Unveiling Subway Series, the biggest menu change, from the world’s leading sandwich brand, in nearly 25 years in the region
London, United Kingdom – 31st May 2023 – Subway®, one of the world’s largest restaurant brands, is launching a whole new way to Subway, with the launch in the UK and Ireland of its new Subway Series menu. As part of its ongoing global business transformation journey and its continued positive momentum, including nine quarters in a row of global comp sales growth, the new menu marks the most meaningful change in the sandwich brands’ nearly 60-year history.
Subway in the UK and Ireland, nearly a billion-dollar business*, is pursuing additional growth by not only transforming its menu to drive sales and traffic, but also by strategically opening new locations, improving its operations, and enhancing digital innovation and guest experience.
Subway Series Menu
After extensive research and a positive response from guests during market testing, which saw 1.4m Series Subs served in 340 restaurants across the UK, the new chef-inspired Subway Series Menu will now be available across more than 2,300 restaurants in UK and Ireland and provides guests with two ways to Subway. Guests can now choose from 15 irresistible chef-inspired creations, for a simple, fast, and tasty Subway experience, or continue to create their own custom-made Sub, Wrap, SubMelt®, or Salad.
As a nation of quick service restaurant lovers, with nearly half of the population ordering takeaway and delivery food up to four times a week, Subway realised that a set build menu, with chef-inspired signature sandwiches, offered an alternative for people who occasionally experienced choice fatigue, ordering anxiety or just simply wanted a good choice made simple.
For a country that eats on average 3.8 billion sandwiches a year, Subway Series has something for everyone. The new menu is expected to speed up ordering as well as simplify online and third-party delivery service ordering.
“In developing the new menu, guests told us that they wanted food tailored to their lifestyle,” said Nigel Doughty, Managing Director, UK and Ireland. “In order to meet that need, we’ve evolved our menu and are putting the power back into the hands of guests, so that there are now two ways to Subway – created by us or created by you.
“We know there is sometimes consumer fatigue when it comes to ordering quick-service food, and that essentially there are two types of people; those who want to build their own Sub, and others who would prefer that their delicious sandwich is created for them” he added.
The menu will be supported by a new creative highlighting the “Two Ways to Subway” and creating a debate about what type of consumer are you. The multi-media campaign will focus on innovation and championing consumer choice and will be the brand’s biggest media investment to date.
Continued Double Digit Growth
Earlier this month, Subway announced its ninth consecutive quarter of positive global sales as it continues to execute against its multi-year transformation journey. The introduction of the new menu is part of this transformational journey, and in the UK and Ireland the Subway business continues that double-digit growth trajectory.
Highlights include:
Q1 Global Results, compared to the same period in 2022
⦁ 12.1% increase in same-store sales
⦁ 11.4% increase in digital sales
Q1 The UK and Ireland, compared to the same period in 2022
⦁ 10.5% increase in same store sales
⦁ 0.9% increase in Digital sales, following the previous year’s strong performance, with sales overall more than tripling since pre covid sales 2019
⦁ Kicking off the second quarter, in April, the brand also achieved its second highest weekly average unit volume (AUV) in the UK and Ireland on record, with the highest AUV week also achieved recently in November 2022
"Our continued impressive performance demonstrates that our efforts to build a better Subway and win back the hearts and minds of sandwich lovers around the globe is working," said Mike Kehoe, EMEA President of Subway. “With strong sales momentum across our restaurants and a refreshed focus on strategic brand growth, there has never been a more exciting time to be part of the Subway brand.”
Looking ahead, Subway is keeping the momentum going as it continues to improve across all aspects of the brand. Guests can expect to see on-going menu innovation, improved ingredients, and digital enhancements rolled out in key markets around the world in the coming months. In addition, Subway remains focused on smart growth to boost franchisee profitability and protect the brand's position in the market, including strategically opening new traditional and non-traditional locations. Internationally, Subway is also partnering with strong, well-established operators with specific market expertise to strategically expand its footprint around the world.
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For media inquiries, please contact: SUBWAY_MSL_TEAM_GBR@mslgroup.com
*TUKI generated $1.03bn in sales for 2022
**Almost half (45%) of Subway guests trialling the new Subway Series menu claim that the new menu has a positive impact on how they feel towards Subway. Of those trying the new Subway Series items, they are generally satisfied with the variety and the taste of the products, and many say they would buy something from the Subway Series menu again. (Walnut Unlimited, March 2023)
Editors Note:
About Subway® Restaurants
As one of the world’s largest quick service restaurant brands, Subway serves freshly made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, salads and bowls to millions of guests, across more than 100 countries in nearly 37,000 restaurants every day. Subway restaurants are owned and operated by Subway franchisees – a network that includes thousands of dedicated entrepreneurs and small business owners – who are committed to delivering the best guest experience possible in their local communities. Subway® is a Registered Trademark of Subway IP LLC. © 2023 Subway IP LLC
