Personally, I love a good fast-food sandwich! It’s something good to grab on a trip out with family and friends.
The toasty warmth of a nice Chicken Pizzaiola, or the heartiness of a Steak ‘n’ Cheese always wins when I’m wondering what to spend my lunch money on.
When you realize that Subway has stores from Afghanistan to Zambia and thousands more in the middle, they must be doing something right.
Here we’re going to look at 30 facts about the fast-food franchise.
The BMT sandwich, the ham pepperoni, and salami combo is named after the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit system.
In 2014 it was reported that Subway sold a staggering 7.6 million subs per day. That’s not far off from the population of New York!
The original Subway was opened in 1965 through a $1,000 loan. Fred DeLuca took the loan from a friend and opened up his first store in Connecticut called Pete’s Super Submarines.
Doctor’s Associates Inc. is the name of the company that oversees the Subway franchise. The name derives from Fred’s goal to earn enough money to pay for medical school.
Subway hand-picks every single black olive they use in their sandwich, rather than the more damaging but less time-consuming process of machine-picking that other brands use.
On opening, Pete’s sold just over 310 submarine sandwiches and charged no more than 70 cents for the subs.
The lunchtime classic, the 6-inch, was initially called “the Snak” when it was added to the sandwich chain’s enormous menu in 1977.
New York’s True Bethel Baptists Church opened a Subway store to employ disadvantaged men and women from his community in 2004.
In 1968, Fred renamed his Super Sub store to the iconic “Subway” that we know today.
Subway has stores in over 110 countries as of June 2017, with the most stores outside the U.S. being in the U.K. and Brazil. There is a combined total of around 4,500 Subway stores around the world.
Each year, the average Subway store uses a staggering 16 acres of the leafy green we all know and love in our sandwich – lettuce.
In 2015, an American man decided to rob a Subway and then thought the best use of the money he took was to buy a Potbelly sandwich at the same place. He was arrested that day.
According to a former employee, when it comes to your choice of filling, the meatballs and roast beef are the worst items you could order due to the amount of time they could be laying around.
In 2010, Subway revealed an off-menu deal in Southern California for when the weather is rainy and drab. It’s aptly named the “Southern California Special”, it allows customers to get a “free regular 6 inch or hot soup” when they “buy any sub and a 32-oz drink”.
During the building of the first World Trade Center, a Subway franchise decided to open a store elevated high above the New York Skyline to feed hungry time-strapped construction workers.
In August 2015, Subway revealed on their Twitter that they broke a real Guinness World Record by managing to make the most sub sandwiches simultaneously. All of the proceeds went to local charities.
In 1996, the first U.K. Subway store opened. Subway also launched its main website, subway.com.
In January 2013, Subway managed to accumulate 20 million fans of their Facebook Social Media page.
As it currently stands, U.S. Subways offer 16 alternative main sandwiches on their “All Sandwiches” section on their website, but the combination of D.I.Y. sandwiches and topping combinations is reportedly in the millions.
In 1981, the 200th store was opened in Washington. Shortly after, their 300th opened only a year later, and their 5,000th by 1990.
Subway was featured in the 90’s blockbuster hit Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
In Seattle, 32 customers were part of a huge Subway controversy after contracting Hepatitis A in 1999. This was due to poor enforcement and implementation of food preparation processes.
In 2013, Subway responded to challenges that their sandwiches were not 12 inches by saying the “footlong” is a descriptive name of the product and not an exact measurement.
Overall Subway, actually has more chains than the fast-food juggernaut, McDonald’s!
Subway has only offered the option of toasting your creation as of 2005, and even though this is the integral part of so many customers’ sandwiches, there is a ruling being disputed in the U.K. to charge the customer for the pleasure of having it toasted due to VAT changes.
Dick Pilchen is the longest employee of Subway. He first gained employment in 1968 and is currently working in their U.S. Headquarters after working his way through the ranks.
Project Subway was a fashion show created by lunchtime heroes to create Subway-themed outfits and designs by rising stars of the fashion world. It took place in 2013 and 2014 asking designers to utilize everything from napkins and gift cards to store-stocked veggies.
Subway is potentially introducing the new “subway” with touchscreen ordering options, USB charging, and of course, Wi-Fi.
In 2016, Subway Ireland and the U.K. had a whopping $680 million turnover, and are planning by 2020 to have 5,000 new jobs on offer.
If you will like to declare your love the old-fashioned way, you can send a letter to 325 Sub Way in Milford, Connecticut. This is the address of the world headquarters of the sandwich giant.
So there we have it, from the worst choices to legal cases about sandwich measurements, Subway sure has its fair share of amazing and odd facts!
I for one, no matter what they say about the chain, will continue to love a good lunchtime 6-inch sub with all the trimmings.
