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This Once-Popular 2000s Flatbread Chain Quickly Vanished. Here's Why By Jay Wilson Oct. 20, 2025 9:19 am EST

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If you don't remember Cosi, we don't blame you. This sandwich chain was once the talk of the town back in the 2000s, and at one point, it felt like a serious rival to Panera Bread. Specializing in serving Italian-style sandwiches to busy office workers, Cosi started life in the late 1980s, and within a decade, it had dozens of stores across the country. By the mid-2000s, it had reached huge success with over 150 units and a menu that kept people going throughout the working day.

Pretty soon, however, the bubble burst, and Cosi was over. Well, not quite over. It's actually still around today, but it's a shadow of it

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