Subway is a place for food. 
Subway is a big food group. 
Subway is a very large restaurant chain. 
Two friends started the first shop in 1965. Their names were Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck. They started in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The shop was first called Pete's Super Submarine Sandwiches. Later, the name changed to Subway.
Today, Subway is a huge business. It has over 37,000 locations. These shops are in more than 102 countries. Most of these shops are in the United States. You can find them in many places, like Australia and the United Kingdom.
Subway uses a system called franchising. This means people can pay to own their own shop. These owners are called franchisees. It costs between $200,000 and $500,000 to start a new shop. One popular sandwich is the B.M.T. This name stands for "Biggest, Meatiest, Tastiest." It is made with pepperoni, salami, and ham.
Subway is a famous restaurant chain that specializes in submarine sandwiches. 
Most Subway restaurants work through a system called franchising. This is a way for people to own and run their own shops. 
The story of Subway began in 1965. Two friends named Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck started the first shop. They opened it in Bridgeport, Connecticut. At first, the shop was called Pete's Super Submarine Sandwiches. The name changed to Subway in 1968. Later, they formed a company called Doctor's Associates Inc. to help the business grow. This name came from DeLuca's goal to pay for medical school.
Subway has grown to include more than 37,000 locations. These shops are found in more than 102 different countries and territories. As of September 2023, over 61% of all locations were in the United States. Many people find them in places like Australia, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. In 2015, Subway was the fastest-growing franchise in the world. It has even opened stores inside Walmart supercenters.
Subway changes its food to match what people like in different places. For example, some shops in India do not serve beef to respect Hindu beliefs. Instead, they offer many vegetarian options. In the United States, one of the most popular sandwiches is the B.M.T. This name stands for "Biggest, Meatiest, Tastiest." It is made using pepperoni, salami, and ham. The name is a nod to the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit system. This connects the sandwich to the "subway" name.
Subway is a massive American multinational fast food franchise. It specializes in submarine sandwiches, often called "subs," and wraps. 

The business operates through a specific system known as franchising. In this model, independent owners called franchisees run individual locations. To open a new Subway, a person must pay startup costs. These costs generally range from $200,000 to $500,000. Once the shop is running, franchisees must pay a portion of their profits back to the company. This payment is approximately 12.5% of their profits. This system allows the brand to expand rapidly across the globe.
The history of Subway began in 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Fred DeLuca founded the business with $1,000 from his friend, Peter Buck. The first shop was named Pete's Super Submarine Sandwiches. The name was changed to Subway in 1968. The founders formed a holding company called Doctor's Associates Inc. to manage the growing business. This name reflected DeLuca's dream to pay for medical school. It also honored Buck, who held a doctorate in physics.
Subway has seen incredible growth and significant changes over the decades. In 1976, the company began its franchise operations in Wallingford, Connecticut. The first location on the West Coast opened in Fresno, California, in 1978. International expansion began in Bahrain in 1984, followed by Canada in 1986. By the end of 2010, Subway became the largest fast food chain worldwide. At that time, it had 33,749 restaurants, which was 1,012 more than McDonald's. In 2015, it was ranked as the fastest-growing franchise globally.
Despite its success, the company has faced recent challenges and transitions. In 2016, Subway closed hundreds of U.S. restaurants and saw its first net loss in locations. This happened as profits fell and foot traffic decreased by 25% since 2012. To fix this, the company invested $25 million in a rebranding campaign in 2018. In 2019, John Chidsey became the first CEO who was not a member of the founding family. Ownership changed again recently when Roark Capital purchased the company. The deal was valued at $9.6 billion, making it a major acquisition in restaurant history.
Subway adapts its menu to meet different cultural and religious needs. In India, the restaurants do not serve beef to respect Hindu beliefs. Instead, they provide an extended range of vegetarian options. In the United States, the most popular sandwich is the B.M.T. This name stands for "Biggest, Meatiest, Tastiest." It is a reference to the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit system. The company also manages kosher locations, though only one remains in Miami, Florida.
Today, the company maintains a huge presence in many different territories. As of September 2023, Subway has over 37,000 locations in more than 102 countries. More than half of these locations, or 61.1%, are in the United States. This includes 21,796 individual shops. Outside of North America, large numbers of stores exist in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Australia. The company manages its international operations through five different regional centers. These centers are located in places like Amsterdam, Brisbane, Beirut, Singapore, and Miami.
🖼️ Images & Media (7)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.