided not to invest, believing the company should focus on corporate-owned stores instead of franchises.
Despite this setback, Barbara Corcoran stayed on as an investor, although for a smaller equity stake than initially planned.
Despite the challenges, Tom & Chee continued to expand. By 2016, they had grown to 35 locations, including four company-owned stores and 31 franchises.
That same year, Forbes named Tom & Chee one of the top 10 businesses to come out of “Shark Tank.” The company generated over $47 million in sales and created more than 500 jobs.
It was not an easy game
But the rapid growth came with difficulties. In 2014, Tom & Chee admitted they had expanded too quickly, leading to financial issues, layoffs, and store closures.
“By 2017, the number of locations had dropped to 23, and the brand’s assets were acquired by GSR Brands, the parent company of Cincinnati’s Gold Star Chili,” reported Louise Rhind-Tutt in June 2024.
The acquisition by GSR Brands was a turning point. The new owners streamlined operations, simplified the menu, and updated the branding from “Tom + Chee” to “Tom & Chee.”
A new store prototype opened in 2020, focusing on smaller locations with high-speed ovens to improve service. The company also shifted to to-go ordering during the COVID-19 pandemic, which helped stabilize the business.
A New Chapter for Tom & Chee
By 2021, Tom & Chee was ready to grow again. New locations started opening, and the menu was refined to focus on melts, which offered more protein and better value for customers.
Seasonal specials and creative menu items, like The Golden Cheese Touch melt, helped attract a wide range of customers. The new approach appears to be working well.
The founders were also moved on. Trew Quackenbush now teaches culinary arts at a high school, and Corey Ward started a new company called Planet-B Games.
Under the guidance of GSR Brands, Tom & Chee is focused on growing and improving its offerings while staying true to its roots.