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.

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.”

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 19^th 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.

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

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.

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.

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco voters are on the path to approving a series of changes to the city.

The city still has about 143,000 votes to count, but it looks like voters have approved a series of changes to government oversight, and how people get around and through the city. 

Voters had their say on Tuesday, and it looks like they’ve approved a series of changes.

When it comes to government oversight, it appears voters have given the go ahead to Measure C, creating the position of inspector general to root out corruption and negligence in city government. 

President of the Board of Supervisors, and mayoral candidate Aaron Peskin wrote Measure C, and says it’s gratifying that voters seem to be on the path of bringing in new oversight and fending off future scandals. 

“Proposition C is going to work,” said Peskin. “The first thing it’s going to do is issue a very clear signal to anybody who is cheating, anybody who is contemplating corruption that there’s a new sheriff in town, so to speak, and they’d better think twice about it.”

Peskin also authored Measure E, a counter to Proposition D. Both aimed to streamline San Francisco government by eliminating unnecessary commissions. 

Measure D, which would have whittled commissions down from more than 100 to just 65, appears to be headed for defeat, but voters appear to be giving the nod to Measure E, which would create a task force that will recommend which commissions to cut by February 2026. 

“Proposition E, which was commission reform done right,” said Peskin. “Done with public input, done with transparency, transparently in the light of day.”

Voters appear to be on the road to approve Proposition K as well, transforming 2 miles of the Great Highway into a park, and closing it to automobiles.

Opponents to K worried that closing the great highway would push more than 14,000 automobiles into the surrounding neighborhoods every day.

Supporters say that traffic can be shifted over to 19th Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, and hope that the remaining votes will continue the support K has seen so far.  “We had folks out with signs trying to do visibility as people were going to the polls, and we felt a lot of positive energy,” said Heidi Moseson from Yes on K. “It felt exciting, we got a lot of honks and fist bumps and a lot of cheers and that was hopeful.”

Voters also appear to be on the way to approving Measure A, bonds supporting school improvements. Measure B bonds to improve health care facilities in the city, and Measure M reducing taxes for small businesses, like restaurants. 

Police in San Francisco are asking for the public’s help in finding an 18-year-old woman who has been missing for almost a week.

Mai Vue was last seen Oct. 31 at around 11 p.m. around Grove and Larkin Streets in San Francisco, the San Francisco Police Department said in a press release.

Police described Vue as an 18-year-old Asian woman, weighing 110 pounds, measuring 5 feet 1 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white dress, black leggings and black high heels.

For the past week, a desperate search has been underway with still no clues on Vue’s whereabouts.

Mai Vue’s family: ‘Time is crucial’

Members of Vue’s family have posted online, asking the public for any help spreading the work in order to find their relative.

“Time is crucial as it’s been almost 7 days of Mai Sai being gone,” BeYam Vue wrote on Facebook. “We urgently need shares.”

San Francisco police said that anyone who located Vue should call 911 and report her current location and physical description.

“Anyone with information on her possible whereabouts should call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous,” police said in their press release.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.