The first three months of 2008 were busy for the Subway restaurant chain, which hit impressive milestones and opened more than 400 new locations, the company said. The chain’s now has more than 29,000 locations, 7,500 of which are in international markets and 3,500 of which are in convenience stores, truck stops and travel centers.
Within the first three months this year, Subway crossed the 2,300 mark in Canada, opened its 80th restaurant in France and Ireland and opened its 50th branch in the Netherlands and South Korea.
Domestically, the Subway chain reached the 2,000-store milestone in California, 1,600 in Texas, 700 in North Carolina and 500 in Wisconsin. For the Nontraditional development category, the Subway chain now has more than 6,700 locations in outlets including airports, department stores, hospitals, parks and recreational facilities. The restaurants are also located at 250 military bases and 90 grocery stores worldwide.
Touted as a healthy alternative to traditionally fatty and greasy fast food, Subway has been quickly developing a new reputation by adapting its menu to ethnic and religious groups whose dietary laws sometimes prevent them from enjoying a meal outside the home. The chain boasts 12 kosher locations in the U.S. and more than 50 restaurants in Europe that serve halal foods prepared according to Muslim traditions.
In February, the Subway chain was named the No. 1 provider of healthful foods, according to studies conducted by research firm Sandleman & Associates. Also in February, Brand Keys Inc.’s Customer Loyalty Engagement Index listed the Subway brand as the No. 1 fast food restaurant, while Corporate Research International gave Subway top rankings in customer service in its Real People Ratings survey.
The Subway chain also received the 2008 Welcome Mat Award for best sandwich shop from the Good Sam Club, the nation’s largest organization of recreation vehicle owners.
The following is a breakdown of some of the Subway chain’s most recent openings in the c-store category:
