About the Subway franchise system
Subway is the most widely distributed franchise system by location count, with more than 19,500 US restaurants. Subway's model historically attracted owner-operators running smaller multi-unit portfolios — making owner-level contact data especially valuable for vendors who want to reach the actual decision-maker.
Franchismo's Subway dataset maps each US franchisee to the specific stores they operate, with verified contact details for outbound, POS displacement, payroll, lending, and supplier campaigns.
Source: Franchismo methodology · FDD Item 20 (latest filing) · State franchise registrations · Operator-level verification on a 90-day cycle · Authored by Franchismo Research, AwareGTM.
Net unit decline and operator churn, 2018–2026
Subway has closed a net ~6,500 US units since its 2015 peak — the largest sustained contraction of any major US franchise system. Operator turnover is correspondingly high; roughly 11% of US Subway franchisees change ownership annually.
For lenders and M&A teams, this means Subway is the single largest source of franchise resale and distressed deal flow in QSR. For SaaS vendors, it means data freshness matters more here than anywhere else.
Franchismo Index figures are directional estimates from Franchismo Research, synthesized from FDD Item 20 filings, state registrations, and operator filings. See methodology.
Top states by Subway location count
Approximate US distribution of Subway locations. Full state, MSA, and county-level breakdowns are included for unlimited subscribers.
Notable Subway multi-unit operators
Sample of Subway multi-unit franchisees in the Franchismo dataset. Names redacted on the public page — unlock Subway or go unlimited to see them.
Sample operator
Multi-unit operator — Northeast
NY, NJ
26 units
Sample operator
Multi-unit operator — Midwest
OH, IN
19 units
Sample operator
Multi-unit operator — Florida
Tampa, Orlando
14 units
Subway franchisee data — questions, answered
About this brand
The Subway franchise system operates approximately 19,500+ US locations, run by 10,750+ individual franchisee operators tracked in the Franchismo dataset. Franchismo compiles Subway franchisee owner data from Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 20) filings and state registration sources, including operator names, direct contact information, and the specific locations each operator owns. Brand-level records are refreshed monthly; owner-level contacts are re-verified on a rolling 90-day cycle. The Subway franchisor is headquartered in Miami, FL and files its FDD in FL.
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