McDonald's No Longer #1

[jimmy olsen]

Boo! Subway sucks, it's the shittiest sub store I've ever been to.

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112284/subway-passes-mcdonalds

Subway Passes McDonald's
by Julie Jargon
Monday, March 7, 2011

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It's official: the Subway sandwich chain has surpassed McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD - News) as the world's largest restaurant chain, in terms of units.

At the end of last year, Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide, compared to McDonald's 32,737. The burger giant disclosed its year-end store count in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing late last month.

The race for global dominance is an important one for an industry that's mostly saturated in the U.S. High unemployment and economic uncertainty have battered the restaurant industry in the U.S., and chains are increasingly looking overseas for growth, particularly in Asia.

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Starbucks Corp. Honda (Nasdaq: SBUX - News) recently said it plans to triple its number of outlets in China, for example. Dunkin' Brands Inc., parent of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, plans to open thousands of new outlets in China in coming years as well as its first stores in Vietnam in the next 18 months. Subway just opened its 1,000th location in Asia, including its first in Vietnam.

Subway, which opened its first international restaurant in 1984, in Bahrain, expects its number of international restaurants to exceed its domestic ones by 2020, says Don Fertman, Subway's Chief Development Officer. The chain currently has just over 24,000 restaurants in the U.S., where it generated $10.5 billion of its $15.2 billion in revenue last year.

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The closely held company, owned by Doctor's Associates Inc., does not disclose its profits.

McDonald's is still the leader when it comes to sales. The burger chain reported $24 billion in revenue last year. "We remain focused on listening to and serving our customers, and are committed to being better, not just bigger," a McDonald's spokeswoman says.

Subway, which surpassed the number of McDonald's in the U.S. about nine years ago, expects China to eventually become one of its largest markets. The sandwich shop only has 199 restaurants in China now, but expects to have more than 500 by 2015.

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Subway has achieved its rapid growth, in part, by opening outlets in non-traditional locations such as an automobile showroom in California, an appliance store in Brazil, a ferry terminal in Seattle, a riverboat in Germany, a zoo in Taiwan, a Goodwill store in South Carolina, a high school in Detroit and a church in Buffalo, New York.

"We're continually looking at just about any opportunity for someone to buy a sandwich, wherever that might be. The closer we can get to the customer, the better," Mr. Fertman says, explaining that it now has almost 8,000 Subways in unusual locations. "The non-traditional is becoming traditional."

The company has some concerns about the economies of certain international markets, such as Germany and the United Kingdom. The company is trying to develop more affordable offerings in those countries, similar to the $5 foot-long sandwiches that have been successful in the U.S.

"Finding that kind of value proposition in those countries is essential," Mr. Fertman says.

[Josquius]

Subway is too dear.
But it is freaky how quickly it has taken off. The first ones I can remember seeing in the UK were less than 10 years ago, now they're absolutely everywhere, constantly leap frogging each other into better spots.

[CountDeMoney]

It's that fucking Jared.  Fucking Jew.

McD's will always reign supreme.  Golden Arches forever.*







*Five Guys an honorable mention.

[MadImmortalMan]

Subway is too dear.
But it is freaky how quickly it has taken off. The first ones I can remember seeing in the UK were less than 10 years ago, now they're absolutely everywhere, constantly leap frogging each other into better spots.

And the quality of their food has gone down dramatically too.

[Caliga]

I used to like Subway when I was younger, but newer chains blow it away.  There's a Subway by my office but hardly anyone goes there.  The Jimmy John's around the corner is always packed however.

[Admiral Yi]

I used to wolf down Subway's meatball sub like it was crack, until one time I got one that was all gristly and nasty.

Number of shops is a lame comparison.  I'd bet Mickey's blows them away in volume.

[Neil]

Number of shops is a lame comparison.  I'd bet Mickey's blows them away in volume.

I would imagine so.

Quizno's makes a far, far better sandwich than Subway.

[Ed Anger]

I used to wolf down Subway's meatball sub like it was crack, until one time I got one that was all gristly and nasty.

Number of shops is a lame comparison.  I'd bet Mickey's blows them away in volume.

They always try to put a gallon of sauce on mine. If I wanted Ragu, I'd drink a jar from out of my kitchen.

[Caliga]

Quizno's makes a far, far better sandwich than Subway.

I do like Quizno's better, but IMO Quizno's is overpriced.  Also, they want to toast everything, which is an irritating gimmick.

[Tonitrus]

Subway also has franchise on military bases.

You know a chain is in the death throes of quality when it's picked up on a military base.

[Josquius]

I used to wolf down Subway's meatball sub like it was crack, until one time I got one that was all gristly and nasty.

Number of shops is a lame comparison.  I'd bet Mickey's blows them away in volume.

I used to love that one too. Though it always felt bad to eat, it was messy and you literally did have to wolf it down, swallow the meatballs in one.
It just doesn't do it these days though.

[Admiral Yi]

Quizno's makes a far, far better sandwich than Subway.

Not a big fan of Quizno's sauces.  Too sickly sweet.

[Ed Anger]

Subway also has franchise on military bases.

You know a chain is in the death throes of quality when it's picked up on a military base.

And in a bunch of Wally World's. Nothing sounds better than going to eat in a Wal Mart.

[Caliga]

Subway also has franchise on military bases.

You know a chain is in the death throes of quality when it's picked up on a military base.

IIRC there's a Subway at Gitmo.  But I think there is also a McDonald's there.

Maybe they torture the Camp X-Ray dudes with Subway 'Italian subs'.

[MadImmortalMan]

There is both Subway and McDonald's on my brother's navy ship.