Cheezed is preparing to open its third location at The Well in downtown Toronto, marking the franchise’s first foray into the city’s core and its inaugural franchised operation. The expansion represents a strategic evolution for the company that began as an informal backyard conversation in 2019 and has grown into a distinctive grilled cheese concept with locations spanning from Blue Mountain Village to suburban Barrie.
The Well location represents Cheezed’s most ambitious expansion yet, requiring the company to completely redesign its operations for a kiosk format. “We basically recreated everything from scratch to make it work in this particular unit,” explained Nick Kardos, President and co-founder of Cheezed. The location will operate adjacent to Gus’s Tacos, positioning the brand within The Well’s growing food ecosystem.
Unlike the tourist-focused Blue Mountain flagship or the suburban Georgian Mall Barrie location, The Well presents a unique combination of both markets. “The Well is different from a generic mall like we have in Barrie, and it serves a completely different customer base than our tourist-heavy Blue Mountain location,” Kardos explained. “We saw it as the perfect combination of both markets we’d already tested.”
The choice of The Well was driven by both opportunity and strategic positioning. “What attracted us to The Well was its focus on local and emerging brands rather than the usual chain restaurants you see everywhere,” Kardos noted. “It felt like the ideal place to introduce Cheezed to the Toronto market.”
Cheezed’s journey from Blue Mountain Village to The Well reflects a deliberate strategy to test different market formats before scaling their franchise model. The company spent six months developing their franchise system using insights from both existing locations, each serving distinct customer bases and operational requirements.
The Georgian Mall Barrie location, which opened in March 2025, served as a crucial testing ground for suburban markets with high foot traffic but repeat customer bases. “Since our inception, we’ve altered the menu several times,” Kardos explained, highlighting the brand’s adaptability. “The beauty of grilled cheese is it’s so versatile that we can change the menu or change the product with ease.”
For The Well location, Cheezed will initially launch with their established Blue Mountain menu, but plans call for regular updates and potential Toronto-specific adaptations. “We make additions to our menu annually,” Kardos explained, referencing recent additions like the Ham and Swiss sandwich introduced three months ago. “We test new items, check the sales data, and if they perform well, they stay on the menu.”
The Cheezed concept emerged from an informal 2019 conversation between three friends—Nick Kardos, his brother Dan, and Justin Beraldo—during a backyard gathering. “We saw how successful concepts like the 1858 Caesar Bar were building entire menus around a single signature item,” Kardos recalled. “It got us thinking about how we could apply that same focus to elevate something as classic as grilled cheese.”
The path to opening wasn’t straightforward. COVID-19 initially shelved their plans, and the eventual Blue Mountain location came about through an unexpected opportunity. “Justin had signed a lease—or I believe it was a letter of intent—with the landlord to open a juice bar,” Kardos explained. “At the eleventh hour, we proposed switching to the grilled cheese concept if the landlord would accept it. The transition happened remarkably quickly.”
What sets Cheezed apart in an increasingly crowded quick-service landscape is the founders’ comprehensive involvement in every aspect of operations. “Our hands-on approach gives us deep operational knowledge that most franchise systems lack,” Kardos emphasized. “We understand every detail because we’ve personally built and refined each process.”
This comprehensive knowledge extends to their franchise support model. “When franchisees have questions, we provide immediate, detailed answers because we’ve personally handled every aspect of the business,” Kardos explained. “There’s no need to transfer calls between departments—we are the experts on construction, operations, and marketing.”
The operational precision required for high-volume grilled cheese production isn’t as simple as it appears. “The biggest challenge we face is that people think ‘I can make grilled cheese at home,’ but we can produce 600 sandwiches in a day,” Kardos noted. “The timing, specialized equipment, and refined processes we use are far more complex than simply placing cheese between bread on a grill.”
The Well location represents Cheezed’s first franchisee, a Toronto-focused operator who approached the company before their franchise system was fully developed. “Our first franchisee had been in discussions with us well before we formalized our franchise model,” Kardos noted. “Her focus on Toronto helped shape our expansion strategy into urban markets.”
Cheezed has generated significant interest, with Kardos noting they “have more interested parties than we can currently accommodate” along with corporate store opportunities through major developers.
However, growth remains deliberately measured. “We’re committed to avoiding overextension,” Kardos explained. “Our priority is ensuring each franchisee receives proper support and can maintain the brand standards we’ve worked hard to establish.”
The Well location will face different challenges than Cheezed’s previous formats. Where Blue Mountain serves tourists who visit once, and Barrie serves suburban shoppers with moderate repeat visits, The Well’s customer base includes residents, workers, and regular neighborhood visitors with a 75-80% repeatability factor.
This dynamic will test Cheezed’s menu evolution strategy and operational adaptability. The location’s proximity to Rogers Centre also presents opportunities during Blue Jays season, though Kardos acknowledged they’re still developing their event-based marketing approach. “Our immediate focus is on establishing smooth operations, but we’re definitely exploring ways to capitalize on major sporting events and local activities,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Cheezed’s founders envision expanding beyond mall-based locations to become destination dining establishments. “Our goal is to build brand recognition strong enough that we can operate successfully outside high-traffic shopping centers,” Kardos explained. “We want Cheezed to become a dining destination in its own right.”
The company’s expansion strategy balances growth ambitions with operational excellence. “Our near-term expansion will be measured and deliberate as we integrate franchising into our business model,” Kardos noted. “We’re committed to ensuring our franchisees succeed and maintain the brand standards that define the Cheezed experience.”
As Cheezed prepares to serve downtown Toronto, the company represents a successful evolution from informal startup to structured franchise operation while maintaining the authentic, hands-on approach that defined its early success. The Well location will serve as a crucial test of whether locally-grown concepts can thrive in Toronto’s competitive urban dining landscape.
Dustin Fuhs is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail, Toronto’s premier source for retail and hospitality industry news. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication, Dustin brings over two decades of expertise spanning retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality sectors. His experience includes leadership roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.