Hugely Popular Restaurant Chain Closes 600 Locations In 1 Year

This might come as a surprise, but Subway is the largest restaurant chain in the world. Many people assume that places that sling burgers and fries are on top, but Subway occupies the most restaurant real estate globally. While the sandwich shop seems to dominate the market, it may be losing star power. According to Restaurant Business, Subway closed 600 locations in 2024. This is the first time in two decades that the chain has dipped under 20,000 locations in the United States. Per the FDD via Restaurant Business, Subway peaked in 2015 with 27,100 restaurants in the /us alone. Since 2015, Subway has closed 7,600 restaurants.

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From 2015 to 2023, Subway closed about 950 locations a year. So, the news from 2024 isn’t all bad for the sandwich shop. Even with thousands of locations across the U.S., Starbucks is set to eclipse Subway as the most prolific chain in the country. As food prices rise and people continue to be more selective about how they spend their money, every business has to do its best to attract new customers. Subway is no different.

They frequently introduce new menu items to attract business. The newest addition is the Doritos Footlong Nachos.

“we had to go with @Doritos Footlong Nachos cause triangle subs wouldn’t fit in the sandwich sleeve. limited time at participating restaurants,” Subway shared on Instagram.

This person loved them, “I could eat the Doritos footlong nachos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

“You understood the assignment, and now we get to eat it,” this fan agreed.

After hearing that many Subway locations are closed, this person thinks they know why. “I hear you guys are closing a bunch of stores, ngl, I stopped going when you guys made your new menu and got rid of the sourdough bread here in the Bay Area. Get it together.”

This story’s featured image is by Olga Nayashkova via Shutterstock.