Lee's Sandwiches

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Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Lee's Sandwiches International, Inc., is an American fast food restaurant chain serving Vietnamese cuisine headquartered in San Jose, California, with locations in several states and in Taiwan. Lee's Sandwiches specializes in Script error: No such module "Lang"., "European-style" baguette sandwiches, Vietnamese iced coffee, and Vietnamese dessert Script error: No such module "Lang"..[1] It is credited with popularizing Vietnamese sandwiches and iced coffee among mainstream American consumers and inspiring several other Vietnamese-owned bakery chains.[2][3][4]

History

File:Lee Bros. Foodservice.jpg
Lee Bros. Foodservice and Lee's Sandwiches headquarters in San Jose.
File:Leessandwichinsidewestminster.JPG
A Lee's Sandwiches location in Westminster, California.

Lee's Sandwiches was founded by the Script error: No such module "Lang". family, who owned a successful sugar refinery in An Giang Province in Vietnam before the Vietnam War and immigrated to the United States as boat people in July 1979.[5][6][7] After having lived briefly in New Mexico and Monterey, California, they settled in San Jose, California, in 1980.[8]

Chieu Le (Script error: No such module "Lang".) initially worked as a cook in a food truck before purchasing one in 1981, from which he and his wife Yen (Script error: No such module "Lang".) sold hamburgers, burritos, chow mein, and Script error: No such module "Lang". to office workers on lunch breaks. The following year, Chieu's brother Henry (Script error: No such module "Lang".) purchased his own food truck, and the two began a mobile catering distribution business.[4][9] Founded in San Jose's Little Saigon, they named it Lee Bros. Foodservice, Inc., anglicizing their surname to "Lee". It grew to serve more than 500 food trucks by 1985, many of them owned by Vietnamese immigrants.[3][10]

In 1983, Chieu and Henry's parents, Script error: No such module "Lang". and Script error: No such module "Lang"., began borrowing Chieu's truck on weekends to sell Script error: No such module "Lang". at the corner of 6th and Santa Clara streets, near the San Jose State University campus.[7] The truck's popularity prompted complaints from nearby restaurants.[4][9] In June 1983, they opened a traditional Vietnamese sandwich shop named Lee's Sandwiches at the same street corner.[5][3][11] In 1988, Lee's Sandwiches moved to a larger space near King and Tully roads in the Vietnamese section of East San Jose.[9][12]

On August 8, 2001, Chieu and his son Minh (Script error: No such module "Lang".) opened the family's first American-style bakery-café in the Little Saigon of Westminster, California. It featured an expanded menu including deli sandwiches, coffee, and desserts, with the goal of attracting Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese customers alike.[13][8][7] There was some disagreement among family members about the new direction.[14] However, the new store was a success. Within a year, the chain opened seven more locations and expanded to many other cities in California.[10] In 2005, Lee's Sandwiches became the first Vietnamese deli-cafe to franchise.[15][7]

File:Lee's Sandwiches fare.jpeg
Typical Lee's Sandwiches fare, pictured here at the Taipei location, includes croissant sandwiches, special combination Script error: No such module "Lang"., Script error: No such module "Lang"., and iced coffee.

By 2006, Lee's had become one of the fastest-growing fast food chains in the western United States.[3][12] In March 2006, it opened its largest location, at Script error: No such module "convert"., in Houston.[12] A long line formed in anticipation of the grand opening of Lee's' first Houston location.[16]

On August 8, 2008, Lee's opened a café in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, as part of a joint venture with a South Korean company.[3] In August 2015, it opened a location near the Taipei station in Taipei, Taiwan.[17] since April 2017Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., market research firm Sundale Research listed Lee's Sandwiches among the 12 largest bakery-café chains in the United States.[18] On August 8, 2017, the Script error: No such module "Lang". family opened a café named Lee's Coffee Roastery adjacent to a Lee's Sandwiches location in Westminster, California.[19]

Many restaurants stopped dine-in service in March 2020 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, with take-away and pickup service available.

Restaurants

File:LeesSandwichesBellaireHouston.JPG
Lee's Sandwiches Bellaire, located in the International District, Houston, Texas, is the chain's largest location at Script error: No such module "convert".. The store bakes up to 300 baguettes per hour.[16]

since 2018Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., Lee's Sandwiches has 59 locations in the United States. They are located in cities with large Vietnamese American populations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia. One shop is located in front of the original location, next to San Jose City Hall. Lee's Sandwiches has locations in food courts at the Asian Garden Mall in Westminster, California, and the Cali Saigon Mall in Garland, Texas. With locations in Westminster Mall in Westminster and Eastport Plaza in Portland, Oregon, Lee's Sandwiches is one of the first Vietnamese businesses to enter mainstream malls and shopping centers.[20][8]

See also

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References

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  8. ↑ a b c Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  9. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".

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External links

Template:Sister project

Template:Fast-food chains of the United States Template:Food chains in Taiwan

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