WHEN CONSUMERS THINK of fast food franchises , they tend to think of burgers and fries . But while this remains the stereotype , a sandwich and salad chain focused on fresh and healthy options has spent the past four decades quietly building an empire bigger than any other competitor in its class . With more than 40,000 locations in over a hundred countries and territories , Subway is by far the largest single brand QSR chain in the world .
When a brand sees this much success , there are always lessons that can be learned from their journey . What are some points we can take from Subway ’ s growth to put toward the promise of our own franchising success ?
VARY YOUR SPACES
FRANCHISING
WHEN CONSUMERS THINK of fast food franchises , they tend to think of burgers and fries . But while this remains the stereotype , a sandwich and salad chain focused on fresh and healthy options has spent the past four decades quietly building an empire bigger than any other competitor in its class . With more than 40,000 locations in over a hundred countries and territories , Subway is by far the largest single brand QSR chain in the world .
When a brand sees this much success , there are always lessons that can be learned from their journey . What are some points we can take from Subway ’ s growth to put toward the promise of our own franchising success ?
1
VARY YOUR SPACES
In nearly every report on
Subway , there is mention of the brand ’ s success in non-traditional spaces . There ’ s a good reason for this : Subway has never been shy about getting into tight spaces for the sake of opening a new outlet , and that willingness to break out of the traditional restaurant chain mold has been an integral part of the brand ’ s long-term success .
As QSR Magazine points out , that determination has found Subway getting into some interesting situations — from a cruise ship to a food truck service following a military unit . But the concept of non-traditional space doesn ’ t have to be that colorful to be effective .
Subway has built a lot of success simply by eschewing the necessity of a stand-alone restaurant model to build smaller kiosks and outlets in hospitals , universities , airports , and gas stations — all high traffic areas sure to attract consumers who will likely be grateful to find a familiar brand offering freshly-made food . To some degree , it ’ s certainly about achieving higher density by putting your brand into areas with low square footage and higher profit potential . But it ’ s also about higher exposure , and it ’ s a smart way to increase brand loyalty .
8 June 2015