Rick Schaden Net Worth 2026: Career, Income & Ventures

Rick Schaden Net Worth stems from entrepreneurship in the restaurant industry and private investments. See his business ventures and current roles.

Mar 15, 2026

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Rick Schaden was born around 1963. He is the son of Richard F. “Dick” Schaden, an aerospace engineer who later became an aviation attorney. Schaden spent his youth in the Detroit area and completed high school at Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (Class of 1982).

After high school, Schaden moved to Colorado to attend the University of Colorado Denver. He studied business there and graduated in 1987. While in school he held jobs at fast-food restaurants and even wrote a business plan for a university class, reflecting an early interest in entrepreneurship.

Fact	Details
Full Name	Rick Schaden
Net Worth (2026)	Not publicly disclosed
Birth Year	Around 1963
Early Life	Raised in Detroit, Michigan
Education	University of Colorado Denver (Business, 1987)
Known For	Quiznos expansion, Smashburger co-founder
Investment Firm	Consumer Capital Partners (CEO)
Major Achievement	Grew Quiznos to 5,000+ stores
Other Ventures	Tom’s Urban, Live Basil, Tom’s Watch Bar
Sports Project	USA Pro Challenge cycling race
Current Role	CEO of CCP, board advisor

Rick Schaden, entrepreneur and investor known for leading Quiznos and co-founding Smashburger, helped expand modern fast-casual dining in the United States.

Rick Schaden Career

Rick Schaden is a Denver-based entrepreneur and investor best known for co-founding the Smashburger chain and serving as a long-time executive at Quiznos. He grew Quiznos from a local sandwich shop to a national franchise and later launched the Smashburger burger concept with partner Tom Ryan in 2007.

In 2006 he founded the private investment firm Consumer Capital Partners (CCP) with his father, serving as its CEO. Through CCP, Schaden has funded new ventures in the restaurant and sports sectors. In 2011 he launched the USA Pro Challenge cycling race in Colorado, which drew over one million spectators.

As of 2026 Schaden continues to lead CCP and remains active on the boards of his restaurant and sports-entertainment investments.

Early Business Career And Entrepreneurial Beginnings

Rick Schaden’s business career began with Quiznos. After college he opened three Quiznos franchises in Colorado. In 1991 he and his father Richard purchased the Quiznos brand and its initial 18 stores, at which point Rick became the company’s CEO.

Over the next decade under his leadership, Quiznos expanded rapidly. Schaden also took Quiznos public in 1994 and later took it private, laying groundwork for fast franchise growth. His early success at Quiznos established his reputation as a fast-food entrepreneur.

Leadership Role At Quiznos And Business Expansion

Under Schaden’s direction, Quiznos grew into one of the nation’s largest sandwich chains. Between 1991 and 2007 the chain expanded from 18 locations to more than 5,000 stores worldwide.

In 2007 Schaden stepped down as CEO to bring in turnaround executive Greg Brenneman, remaining on Quiznos’s board. A series of CEO changes followed: Schaden briefly returned as CEO in early 2009 after his successor’s departure, then in late 2010 handed day-to-day leadership to president Greg MacDonald while keeping the chairman’s role.

By 2010, Quiznos still operated nearly 4,000 franchise restaurants and had expanded internationally, reflecting Schaden’s earlier growth strategies.

Co-Founding Smashburger And Building A Global Brand

In 2007, during a hiatus from Quiznos operations, Schaden co-founded Smashburger with industry veteran Tom Ryan. Smashburger focused on premium “smashed-to-order” burgers and differentiated itself with high-quality ingredients.

As Smashburger’s chairman and primary investor (through CCP), Schaden helped guide the new chain’s rapid rollout. The concept quickly scaled: by 2014 Smashburger had roughly 272 locations in 32 U.S. states and five countries.

The brand continued its growth, and by the mid-2010s it operated hundreds of restaurants (over 360 worldwide). Industry reports noted Smashburger as one of the fastest-growing fast-casual chains, a success directly tied to Schaden’s leadership and CCP’s funding.

Consumer Capital Partners And Investment Strategy

In 2006 Schaden and his father established Consumer Capital Partners (CCP), a Denver-based private investment firm. Under his leadership as CEO, CCP has focused on funding growth-stage ventures in the food, consumer, and sports-entertainment sectors.

For example, CCP provided the launch capital for Smashburger and has backed other Colorado dining concepts. Early investments included the upscale Tom’s Urban restaurant brand and the Live Basil Pizza concept, both co-developed by Schaden’s group.

In 2011 Schaden used CCP to launch the USA Pro Challenge bicycle race, a multi-stage event that attracted more than one million on-site spectators in its first years. CCP’s portfolio later expanded into financial services as well, such as an investment in CIC Bancshares, a regional bank.

In the 2020s CCP announced new projects too, for instance, the firm prepared to open Tom’s Urban 24, an upscale restaurant concept in Denver, illustrating Schaden’s strategy of incubating diverse consumer and sports-related ventures.

Major Business Achievements And Industry Influence

Scaled Quiznos into a national chain:As CEO, Schaden grew Quiznos from 18 shops to over 5,000 stores at its peak, making it a leading U.S. sandwich franchise.
Built Smashburger into a top fast-casual brand:He co-founded Smashburger in 2007 and expanded it to hundreds of locations across the U.S. and abroad. By 2014 Smashburger was ranked the third-fastest-growing restaurant chain in America.
Diversified into new dining concepts:Through CCP, Schaden helped launch and fund several restaurant ventures, including Tom’s Urban and Live Basil Pizza. These brands leveraged his experience and contributed to Colorado’s evolving restaurant scene.
Pioneered sports-entertainment events:Schaden created the USA Pro Challenge cycling race in 2011, bringing professional road racing to Colorado. The event engaged over one million spectators on-site, highlighting his role in sports entertainment.

Rick Schaden’s Career Legacy In The Restaurant Industry

Rick Schaden is widely recognized as a serial entrepreneur who helped define modern fast-casual dining in the U.S. He is credited in industry publications as the key force behind two major chains: Quiznos and Smashburger.

His success in scaling Quiznos (from a local franchise to a national chain) and innovating with Smashburger’s high-quality burger concept has been cited as influential by trade media. Schaden’s approach, focusing on fresh ingredients and strong branding, set trends that competitors began to follow.

Current Work, Investments, And Business Activities

In recent years Schaden has continued expanding his business ventures through CCP and new partnerships. He remains CEO of Consumer Capital Partners and continues to serve on the boards of his brands.

Notably, he co-founded Tom’s Watch Bar, a sports-themed entertainment restaurant chain launched in 2018, and as of 2024 still serves as its chairman. Tom’s Watch Bar had about a dozen locations by 2024 and is planning national expansion under Schaden’s guidance.

Smashburger, now majority owned by Jollibee Foods, continued to open outlets in the 2020s; filings from 2018 list Schaden as Smashburger’s chairman at closing of that sale, indicating he maintained an ongoing leadership role.

Meanwhile, CCP has introduced new concepts such as the Tom’s Urban 24 dining venue in Denver. Throughout 2021–2026, Schaden has leveraged his industry expertise to advise these ventures and pursue additional restaurant and sports-entertainment opportunities, underscoring his sustained influence in the sectors he helped grow.