Subway Has Been Closing Locations Across America — But There’s Some Good News

Chances are that in your lifetime, you have been to a Subway restaurant to grab a sandwich. At its peak in 2016, there were almost 27,000 locations in America. But that has been changing over the last several years.

Subway Has Been Closing Locations Across America

The days of finding a Subway so easily might be slowly coming to an end. Subway has been quietly shutting doors of some locations across America since 2016..

According to Scrapehero, a data company, there were 20,603 Subway locations in America in April of 2023.

The top states to find a Subway location are California, Texas, Florida and Ohio.

According to Restaurant Business Online, Subway has shuttered more than 6,500 restaurants since 2016, when it started closing underperforming locations.

That’s roughly one of every four Subway restaurants in the U.S., and it averages out to more than 900 closings each year.

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What's Next for Subway After Store Closings?

It's important to note that despite their mass closures over the years, Subway’s sales in the U.S. increased 4 percent last in 2023, according to Technomic, and are up 17.5 percent over the past two years.

Subway recently sold out to Roark Capital for an estimated $9.6 billion. The acquisition promises to bring a lot of change, but a lot will also stay the same with the beloved brand.

According to CNN, the acquisition by Roark is a significant event in the fast-food industry. The company has a $37 billion asset value and is a big dog in the food industry already, with investments in brands including Arby's, Auntie Anne's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Carvel, Sonic and many others.

“This transaction reflects Subway’s long-term growth potential, and the substantial value of our brand and our franchisees around the world,” Subway CEO John Chidsey said in a statement. “Subway has a bright future with Roark, and we are committed to continuing to focus on a win-win-win approach for our franchisees, our guests and our employees.”

Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 130 country radio stations nationwide, every night from 7PM to midnight. He plays the best new country music and interviews today's top stars, like Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, + more!