Subway reaches 40,000th restaurant milestone

The leading Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chain, Subway opened its 40,000^th restaurant at an AppleGreen petrol station in Ipswich, England. The opening of the milestone 40,000^th restaurant will make it more convenient for customers to eat a delicious Subway submarine sandwich or chopped salad. Subway has opened 1,761 new locations around the world since the start of the year.  In India, SUBWAY presently operates 376 restaurants. It has grown at a rate of 35 per cent in terms of restaurant count over the last one year.

Robby Gulri, Country-Head, Subway India, said:  “The chain’s success is in large part due to its franchise-based business model. All Subway restaurants are completely owned by local franchisees who are entrepreneurs that appreciate the opportunity to work hands-on. The low start-up cost, simple operation and flexible floor plans make the chain appealing to potential franchisees. The worldwide brand recognition of Subway restaurants acts as a pull for the prospective franchisees. A steady growth in India has prompted Subway to set a target of 650 restaurants by the end of 2015 and 1000 restaurants by the end of 2017, across the country.”

Fred DeLuca, President and Co-Founder, Subway, said: “This is certainly a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire Subway team, who I often refer to as the greatest team in franchising history.”

There are more than 9,000 non-traditional Subway locations worldwide and about 4,500 of them are in gas/petrol stations. The Subway chain opens its outlets at places like hospitals, health clubs, movie theaters and train stations. In India, too, Subway has restaurants in diverse locations like hospitals, malls, airports, highways etc. The brand has also opened fully-vegetarian restaurants at specific locations in the country. An investment of Rs 40-60 lakh (depending upon the format) and an area of 500 sq ft are required to be a Subway franchisee.