Subway shut down 600+ U.S. locations in 2024: here's why
Subway closed 631 U.S. stores in 2024, reducing its domestic footprint below 20,000 locations for the first time in two decades. The sandwich chain shifts focus to international expansion and modernizing existing outlets.
In a significant shift, Subway closed 631 restaurants across the United States in 2024, bringing its total U.S. locations to 19,502, the first time in two decades the count has fallen below 20,000.
This marks the eighth consecutive year of net closures in the U.S., highlighting ongoing challenges in the domestic market.
Subway's strategic focus on international expansion
While the situation in the U.S. seems to be going through a setback, Subway is thriving internationally. With nearly 37,000 locations around the world, the company still plans to grow with new restaurants overseas.
In 2015, Subway had 27,000 stores, and it's never been below 20,000 since that time, until now. Photo: Subway
Part of the improvements the company is realizing is the modernization of its existing stores with the Fresh Forward 2.0 design. According to the statement, the new store design “added brand personality and vibrant décor elements”, including localized flourishes and improved seating.
Subway closures in Oregon led to job losses for over 200 employees
However, there were consequences for closing stores. In Oregon, over 200 employees across 23 different Subway stores were left without a job unexpectedly in 2024.
According to KPTV, one store manager, Joanne Kennedy, stated that they felt betrayed because there wasn't any kind of warning for them, “No warning, no heads up, no transparency, completely and totally blind sided, every one of us."
