Frequently Asked Questions

The SUBWAY^® restaurant chain was founded in 1965 by Fred DeLuca, a 17-year-old college freshman, and family friend Dr. Peter Buck. The first restaurant opened in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA on August 28 and was called Pete’s Super Submarines.

2. When did the first SUBWAY^® franchised unit open and where was it located?

The first franchised SUBWAY^® unit opened in 1974 in Wallingford, Connecticut.

3. How many SUBWAY^® franchises are open and in how many countries?

There are more than 28,800 SUBWAY^® franchises in 86 countries and territories worldwide (as of 02/01/08). Check out the SUBWAY^® home page for a daily update.

4. Where is the SUBWAY^® chain headquartered and how many people does it employ?

Doctor's Associates Inc., the franchisor of SUBWAY^® restaurants, employs more than 600 people at its Milford, Connecticut, headquarters. Worldwide, its franchises employ more than 150,000 men and women throughout the system.

5. Is the SUBWAY^® chain a publicly held company?

No, the SUBWAY^® chain is a privately held company and is not traded on any stock exchange.

6. Who are the doctors in Doctor’s Associates Inc. (DAI)?

When the company was founded, Dr. Peter Buck, co-founder, was a scientist with a doctoral degree, and Fred DeLuca had aspirations of becoming a medical doctor. Hence the name Doctor’s Associates.

7. What percentage of SUBWAY^® restaurants are company-owned?

All SUBWAY^® restaurants are franchised.

8. Does the SUBWAY^® chain offer any financial assistance to its franchisees?

For franchisees, the SUBWAY^® chain offers an equipment-leasing program as well as franchise fee assistance for minorities. For existing owners, the SUBWAY^® chain offers remodeling, relocation and expansions loans.

9. What support does the SUBWAY^® chain offer its franchisees?

The SUBWAY^® chain provides a variety of services, such as store design and local marketing assistance. For more information on support, check out the online Franchise Brochure.

10. Does the SUBWAY^® chain do any minority recruiting?

The SUBWAY^® chain recruits minorities through advertisements in major magazines and newspapers, such as Black Enterprise. The SUBWAY^® chain also offers the availability of financing packages that allow members of minorities groups to finance the required franchise fee.

11. What are SUBWAY^® restaurants’ system wide sales? (as of 12/31/2007, in U.S. dollars)

• United States $8.2 billion (does not include Guam & Puerto Rico)
• Canada $1.1 billion
• International $2.0 billion (includes Guam & Puerto Rico)
• Worldwide TOTAL $11.3 billion

12. Who handles the SUBWAY^® chain’s advertising?

McCarthy, Mambro Bertino Advertising (MMB), located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the SUBWAY^® chain’s creative agency.

13. Who are the SUBWAY^® chain’s competitors?

All fast-food chains, including McDonald’s^®, Burger King^®, Wendy’s^®, Taco Bell^®, KFC^®, Quiznos Sub^®, Blimpie^® and Arby’s^®.

14. What is the SUBWAY^® brand’s most popular sandwich?

Turkey Breast, Italian B.M.T.^®, Tuna and the Subway Club^® are some of the brand's most popular sandwiches. fresh Toasted™ favorites include Meatball Marinara, the Chicken & Bacon Ranch, and our Subway Melt^® subs. Jared Fogle's favorite SUBWAY sandwich is the Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sub - especially when it's toasted!

15. What steps does the SUBWAY^® chain take to ensure food safety in its restaurants?

Gloves are required to be worn during all food handling procedures. Also, all franchises are provided with detailed information on proper food handling procedures in order to properly train their crewmembers. Topics that are covered include proper hand washing and glove-use procedures, and food rotation. Food is prepared fresh daily and temperatures are monitored regularly. Also, a ServSafe food safety program is offered to franchisees and other field staff from the greater New England area at the SUBWAY^® chain’s headquarters. Franchisees in other regions are encouraged to take the course in their local area.

In addition, the SUBWAY^® chain has initiated a number of "Gold Standard" policies regarding prepared food and produce manufacturing and inspection specifications.

16. What does the franchisee training program at the SUBWAY^® chain’s headquarters cover? Are there training facilities elsewhere?

Each franchisee candidate is required to attend a two-week training course. The course teaches business concepts, methods of operation and basic management skills. The time is spent in the classroom and on-site at local SUBWAY^® restaurants for "hands-on" experience. At the end of the two weeks, each attendee must pass a comprehensive exam in order to become a SUBWAY^® franchisee. There is also a franchisee training center in Miami FL, Australia, China, Canada, Germany, India, Korea, Lebanon and Russia. There are also courses for managers, Multi-Unit Owners, Field Consultants and Development Agents.

17. How many variations can be made from the SUBWAY^® menu choices?

There are more than two million different sandwich combinations available on the SUBWAY^® menu.

18. How many sandwiches have been served at SUBWAY^® restaurants?

In the USA, the chain serves nearly 2,800 sandwiches and salads every 60 seconds. If you place all of the sandwiches made by SUBWAY^® restaurants in a year, end to end, they would wrap around the Earth at least six times.

19. How much of an investment is required to open a SUBWAY^® restaurant?

The SUBWAY^® chain has one of the lowest start-up costs for franchise chains in the restaurant industry. In the United States, including the initial franchise fee of $15,000, these costs range from $94,300 - $222,800. These numbers, of course, depend on many factors, such as location and size of establishment. For International or Non-traditional investment information, check out Franchise Opportunities today!

