Subway shrinks to less than 20K locations for first time in decades

Subway, once the dominant presence in American fast food, has slipped below 20,000 restaurants nationwide for the first time in roughly 20 years — continuing a multiyear contraction that stands in contrast to its growing international ambitions.According to data released by the company, Subway ended 2024 with 19,502 US locations — down a net 631 stores from the previous year.In less than a decade, Subway has reduced its US footprint by nearly a third.At its peak, Subway operated more than 27,000 restaurants in the US in 2016.Since then, Subway has shed approximately 7,600 US locations, with more than 1,000 closures each in 2018, 2020, and 2021.In December, The Post reported that Subway had long ignored “screams for help” from its struggling franchisees and that the company was in danger of being “gobbled up” by a faster-growing rival Jersey Mike’s.Despite the shrinking footprint, Subway still retains the title of the largest US restaurant chain by unit count.Starbucks follows with 16,935 domestic stores and McDonald’s is third with 13,559.But Subway’s domestic retrenchment represents a dramatic reversal for a brand that once defined the quick-service category.A Subway spokesperson acknowledged the trend in a statement to QSR Magazine, emphasizing the company’s “Smart Growth” strategy.“In the US, we are optimizing our footprint using a strategic, data-driven approach to ensure restaurants are in the right location, image and format and operated by the right franchisees,” a company spokesperson told QSR Magazine.As US locations dwindle, Subway is doubling down on international markets.The company has secured commitments for more than 10,000 new restaurants globally through master franchise deals struck over the past three years.In 2024 alone, Subway signed seven master franchise agreements, enabling its entry into countries such as Paraguay and Mongolia and expanding its presence in Europe and Latin America.“Subway achieved positive glob...