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Bun Mee: A Vietnamese Sandwich Shop Primed To Move Beyond San Francisco

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Bun Mee: A Vietnamese Sandwich Shop Primed To Move Beyond San Francisco


Some consumers are looking for alternatives to the steady diet of burger, pizza and tacos that dominate the U.S. restaurant landscape. Denise Tran, a San Francisco restaurateur, has an answer for them. She operates 5 San Francisco-based Vietnamese sandwich shops, Bun Mee, specializing in bahn mi (more about that later) and is looking to franchise outside of California.

“How did the taco get exposure and become part of the American mainstream? So why not bahn mi? And why not now?” Tran wonders.

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Bun Mee debuted in San Francisco in 2011 when Tran spent its first three years educating its guests what exactly banh mi was. When it opened, the only places one could find banh mi sandwiches in San Francisco were in Chinatown or Little Saigon but hardly anywhere else, she suggests.

She named it Bun Mee because most people mispronounced it and she liked the pun, since it explains how to pronounce the name phonetically. Tran was raised in New Orleans, lived in New York City before moving to San Francisco.

Bun Mee has expanded to two restaurants, in Pacific Heights and the financial district, two in airport terminals, and just opened its fifth in the Marina district. She says the airport locations generated $4.3 million and $3.6 million last year, and the other two, $1.7 million and $1 million.

She’s starting franchising now because “We’re the healthiest we’re ever been financially in terms of profitability and top-line sales. And we spent time working on our internal processes.”

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A San Francisco Vietnamese sandwich shop has grown to 5 locations and is testing franchising to expand.

She recognizes there are risks in franchising, namely, “losing quality, not having consistency, people doing their own things and location risk.” But she’s pursuing franchisees who are experienced rather than just those “who have the money.”

Bahn mi sandwiches are served on French baguettes, a tradition that the French brought to Vietnam in the 19th century. Vietnamese bakers gradually transformed the baguette into a “lighter, crisper bread that’s ideal for bahn mi,” she explains.

They’re Different from Tuna and Chicken Salad

Some of the most popular sandwiches served as Bun Mee include five spice chicken, lemongrass pork, lemongrass tofu and its sloppy bun, a take on the sloppy joe sandwich but made with lemongrass curry.

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How Bahn Mi Sandwiches Differ from Subs

Compared to typical submarine sandwiches served in the U.S., bahn mi combines Southeast Asian flavors with French bread and features Vietnamese ingredients such as pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, pate and distinctive sauces.

Indeed its bahn mi sandwiches differ from the American sliced deli sandwiches because “We marinate, braise and sous vide our proteins. Our lemongrass pork is bursting with flavor and married with fresh lemongrass, garlic and spices,” Tran notes.

When Tran launched her first Bun Mee, she capitalized it mostly with her own funds supplemented with a few friends and family investors. Indeed she currently owns 80% of the business.

Techies Are Attracted to Its Bahn Mi Sandwiches

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She compares the target audience to that of Starbucks as “educated techies ranging from 25-55 who value high quality food and well-traveled professionals who are foodies.” Most of its clientele is white with only 10% Asian.

Expanding bahn mi to a more national chain is one of her goals. She notes that the “sandwich category is one of the largest in fast casual and it’s a shame currently to not have an Asian option as part of the discussion.”

Customer reaction on Yelp to dining at Bun Mee was mostly positive with certain exceptions. For example, Jonathan from Montclair, N.J praised the food as being “tasty, well-made and a pleasure to eat.” But he described it as “Americanized Vietnamese food.”

Emily from San Francisco enjoyed her “lemongrass pork rice bowl with garlic rice and a side of bone broth. Everything was super flavorful and tasted fresh, and the prices were very reasonable.”

In terms of franchising, Tran is targeting Denver since it’s a tech hub and a growing city, with a demographic similar to its San Francisco clientele. But she’s open to other locations out West that she can reach quickly.

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In 2025, her goal is to open 5 new franchised locations in its first year. She says keys to its success include: 1) Having the right executive team in place, 2) Executing on its plans, 3) Choosing quality franchisees in the initial round.

Tran also sees the growth of Bun Mee as a symbolic Vietnamese success story, counteracting much of the recent anti-immigrant backlash. “I understand now that Bun Mee means more to my community than just Vietnamese sandwiches. In light of the division and rhetoric that divides us currently, it makes me feel honored to bring people together via food,” she asserts.



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San Francisco, CA

Big-rig crash snarls Bay Bridge traffic for hours

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Big-rig crash snarls Bay Bridge traffic for hours


A jackknifed semi-truck blocked four lanes of eastbound Interstate 80 on the Bay Bridge Thursday, causing major delays during the rainy morning commute.

California Highway Patrol officers responded to a report of a solo truck collision at 5:12 a.m. just east of the First Street onramp, according to CHP logs. Officers arrived to learn the driver, who sustained head injuries and was seen limping, had lost control of the vehicle. The driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and was in stable condition, the San Francisco Fire Department said in a statement.

The truck suffered major front-end damage but remained upright. Authorities warned it would take hours to clear the wreckage and encouraged drivers to use other routes.



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San Francisco, CA

Atmospheric river forces flight delays, cancelations at SFO

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Atmospheric river forces flight delays, cancelations at SFO


As an atmospheric river makes its way into the Bay Area, flights at San Francisco International Airport have been drastically impacted.

According to Flight Aware, the airport saw more than 430 delays on Wednesday and more than 60 cancellations. With the storm not projected to clear up for a few days, aviation experts said it will impact those beginning their travel for Thanksgiving week.

“If we can’t get out of this weather, which it doesn’t look like we’re going to until sometime next week, all these people could be delayed and probably will be delayed to their destination,” said Mike McCaron, an aviation expert.

Donnie Pascal, who was flying to Florida, and their family had their flight delayed by two hours.

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“I got snacks. I got my phone,” Pascal said.

Some passengers went to SFO to find out their flights were canceled.

As the storm progresses, more flights can be impacted, as the FAA continually reviews the number of planes the airport can accept per hour. Then, airlines have to respond accordingly.

McCaron said he recommends that travelers stay in touch with their carrier and check their flight status via an application.

According to the National Weather Service, several inches of rain have already fallen in the North Bay and are expected to spread further south in the region.

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This $300,000 San Francisco home is a hot sale — but here's the catch

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This 0,000 San Francisco home is a hot sale — but here's the catch


SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — How would you like to buy a house in San Francisco for $300,000?

There’s one out there, but it is going to need some work.

It’s on Lowell Street near Morse Street in the Crocker-Amazon neighborhood, and it is definitely a fixer-upper. There is no bathroom, kitchen, running water or electricity–and it has heavy fire damage.

But, there’s a good selling point for the property.

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MORE: CA housing affordability crisis has been decades in the making — what got us here?

“The lot itself is about almost 2,600 square feet. It’s pretty narrow but goes back a ways. So, as it is, the house has a very large backyard. But if you were to knock down the house but could build something within in that whole parcel, you could have a sizeable single family home, or potentially a multi-unit building, according to the listing agent,” said Garrett Leahy with the San Francisco Standard, who covered the story.

One thing that could add to any obstacle: if someone wants to knock it down and start over, they’ll need to get a demolition permit and new plans approved.

Tuesday was the deadline to make an offer.

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