Founded:

The SUBWAY® restaurant chain was founded in 1965 by Fred DeLuca, a 17-year-old college freshman, and Dr. Peter Buck, a family friend. The first restaurant opened in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Aug. 28 and was called Pete’s Super Submarines.

Headquarters:

Doctor's Associates Inc. (DAI), the franchisor of SUBWAY® restaurants, is located in Milford, Connecticut. DAI originated from DeLuca’s aspirations to become a medical doctor and Dr. Buck’s background, a scientist with a doctoral degree. Hence the name Doctor’s Associates.

The SUBWAY® chain is a privately held company and is not traded on any stock exchange.

Growth:

The first franchised SUBWAY® restaurant unit opened in 1974 in Wallingford, Connecticut. Today there are more than 28,000 franchises in 86 countries worldwide with more than 150,000 employees. The SUBWAY® chain is the largest fast food restaurant chain in the United States.

Jared Fogle’s Involvement:

In 1998, DeLuca and SUBWAY® restaurants began a relationship with Jared Fogle, a college student from Indiana University who lost 245 pounds in one year with help from SUBWAY® sandwiches. Fogle’s first television commercial aired on January 1, 2000 in Chicago. Since then, his story has been covered countless times and Fogle has been an inspiration to thousands. Fogle travels throughout the world making public appearances and granting interviews to speak about healthy lifestyle issues and share his story. Most recently, his fight for childhood obesity lead him to start The Jared Foundation (JaredFoundation.org).

Charitable Organization Involvement:

The SUBWAY® chain is involved with many civic, educational and charitable organizations such as The Jared Foundation, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, March of Dimes, and the United Way. On a local basis, SUBWAY® restaurant franchisees are involved with many schools and religious or community organizations.