Noodles & Company was founded in 1995 by Aaron Kennedy as the Noodle Shop Company. The first restaurant was located in Denver, Colorado.
In 1996, Kennedy opened a second location in Madison, Wisconsin. The restaurant received a negative review from a local newspaper. Kennedy decided to revamp the business.
In 1997, after turning the store around, a second location was opened in Madison.
In 1998, there were 5 locations. By 2000, there were 17 restaurants.
In 2003, the company name was officially changed to Noodles & Company.
Today, there are nearly 350 Noodles & Company locations in 27 states.
