Subway closed 729 stores last year as chain continues to see dwindling number of locations, report says

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Subway closed 729 stores across the U.S. in 2025, marking its 10th straight year of decline, according to a report.

The sandwich chain peaked in 2015 with over 27,000 stores — a number that dropped to 18,733 as of the end of last year, according to QSR.

Despite the closures, more of which are expected in 2026, Subway remains the largest chain in the U.S. in terms of store count. The chain hopes to draw back customers with a new value platform, featuring 15 menu items that each cost less than $5.

The closures are part of a “rightsizing” strategy, a business buzzword that means reducing a workforce to the optimal size, according to the report.

“In the U.S., Subway is focused on ensuring restaurants are in the right locations with the real estate, visibility and operations that set franchisees up to succeed long-term,” a Subway spokesperson told QSR. “That work is paying off. Operational improvements are showing up across the system, with restaurant evaluation scores and Google review scores both climbing to their highest levels in two years.”

Subway shuttered over 700 stores in the U.S. last year, leaving fewer than 20,000 locations open, according to a report ( Getty/iStock )

Subway expects to open 100 U.S. franchised locations in 2026, according to Franchise Disclosure Documents. All of the chain’s locations are franchises.

The documents do not say how many locations are expected to close this year, though the brand has consistently closed several hundred locations each year over the past decade, according to the report.

The Independent has contacted Subway for comment.

The brand recently rolled out a value menu with 15 items priced under $5, shifting away from limited-time deals as it takes on value-focused rivals like McDonald's and KFC.

While Subway works to lure back American customers, the chain has been thriving overseas. Subway opened more than 1,000 locations worldwide in 2025 and has agreements in place for more than 12,000 more units.

Last year, the number of Subway locations across the U.S. dropped below 20,000 for the first time in 20 years.