The story
Origins
The idea for Noodles & Company was conceived by former Pepsi marketing executive Aaron Kennedy, after eating at Mamie's Asian Noodle Shop in Greenwich Village, New York. He felt there were not enough restaurants that served noodle dishes, which are a staple for many international foods. Kennedy started developing recipes out of his mother-in-law's kitchen with the future COO, Joe Serafin, and head chef, Ross Kamens, in 1994.
Kennedy raised $72,000 ($158,571 in 2025 dollars) in personal funds and $200,000 ($434,441 in 2025 dollars) in investments from 24 friends and family members. The first Noodles & Company was opened in October 1995, in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. Kennedy was joined by partner and real estate developer Tom Weigand, whom he had met at Augustana College. They opened a second location in Madison, Wisconsin, the following March.
Early history
In the first three months, Noodles & Company lost $42,000 ($86,219 in 2025 dollars), and almost went out of business in 1996 after a reporter with the Wisconsin State Journal published a negative review. The reviewer said Noodles & Company was "a killer idea" but "criticized nearly every dish he'd tried". The Denver Post and other newspapers had published similar reviews. In response, Kennedy started a "Redefine Noodles & Company" campaign "to redefine and refine nearly every aspect of the operation".
In mid-1996, the management team went to Chicago to observe other noodle restaurants and, the night of their return, the basement flooded at the Madison location. The next day, Kennedy made a list of 15 areas for improvement. Rocky Mountain News said: "the team completely revamped the Noodles concept, overhauling the menu, the prices, the decor and more. It worked." The restaurant implemented a warmer color scheme. Steam tables to keep food warm were replaced with saute lines to cook each dish as it is ordered. Two new managers were hired and an executive chef re-worked the menu. According to Inc. Magazine, within sixty days "the food had improved dramatically".
Growth
From 1996 to 2000, Noodles & Company's revenues grew from $330,000 ($677,435 in 2025 dollars) to $13 million ($24.3 million in 2025 dollars). Local food critics in many cities began naming Noodles & Company as the best fast-food restaurant in the city, and it was frequently listed as a "company to watch". It won a Hot Concept! award from Nation's Restaurant News. $1 million ($1.98 million in 2025 dollars) in stock was sold in 1998, which was followed by a $2.5 million ($4.94 million in 2025 dollars) round of funding and a $5 million round in 2000. ($9.35 million in 2025 dollars)
The restaurant had 37 locations in 2002, 65 in 2003, and 142 by 2007. The company started franchising in 2003 and by 2007, 22 of its stores were franchises. The restaurants were redesigned in 2004 with lighter colors, new packaging, a greater emphasis on carryout orders and a floorplan that emphasized an open kitchen, where the saute line was visible to customers.
According to Rocky Mountain News, the company was growing "so fast that it has had to move every two years". In 2006, its headquarters were moved from Boulder to Broomfield, Colorado. The company's founder, Aaron Kennedy, stepped down from his position as CEO that same year and was replaced by Kevin Reddy. The number of Noodles & Company locations grew threefold from the beginning of the 2008 financial crisis to 2013, reaching 339 locations.
Recent history
In 2010, a majority interest in Noodles & Company was acquired by an investment group led by Catterton Partners. In January 2013, bankers told the Financial Times that Noodles & Company was scouting for underwriters for an initial public offering (IPO). Two months later, the intent for a public offering was confirmed with a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a sale of $75 million in stock on NASDAQ OMX Group's NASDAQ stock exchange. Around this time, the company had reached 339 locations, 51 of which were franchises, and $300.4 million in revenues. Within a day following Noodles & Company's (ticker symbol: NDLS) IPO on June 27, the stock price doubled. Fast Company and The Daily Beast called it "the hottest IPO of the year" and compared it to Chipotle's IPO.
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On November 16, 2015, Noodles & Company announced that it had pulled out of Central Texas, closing all five of its locations in the Austin area. Restaurants in a handful of other cities had closed or were planned to close within the coming weeks, including locations in Lubbock and the Washington, D.C., area, according to published reports. Ultimately, 16 locations were closed by the end of the year.
On July 25, 2016, in Alexandria, Virginia, two Noodles & Company employees refused to serve a uniformed police officer. The officer left the restaurant and reported the incident, which gained regional news coverage. The company issued an apology and terminated the employees involved in the incident.
In 2017, the company planned to close 55 underperforming restaurants, but also planned to open 14 to 17 new locations. It also launched a pilot test in the Colorado Springs and Kansas City markets. The test included a new name, Noodles World Kitchen, as well as new menu items, customizations, rapid pick-up service, and a rewards program.
In September 2025, the company announced it would consider strategic alternatives including refinancing of existing debt, refranchising or a sale of all or part of the business. Since the company began trading publicly on June 28, 2013, shares had lost over 98% of their value leading up to the announcement of the strategic review.
From Wikipedia’s article on Noodles & Company, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.7