20. How does the SUBWAY^® chain select new countries to expand into?

The SUBWAY^® chain does not select new countries to expand into. In a way, they choose us! Since all SUBWAY^® restaurants are owned and operated by local business people, the chain seeks partnerships with folks who are already in the area. If an individual approaches the chain from a country where there are no SUBWAY^® restaurants, the development team will work with that person to provide assistance in opening their first SUBWAY^® restaurant.

21. Who is the president of SUBWAY^® Restaurants?

Fred DeLuca is the president and co-founder of the SUBWAY^® restaurant chain. He was 17 years old when he began the business with a $1,000 loan from family friend and partner, Dr. Peter Buck. Dr. Buck suggested that Fred open a sandwich shop in order to make enough money to pay for college tuition.

22. Why buy into a franchise?

A franchise enables entrepreneurs to have an opportunity to provide a known product from an established brand with a proven operating system already in place.

23. What types of foods are served at SUBWAY^® restaurants?

SUBWAY^® restaurants offer a delicious variety of footlong and 6-inch sandwiches, salads and wraps that are made with a wide assortment of meats, cheeses, vegetables and toppings. All SUBWAY^® sandwiches are made on freshly baked bread and are prepared right before your eyes, just the way you like it.

24. Who is Jared? Is he a real person?

Jared Fogle is the young man who lost 245 lbs. by eating nothing but SUBWAY^® sandwiches for almost a year in a diet program of his own design that included lots of walking and, yes, he is real. Jared came to our attention after Men’s Health magazine ran an article that featured his amazing weight-loss success story. Appearing in a series of SUBWAY^® TV commercials beginning in January 2000, Jared has since inspired many others to follow his lead. These days, he keeps busy by traveling throughout the United States and Canada, making public appearance and doing thousands of interviews for television, radio, newspapers and magazines.

25. What did Jared eat to lose all that weight?

Jared Fogle had a 6-inch SUBWAY^® turkey sub for lunch and a foot-long SUBWAY^® Veggie Delite^® sub for dinner. He drank diet soda and occasionally snacked on a bag of baked chips. Jared also included lots of walking as part of the diet program that he invented, which allowed him to lose 245 lbs. in a little less than a year.

26. What are the goals of SUBWAY^® restaurants for the future?

SUBWAY^® restaurants’ goal is to be ranked the number one restaurant by consumers and number one in restaurant count in every market that we serve.

27. Does the SUBWAY^® chain do any children’s marketing or have any products aimed specifically at kids?

Yes, the chain offers the SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS™ meal. It is a specially designed meal package for children that includes a sandwich prepared on a Mini Sub roll, a FRESH FIT™ side choice - sliced apples, raisins, or strawberry yogurt; a drink - 1% low fat white milk, 2% reduced fat chocolate milk, or a 100% juice box; and a toy premium.

28. Are there charges for extra vegetables requested on a sub or salad?

All restaurants must follow a formula when preparing subs and salads. Charging for extra toppings is not recommended.

29. Is there an age requirement to purchase a SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS ™ meal ?

The SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS™ meal is recommended for children, because of its smaller portion size. However, any customer may purchase a SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS™ meal. Children need not be present at the time of purchase.

30. How does the SUBWAY^® chain adapt its menu to allow for religious and cultural needs in international markets?

Although the SUBWAY^® chain tries to keep its menu the same all over the world so that patrons can expect to enjoy the same great-tasting sandwiches no matter where they are, it is very conscious of the different religious and cultural dietary needs of consumers and takes steps to adapt its menu accordingly. For instance, in India, where the population is either Hindu and does not eat beef or Muslim and does not eat pork, these ingredients are appropriately substituted with chicken, lamb or turkey.

31. How can I learn more about the nutrition values of the food at SUBWAY^® restaurants?

SUBWAY^® sandwiches are an alternative to traditionally greasy fast food. The SUBWAY^® chain is proud to be able to provide the tools necessary for health-conscious consumers to make educated and informed decisions about what to eat with nutrition information that is available on our Web site, in our restaurants and over the phone.

32. Are SUBWAY^® restaurants involved with any civic or charitable organizations?

The SUBWAY^® chain is involved with many civic, educational and charitable organizations such as the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, March of Dimes, and the United Way. On a local basis SUBWAY^® franchisees are involved with many schools and religious or community organizations. For more specific information regarding your town or state, inquire at your neighborhood SUBWAY^® restaurant.

33. How does the SUBWAY^® headquarters team communicate with the franchisees, development agents, regional managers and field staff?

The Communications Dept. includes the Publications team, which prepares several weekly newsletters, voicemail messages and e-mail messages. The SUBWAY^® Web site communicates via the SUBWAY Partners™ Electronic Library, where franchisees, DAs and field staff can download e-forms, as well as news, marketing calendars, technical assistance, boilerplate press releases, and a wealth of information that they need to run their business.

34. Where can I purchase your wallpaper?

The SUBWAY^® mural is designed and created by our Creative Services Department for the sole use of SUBWAY^® restaurant décor.

35. Are Seeing Eye dogs allowed in SUBWAY^® restaurants?

Guide dogs and K-9 companions are allowed in all public and private places, including SUBWAY^® restaurants, grocery stores, etc. This is a Federal Law requirement under the American Disabilities Act.

36. What does BMT® stand for?

The acronym BMT® stands for Biggest, Meatiest, and Tastiest. In the early days of SUBWAY^® restaurants, it was a promotion that was based on the Brooklyn Manhattan Transit system in New York City that went along with the subway theme.