SaysWho? Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Subway, the world's largest fast-food chain, is struggling to adapt to more health-conscious, tech-savvy customers. So it's rapidly downsizing. Quote As consumer tastes change, fast-food and quick-serve restaurants have struggled to keep up. Starbucks (SBUX) and Burger King have redesigned and added drive-thrus. McDonald's bought a tech startup that will help improve mobile ordering. Chipotle (CMG) is redesigning stores and its menus. Panera completely revised its breakfast options. And the whole industry has begun offering healthier food options and digital kiosks for faster orders. The NY Post originally reported this: Quote An annual financial disclosure statement filed in Wisconsin Monday says a net 1,108 restaurants closed nationally in 2018. Subway had forecast that about 500 would close, according to media reports. That 1,108 is higher than the prior record of 866 net closures in 2017 and 357 in 2016. Subway overall has 24,798 US locations, down from 27,129 at the end of 2016. The number of New York state restaurants fell from 1,222 in 2016 to 1,016. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mclumber1 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 No one wants bread anymore. LO CARB 4 LYFE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skillzdadirecta Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 2 minutes ago, mclumber1 said: No one wants bread anymore. LO CARB 4 LYFE Their bread tastes like rubber... and they had too many stores anyway to be honest. There's like FIVE within walking distance of my house. Also Jersey Mike's and Jimmy Johns make better sandwiches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 8 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said: Also Jersey Mike's and Jimmy Johns make better sandwiches This right here. Also, I have a Subway a block away from me, and a Jimmy John's about half a mile away from me. Even with delivery costs, it's similar in price (maybe $2 different plus tip) to get a better sub from JJs and will take the same amount of time to get it delivered than it would take for me to walk that block to Subway and back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Is this from franchisees giving up, closing corporate locations, or a mix of both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Subway needs to be like 2 bucks cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaysWho? Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 13 minutes ago, Jason said: Is this from franchisees giving up, closing corporate locations, or a mix of both? According to the links, it's Subway closing stores so they can be more profitable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 2 minutes ago, SaysWho? said: According to the links, it's Subway closing stores so they can be more profitable. But, like, what does that mean? Just closing their corporate stores? Or also declining to renew franchise agreements? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 It’s cheap to buy a subway franchise, like $10k for the franchise fee and only another $25-30k for buildout and initial inventory. I believe Subway also has no territory restrictions, which is why you’ll find literally 5 or 6 in relatively close proximity, or multiple locations even in small towns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneticBlueprint Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Not currently, but the city I last lived in had 3 Subways within walking distance of my place. And another 6 at a distance I'm willing to bike (for other stuff, not Subway). In a town of 100k people. Way oversaturated. Where I live now there are 2 within walking distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneticBlueprint Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 1 minute ago, sblfilms said: It’s cheap to buy a subway franchise, like $10k for the franchise fee and only another $25-30k for buildout and initial inventory. I believe Subway also has no territory restrictions, which is why you’ll find literally 5 or 6 in relatively close proximity, or multiple locations even in small towns. I love how we posted at the same time and you gave the technical details while I gave a real life example. Haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chakoo Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 I guess people are tired of chicken flavor gym mats. I can’t stand the stuff (taste like I had a bowl of salt). I miss the deli counter at a small Italian grocery near ubi in Montreal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Bacon said: Subway needs to be like 2 bucks cheaper. Serious, you can't even get a $5 footlong anymore. $12 for a shitty sandwich, $.99 bag of chips and a coke is too damn much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinIon Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 I tried to find a link and couldn't, but I recall reading an article a few years back about how Subway was incredibly aggressive about opening new stores, but didn't really care much about their survival. They have a sales structure where people get paid for how many stores they open and almost nothing else. One of the results of that was Subway got more FTC(?) complaints than every other food franchise combined. When I was trying to find that article I found a bunch of different ones all reiterating the same thing that the OPs articles did, but they were from almost every year since 2010. Over time the articles went from "Subway is terrible to its franchisees, but it's still growing so fast!" to "Subway is terrible to its franchisees, and now they're shrinking." