Subway Had to Close 729 More Stores — But Executives Say It’s About Finding ‘the Right Locations’
The sandwich giant has shuttered 8,345 restaurants since 2016, but international growth and operational improvements are on the rise.
Subway cut another 729 U.S. stores in 2025, marking the 10th straight year of decline, according to QSR. Since 2016, Subway has closed 8,345 restaurants.
Management says the closures are part of a “rightsizing” strategy. In a statement, Subway said it “focused on ensuring restaurants are in the right locations with the real estate, visibility and operations that set franchisees up to succeed long-term. Translation: fewer stores in better spots beats market saturation with underperforming units.
Subway still leads the U.S. by store count, ahead of Starbucks and McDonald’s. Its franchise disclosure documents project 100 new U.S. openings in 2026, with closures likely in the hundreds again. The brand is rolling out a value menu with 15 items under $5 and says store-level scores are climbing. Internationally, it’s a different story — Subway opened over 1,000 locations worldwide in 2025 and has agreements in place for 12,000 more units.
Subway cut another 729 U.S. stores in 2025, marking the 10th straight year of decline, according to QSR. Since 2016, Subway has closed 8,345 restaurants.
Management says the closures are part of a “rightsizing” strategy. In a statement, Subway said it “focused on ensuring restaurants are in the right locations with the real estate, visibility and operations that set franchisees up to succeed long-term. Translation: fewer stores in better spots beats market saturation with underperforming units.
Subway still leads the U.S. by store count, ahead of Starbucks and McDonald’s. Its franchise disclosure documents project 100 new U.S. openings in 2026, with closures likely in the hundreds again. The brand is rolling out a value menu with 15 items under $5 and says store-level scores are climbing. Internationally, it’s a different story — Subway opened over 1,000 locations worldwide in 2025 and has agreements in place for 12,000 more units.
