When most Americans think of sandwich café chains, Panera probably comes to mind, but not long ago, a similar restaurant was also a popular place. Così, a once-sizeable, now greatly reduced flatbread sandwich chain was introduced in the United States in 1996 and considered a promising new concept at the time. Così's grand ambitions never quite materialized. By 2026, just 13 restaurants remain, down from 151 at its 2008 peak.

What went wrong? Part of the decline was Così being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Its expansion plans involved high-priced city center locations that saw heavy foot traffic from office workers grabbing coffee and lunch, but very low dinner sales. Drastic increases in rent during and after the Great Recession meant sales weren't enough to cover eye-popping overhead costs. Restaurant Finance Monitor reported in 2016 that some locations' rents rose as high as 37% of sales, far higher than the recommended 5% to 7%.

Così operated in that context while competing directly with other quickly-expanding fast casual eateries like Panera and Chipotle, which proved to be tough competition. The struggling café chain  declared bankruptcy in September 2016 after attempting to rethink its menu, then again in February 2020. "The company's old business model does not work any longer," wrote vice president Vicki Baue in the filing (via Nation's Restaurant News), indicating that the company would pivot towards its catering operations.

Così's Parisian origins and US struggles

Before Così became one of the chain sandwich shops disappearing across the country, it was a standalone bistro in Paris. Back in 1989, baker Drew Harré opened the first Così on Rue de Seine. He had searched the city for the perfect sandwich and, finding nothing he liked, decided to create his own. Two American brothers, Shep and Jay Wainwright, were so taken with Harré's concept that they bought the rights to use the Così name outside Paris, opening their flagship New York City location in 1996. After expanding to additional storefronts, the U.S. Così chain merged with a coffee shop called Xando in 1999.

The combined chain generated excitement from customers and attention from the industry at large. It filed an initial public offering in 2002, but was delisted from Nasdaq in 2016. During that time, Così over-expanded, opening too many locations without the sales to support the high costs of business. After cracks appeared, former Olive Garden and Burger King executive Brad Blum offered to invest $10 million in the company in 2011 (on the condition that he'd become CEO), which the chain declined.

After multiple bankruptcies, Così still operates a handful of locations, but nearly 140 units have vanished over the years. Some shuttered abruptly, with one in Massachusetts even closing permanently while patrons were still inside. The restaurant now emphasizes its catering service to combat the loss of its physical locations. If Così becomes stronger, it's always possible the sandwich chain could see a revival.