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The fast-food sandwich chain Subway has grown dramatically since it was founded nearly 60 years ago. While many know it’s common across its home country of the United States, others may wonder where else in the world they can “Eat Fresh.” The answer shows the varying success Subway has found in penetrating different countries globally.
Overall, over 100 countries have at least one Subway, covering over half of the nations on the planet. The obvious number one country for Subway locations is the United States, with just under 20,000 – a drop by about 400 since the previous year. Canada sits in a distant second place with just over 2,900, or less than 15% of the U.S. count. However, Canada takes the cake in per-capita locations, thanks to its far smaller population. The United Kingdom isn’t far behind, with more than 2,100 locations. Brazil (1,559 locations) and Australia (1,221) round out the top five. Other than the United States, the top ten countries are relatively evenly split among Europe, Asia, and Central/South America.
Country | # of Subway Restaurants 2024 |
---|---|
United States | 19,968 |
Canada | 2,914 |
United Kingdom | 2,135 |
Brazil | 1,559 |
Australia | 1,221 |
India | 811 |
Mexico | 792 |
Germany | 672 |
China | 611 |
South Korea | 579 |
Other nations with a substantial number of Subways include India (811), Mexico (792), Germany (672), China (611), and South Korea (579.)
Half of the countries with a Subway location have 30 or fewer locations, and a third have 10 or fewer. Six have just one Subway, including Belgium, Estonia, and Liechtenstein. Smaller island nations tend to have few Subways, like the Marshall Islands (1), the Northern Mariana Islands (2), and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2). However, relatively large, well-known countries like Latvia and Denmark (2 each) also occupy the bottom tier of the list.
The splits among nations can be explained mainly by the natural progression of a U.S.-centric chain expanding around the globe. It’s also vital to consider the varying roles the traditional sub sandwich has in local cuisine, though American and Western expats can add to the pool of customers worldwide, too.