According to Advertising Age, Subway chains will outnumber McDonald’s outlets globally by the end of 2009, making Subway the largest fast food chain, location-wise. (Mickey D’s still has the sandwich giant beat in terms of sales.) How did this happen? How did this chain come to represent a surefire business venture for entrepreneurs across the world, more so than the wildly popular hamburger joint? A quick comparison of the two shows that Subway overtaking McDonald’s by the numbers isn’t actually that surprising—it’s got the Big Mac beat in a number of ways.
Number of Restaurants Around the World
Subway: 31,776
McDonald’s: 32,158
Winner: By the end of 2009, it’ll be Subway!
Origins Story
Subway: Founded in Connecticut in 1965 by seventeen-year-old Fred DeLua and his family friend. Originally called Pete’s Super Submarines.
McDonald’s: Started with a small drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California run by Dick and Mac McDonald in the ’40s. They came up with the “Speedy Service System,” which explained their newfangled concept of fast food, and franchised the business.
Winner: Subway’s story is a little more interesting, especially because the original name was supposedly scrapped because Pete’s Submarines sounds like “pizza marines.”
Most Popular Menu Items
Subway: Despite trying to branch out into the breakfast and pizza realm, sandwiches remain the name of the game at Subway. Customer favorites include the Turkey Breast, the Tuna, the Subway Club, and the Italian BMT (which stands for Biggest, Meatiest, Tastiest).
McDonald’s: French fries, Big Macs, Snack Wraps, and Egg McMuffins are popular go-tos for those patronizing the Golden Arches.
Winner: Hard to say—depends on whether you’re in the mood for a sandwich or a future stomachache.
Calorie/Fat Contents of Most Popular Menu Items
Subway (Six-Inch Subs): Turkey Breast (280/3.5), Tuna (530/30), Subway Club (320/5), Italian BMT (450/20).
McDonald’s: Medium French Fries (380/19), Big Mac (540/29), Crispy Ranch Snack Wrap (340/17), Egg McMuffin (300/12).
Winner: Getting a popular menu item at Subway’s a lot less calorically disastrous than noshing at Mickey D’s. Even when it’s higher in calories, at least you’re getting some vegetables along with it.
Menu Items Around the World
Subway: Though it’s strictly a franchise, there are certain menu standbys that must be available at every Subway. However, there’s room for a little variation from country to country. Chicken often replaces turkey in areas unfamiliar with the latter, and pork is a no-no in Muslim countries. In India, beef is left off the menu and there are sandwiches that incorporate Indian flavors, like the Paneer Tikka and Aloo (Potato) Tikka subs.
McDonald’s: Like Subway, Mickey D’s alters its meat offerings to meet the needs of different cultures. But it gets more creative with global menus, such as the Shogun burger (a pork cutlet with teriyaki and cabbage) in Hong Kong, the Kiwiburger (a burger with egg and beetroot) in New Zealand, and the McLobster roll in Canada.
Winner: McDonald’s gets the gold star for innovation in this category.
Manly Mascots
Subway: Jared Fogle, the man who lost hundreds of pounds by eating nothing but Subway sandwiches for a year. (Oh, and walking more, too.) You can’t buy that kind of publicity—except when you hear about his story on the evening news and decide to put him on the payroll.
McDonald’s: Ronald McDonald, a semi-creepy clown who used to hang out in McDonaldland with Mayor McCheese and the Hamburglar until ad execs decided to try a new angle.
Winner: I have a deep-seated fear and hatred of clowns thanks to seeing It when I was five, so I’m slightly biased. Team Jared!
“Best” Merchandise
Subway: Five bucks buys you this lovely Subway-themed journal, where you can write about all the different sandwiches you’ve known and loved.
McDonald’s: A travel chair with the McDonald’s logo and two beverage holders for your large McDonald’s shakes! Life doesn’t get much better than that.
