Will Subway restaurants be around in 10 years?

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They got a bit carried away … three stores in a town of 11k for example …

All other chains have one to none …
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I remember the days when Subway used to slice the meat extremely thin and then stack it on the sandwich in bunches instead of laying each slice spread out flat like they do now. I also remember when they used to bake the bread on site and have the clear glass ovens visible to the customer. The smell of the bread baking was awesome.


They still bake bread on-site.
 
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Originally Posted By: dishdude
Saw this and thought of this thread.

http://www.businessinsider.com/subways-closes-stores-spirals-downwards-2017-12

oops, already posted.


""They can't just toss a bunch of stuff on random bread products and expect it to impress an increasingly discerning public," one marketing executive says."

That about nails it right there. We have one franchise in town, I think I went once. But we also have a Quiznos. Not that it's much better, but not every bite is BREAD. If I wanted to eat (lousy) bread I would just buy bread at the store, not Subway. Oddly the closest food variety of any type to my work place is, indeed Subway. So when I go do chores/errands at lunch sometimes I just have to get something in my belly. Meh, I'll go hungry.

And enter Jarrod. I guess we found out why he was really losing weight, was not a bread diet.

Subway sandwiches are the bottom of the heap in an area that already doesn't know (in general) what a good sammich is. No one should be surprised if business is suffering.
 
Originally Posted By: BalticBob
Subway is a Sub-standard sandwich.....too many other choices.


Like what?

And I'm not saying that as a wise-crack, I'm curious what sandwich joints you have available in your area. We had Blimpie and Quiznos for a few years but they were taken over by Subway. The only other options I really have in the surrounding towns/cities are a mom and pop general store with a deli, a supermarket with a deli, or restaurants that make sandwiches.
 
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
Originally Posted By: dishdude
How's McDonald's still around? There are so many better sandwich and burger places that have popped up recently that I think they've lost relevance.

Name recognition and convenience.

Well you going to have to ask Hardee's and Burger King why Mcdonald's drive thru is always busy, while they only have one customer ever so often!

laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: BalticBob
Subway is a Sub-standard sandwich.....too many other choices.


Like what?

And I'm not saying that as a wise-crack, I'm curious what sandwich joints you have available in your area. We had Blimpie and Quiznos for a few years but they were taken over by Subway. The only other options I really have in the surrounding towns/cities are a mom and pop general store with a deli, a supermarket with a deli, or restaurants that make sandwiches.


D'Angelo, in the northeast.
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: BalticBob
Subway is a Sub-standard sandwich.....too many other choices.


Like what?

And I'm not saying that as a wise-crack, I'm curious what sandwich joints you have available in your area. We had Blimpie and Quiznos for a few years but they were taken over by Subway. The only other options I really have in the surrounding towns/cities are a mom and pop general store with a deli, a supermarket with a deli, or restaurants that make sandwiches.


The only chains Ive liked sandwiches at in a pinch are jersey mikes (used to be local but now in va and elsewhere), and to a point, jimmy johns.

The reality is that the best sandwiches are made in small places, no franchise seems to have gotten the recipe right. Except primo hoagies, who has the right bread and everything, but I think they're only a philly thing.

The reality too is that the bread makes or breaks the sandwich. No crusty on the outside, soft on the inside long bread with sesame seeds on top... no chance of being a really good sandwich. Note that blimpies and jersey mikes use long submarine rolls... so that means they can't be truly great, but they still taste better than subway, imo.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: BalticBob
Subway is a Sub-standard sandwich.....too many other choices.


Like what?

And I'm not saying that as a wise-crack, I'm curious what sandwich joints you have available in your area. We had Blimpie and Quiznos for a few years but they were taken over by Subway. The only other options I really have in the surrounding towns/cities are a mom and pop general store with a deli, a supermarket with a deli, or restaurants that make sandwiches.


D'Angelo, in the northeast.


There's a small local chain in Boston called Al's Cafe. Has good yelp reviews. Just a few locations but way better than D'Angelo. They're the ones that have 20 people behind the counter and really crank out the sandwiches even when the placed is packed. Most local places that claim that they have Famous roast beef are also pretty good.

Basically the problem with the chains like Subway is that 12.5% goes to corporate, 8% is their royalty fee and 4.5% for advertising. So you can get a better bang for your buck at the smaller mom and pop shops because they don't have the fixed overhead like the chains. In theory the chain is supposed to drive extra business to the shop, but most subways around here don't even seem that busy every time I walk by.
 
Yeah, but the idea with any small business is to take "some off the top". As in non-reported income. Get real.

I have Subway questions. Since the business news stories cited above say that the chain has contracted 4.46% since 2015 (I did the math), you have to ask for details.
Which shops closed? Where were they? Did a booming area push the non-swank Subway chain out with high rents? Did something like a Quick-Check (NJ + NY only) open and knock 'em out?
Were the closed stores recent, desperate openings?
Were any in malls?.....Army bases?....universities?
How many of the closed stores were owned by multiple store owners?

Data here is what you need.
 
The gas station near my house has a deli that makes HUGE sandwiches for the same or less $$$ than Subway. Better flavor, too.

The best sandwiches I ever had were the Mintor Market sloppy joes. Went out of business in the early 90s.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
Yeah, but the idea with any small business is to take "some off the top". As in non-reported income. Get real.

I have Subway questions. Since the business news stories cited above say that the chain has contracted 4.46% since 2015 (I did the math), you have to ask for details.
Which shops closed? Where were they? Did a booming area push the non-swank Subway chain out with high rents? Did something like a Quick-Check (NJ + NY only) open and knock 'em out?
Were the closed stores recent, desperate openings?
Were any in malls?.....Army bases?....universities?
How many of the closed stores were owned by multiple store owners?

Data here is what you need.





Yep. The news media these days wants to hit you with a headline but won’t tell you the entire story. Sometimes an area gets franchise overloaded. There might be be two Subway stores within a short distance of each other. Also, many franchise investors with the means will open multiple franchises in one location. It is not uncommon for a Subway, a McDonalds, and any other major franchise to open next to each other, all owned by one franchise owner. They own the corner so to speak. It’s even easier if they deal with one company like Yum Brands for example. Yum owns Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell to name a few. That’s why you see these fast food outlets grouped together like they are.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
Yeah, but the idea with any small business is to take "some off the top". As in non-reported income. Get real.

I have Subway questions. Since the business news stories cited above say that the chain has contracted 4.46% since 2015 (I did the math), you have to ask for details.
Which shops closed? Where were they? Did a booming area push the non-swank Subway chain out with high rents? Did something like a Quick-Check (NJ + NY only) open and knock 'em out?
Were the closed stores recent, desperate openings?
Were any in malls?.....Army bases?....universities?
How many of the closed stores were owned by multiple store owners?

Data here is what you need.


I know of two Subways that closed-one was in a sort of half gas station/half truck stop. They closed because the place was being gutted and rebuilt as a 7-Eleven(?). Another closed because the building it was in was sold, and is being rebuilt as a target. A third closed because the guy that owned it died.
 
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