Subway, not McDonald's: History of world's largest fast food chain
Subway, not McDonald's: History of world's largest fast food chain (Getty Images)
Do you know what fast food restaurant chain is the largest in the world? The first one that comes to mind for many is McDonald's. But in reality, the leader is Subway.
Read on RBC-Ukraine what is known about the world's largest fast food and its history.
To prepare the story, the following sources were used: Subway, Statista, Wikipedia.
History of business
The history of Subway began in 1965. At that time, 17-year-old Fred DeLuca turned to a family friend, a nuclear physicist, Dr. Peter Buck, for advice. The young man was thinking about earning money to pay for college.
The scientist suggested becoming partners and opening a store selling freshly made sandwiches at an affordable price. With an initial capital of $1,000 (provided by Buck), the entrepreneurs opened the first restaurant in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It was called Pete's Super Submarines.
The sandwiches were called submarines because they resembled submarines.
Soon, DeLuca abandoned his longtime dream of becoming a doctor and began studying the basics of business management. He observed the behavior of visitors and came up with new ideas to make the sandwich shop even more popular and profitable.
Over time, Pete's Super Submarines was shortened to Pete's Subway.
It later transformed into the simple and well-known Subway.
By 1974, the businessmen were managing 16 stores throughout Connecticut, but their dreams went further—to open at least 32 restaurants.
They turned to franchising and succeeded. The sandwich shops evolved into fast food restaurants, and the Subway brand gained worldwide recognition.
Business partners (photo: subway.com)
Recent achievements
According to Statista, in 2023, the global fast-food restaurant brand Subway had 36,592 stores worldwide.
Most of the restaurants (around 20.3 thousand) are located in Subway's homeland—the United States. Canada is second, followed by the United Kingdom.
In 2023, the brand had more restaurants worldwide than any other.
Subway around the world (infographic: statista.com)
Features
The official name of the Subway franchise company is Doctor's Associates, Inc.
Subway positions itself as a healthy alternative to standard fast-food chains. It's reflected in the company's slogan, "Eat fresh!"
A typical Subway restaurant is a small space with a transparent counter, with ingredients for sandwiches inside. Behind the counter are ovens where sandwich rolls are baked. There are usually not many seatings.
In addition to standard restaurants, Subway is located in non-traditional and even unexpected places (in supermarkets, on military bases, and even in the Pentagon building).
Subway's menu varies by country, but the main dishes include various sandwiches and salads. Customers may also be offered a selection of homemade bread varieties.
The menu varies (screenshot: subway.com)