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris- Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 2 hours ago, skillzdadirecta said: Their bread tastes like rubber... and they had too many stores anyway to be honest. There's like FIVE within walking distance of my house. Also Jersey Mike's and Jimmy Johns make better sandwiches. In college I worked at a Walmart that had a Subway inside, and the smell the bread made while it 'baked' is one of the most revolting scents I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 13 minutes ago, Chris- said: In college I worked at a Walmart that had a Subway inside, and the smell the bread made while it 'baked' is one of the most revolting scents I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing. I worked at a Subway one summer and had to stop taking my free meals because I became convinced the food was making me woozy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dualhunter Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 The number of locations gets really ridiculous when you count downtown food court Subways. Adjacent buildings each with a Subway inside plus street level stores. There are over 20 of them in an area measuring a square mile with a few more a few hundred meters outside that zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 23 minutes ago, Jason said: I worked at a Subway one summer and had to stop taking my free meals because I became convinced the food was making me woozy. I worked at KFC in college and gained 30 lbs so I guess I had the opposite problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris- Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 10 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said: I worked at KFC in college and gained 30 lbs so I guess I had the opposite problem. That gravy will get you every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 1 minute ago, Chris- said: That gravy will get you every time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLeon Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 The one right down the street from me closed a few months ago. I felt sad at first, then I realized that I've lived here for almost two years and never once even considered eating there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkableriots Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 4 hours ago, skillzdadirecta said: Their bread tastes like rubber... and they had too many stores anyway to be honest. There's like FIVE within walking distance of my house. Also Jersey Mike's and Jimmy Johns make better sandwiches. JJ would be better if they had meatball sandwiches. I would prefer Jersey Mike's but it's too far to walk to and they don't deliver here. 2 hours ago, Dodger said: Serious, you can't even get a $5 footlong anymore. $12 for a shitty sandwich, $.99 bag of chips and a coke is too damn much. The one i go to has any 3 footlongs for $18 special atm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anathema- Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Their bread changed when they were bought out like fifteen years ago. Smells like piss. They haven't recovered imo. Also, when I worked there, the Pentagon literally had five subways in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skillzdadirecta Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 3 hours ago, Remarkableriots said: JJ would be better if they had meatball sandwiches. I would prefer Jersey Mike's but it's too far to walk to and they don't deliver here. Both Jersey Mike's in my neighborhood are too far away to walk to too. Subway is across the street and Jimmy John's is in the building next door Do you guys have Blimpies where you live or is that just a Jersey thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilentWorld Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 5 hours ago, Chris- said: In college I worked at a Walmart that had a Subway inside, and the smell the bread made while it 'baked' is one of the most revolting scents I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing. I don’t understand how it’s possible to make baking bread smell bad but I guess shitty fast food will find a way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkableriots Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 1 hour ago, skillzdadirecta said: Both Jersey Mike's in my neighborhood are too far away to walk to too. Subway is across the street and Jimmy John's is in the building next door Do you guys have Blimpies where you live or is that just a Jersey thing? The only other sub sandwich place nearby is Quiznos and the bread tasted like it was a week old. I used to go to a different Quiznos which tasted way better but that one is too far away now. Blimpies is a 4 mile walk from where i live so maybe i'll try it sometime. I don't have a vehicle so i walk everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Eh, Subway is okay. I feel like I've been eating it a lot lately since it's the only thing in the cafeteria at my hospital open at night and I haven't been home enough to cook lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marioandsonic Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Subway is meh. Now Firehouse Subs on the other hand, that's where I usually went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkableriots Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 1 minute ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said: Eh, Subway is okay. I feel like I've been eating it a lot lately since it's the only thing in the cafeteria at my hospital open at night and I haven't been home enough to cook lately. I miss being able to cook but my current apartment only has a microwave unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 They have shitty lettuce and their food gives me diarrhea. I like Jersey Mike's way more and I can order that online and go down the street and get some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 I had Jersey Mike's the other day (they have gf bread)! It was ok, but it's just way overpriced for what you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBladeRoden Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Penn Station 4 life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mclumber1 Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 I've had a salad from Subway a few times. They are pretty trash, as their salad is just based on their sub ingredients - including the wilted lettuce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkStar189 Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 I've been going to Subway less and less over the years. Prices keep going up and its just not worth it. I can make almost all the stuff at home anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaysWho? Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 3 hours ago, DarkStar189 said: I've been going to Subway less and less over the years. Prices keep going up and its just not worth it. I can make almost all the stuff at home anyways. Especially with the loss of the $5 footlong deals, it's hard to justify choosing Subway if you have a Publix, Firehouse or Jersey Mike's nearby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.