This Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO (this “Schedule TO”) relates to the offer by Hero Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser”), and RaceTrac, Inc., a Georgia corporation (“Parent”), to purchase any and all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Potbelly Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company” and such shares, the “Shares”), at a price of $17.12 per Share, without interest, net to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes, upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, dated September 23, 2025 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Offer to Purchase”), and in the accompanying Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Letter of Transmittal” and, together with the Offer to Purchase, the “Offer”), which are annexed to and filed with this Schedule TO as Exhibits (a)(1)(A) and (a)(1)(B), respectively. Purchaser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. This Schedule TO is being filed on behalf of Parent and Purchaser. Unless otherwise indicated, references to sections in this Schedule TO are references to sections of the Offer to Purchase. A copy of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of September 9, 2025, by and among the Company, Parent and Purchaser is attached as Exhibit (d)(1) hereto and incorporated herein by reference with respect to Items 4 through 11 of this Schedule TO.
ITEM 1.
SUMMARY TERM SHEET.
The information set forth in the section of the Offer to Purchase titled “Summary Term Sheet” is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 2.
SUBJECT COMPANY INFORMATION.
(a) The subject company and the issuer of the securities subject to the Offer is Potbelly Corporation. Its principal executive office is located at 500 W Madison St. Suite 1000, Chicago, Illinois 60661 and its telephone number is (312) 951-0600.
(b) This Schedule TO relates to the Shares. According to the Company, as of the close of business on September 9, 2025, there were (i) 30,254,705 Shares issued and outstanding; (ii) 1,237,345 Shares issuable pursuant to restricted stock units granted pursuant to the Company’s 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”); (iii) 1,077,662 Shares issuable pursuant to performance-based restricted stock units and market stock units granted pursuant to the Plan; (iv) 47,572 Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding stock options; and (v) 727,891 Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding warrants.
(c) The information concerning the principal market in which the Shares are traded and certain high and low sales prices for the Shares in the principal market in which the Shares are traded set forth in Section 6 — “Price Range of Shares; Dividends” of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 3.
IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND OF FILING PERSON.
(a) – (c) The filing companies of this Schedule TO are (i) Parent and (ii) Purchaser. The information set forth in Section 8 — “Certain Information Concerning Parent, Purchaser and Certain Related Parties” and Schedule I of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 4.
TERMS OF THE TRANSACTION.
(a) The information set forth in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 5.
PAST CONTACTS, TRANSACTIONS, NEGOTIATIONS AND AGREEMENTS.
(a), (b) The information set forth in Section 7 — “Certain Information Concerning the Company,” Section 8 — “Certain Information Concerning Parent, Purchaser and Certain Related Parties,” Section 10 — “Background of the Offer; Past Contacts or Negotiations with the Company,” Section 11 — “The Merger Agreement; Other Agreements,” Section 12 — “Purpose of the Offer; Plans for the Company” and Schedule I of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 6.
PURPOSES OF THE TRANSACTION AND PLANS OR PROPOSALS.
(a), (c)(1) – (7) The information set forth in the sections of the Offer to Purchase titled “Summary Term Sheet” and “Introduction” and in Section 6 — “Price Range of Shares; Dividends,” Section 11 — “The