Subway is, as of today, the biggest chain of restaurants in the world. Yes, even bigger than McDonald’s. And that is to say a lot. They have an astounding 37,500 locations, and over 410,000 employees, including franchises. However, as with most beginnings, theirs was small and humble. Nevertheless, since its inception in 1965, they have been growing exponentially. Meaning, they were small for a very short time.
They have completely changed the industry of fast foods because they sell, or so they say healthy fast food.
The Foundation:
It was founded in 1965, as mentioned earlier, by a 17-year-old and a Doctor in Physics. Fred DeLuca, the 17-year-old, needed to pay for his tuition, and his professor, Peter Buck, helped him out. He gave young Fred 1000 dollars to start a sandwich restaurant. It is said that on the first day of the opening, they sold 312 sandwiches. They cost between 49 and 69 cents each.
Behind the Name:
First, it was called Pete’s Super Submarine. And then, they started to make it shorter and shorter. Until they went all the way down to Pete’s Subs (collapsing the term Submarine).
And then, in 1968, finally, the name Subway emerged.
Remember, they were already growing very fast. By 1974, they started franchising the restaurant, so they could grow faster. This means that they don’t own any of the restaurants, they just own the brand.
Timeline of Subway’s Growth:
In 1981 they opened 200 restaurants. But then, in one year, they open 100 more restaurants, making it 300. In 1984, they opened in Bahrain, their first location outside the United States.
By 1985 they already had 500 restaurants, and they opened their first restaurant in Puerto Rico.
And by 1987, they doubled that figure, achieving 1000 locations worldwide now, although most locations are in the United States. And then, in one more year, they double that figure again, going to 2000 restaurants.
By 1990, they had 5000 restaurants, and they opened their first one in México.
By 1996, they were in Venezuela, Kuwait, Guatemala, Denmark, Colombia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, and more.
In 2008, the 30,000 location opened finally. As you can see, there is no other story like Subway. Who can grow so fast, so much?
Tday, there are Subways everywhere. Everybody wants a sandwich with fresh ingredients. There is even a Subway inside of a chapel. Talk about versatility.
Downfall of Subway
In 2017, they closed more than 800 restaurants. And in 2018, they closed another 500 locations. Foot traffic, in Subway restaurants, was reduced by 25 percent since 2012. Profits were falling, too.
A lot of the franchises complained that the promotions Subway did ate away their earnings. Some say that the change of taste in the consumers was also making Subway fall. For example, now they want hormone-free meat and local food as well. This may have caused the downfall of profits in Subway. Rise of restaurants like Sweetgreen further supplemented their downfall.
Everything that goes, must go down, they say. And, at least for Subway, this seems to be the case. But for a solid 50 years, all they saw was up.
Subway Menu
They have a big menu, and it can vary a little from country to country. For example, in México they have the Sub Boneless Mango Habanero. Which is, boneless chicken, cheese, sauce of mango and habanero, with onions, lettuce, and cucumber. And that is because, in México, everything has habanero.
Or for example, take India. In India, there are a lot of vegetarians. So, in 2012, Subway opened its first all-vegetarian restaurant there. And if you think this strategy is not working, look at these numbers: in India, there are 560 locations in 68 Indian cities.
Their most sold sandwich, though, is the B.M.T. (initials that stand for Biggest, Meatiest, and Tastiest). It has pepperoni, salami, and ham.
They also have breakfast, English muffins, and cookies.
So, it is more like a surprise. Go to your closest Subway, and find out what they have in store for you.
Conclusion
Subway is one of the most beloved brands in the world. Even Tom Brady makes commercials with them. They went up, pretty fast and impressive, and now they are stumbling in the sky. Let’s see what they do.
Also, because it is a global company, it is hard to talk about one menu that is just everywhere. You are going to have to check on your local and near Subway to see what they have.
And the name, well, it goes to tell you, you don’t have to get it right, right from the start. You can adapt and change, and still go very big.
