The 10 Biggest Menu Changes In Subway History

Subway is one of the most popular fast food chains, often hailed as the top choice among sandwich aficionados. The first restaurant opened in August 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, masterminded by a 17-year-old named Fred DeLuca and funded by a family friend, Dr. Peter Buck. It was initially called "Pete's Super Submarines," but shortened to the catchier Subway three years later. Since then, describing Subway as merely popular feels like an understatement. It boasts over 7,000 locations in more than 100 countries, and has a menu that's constantly evolving to meet customers' needs.

In its nearly 60 years of business, Subway has welcomed new ingredients, introduced innovative appliances, and undergone significant menu revamps, all intended to help give foodies the best sandwich experience possible. Curious about what you might have missed through the years? We've compiled 10 of the biggest menu changes in Subway history so all you impassioned sandwich lovers can thoroughly understand how far the brand has come.

Read more: The Ultimate Ranking Of American Fast Food Restaurants

Footlong Sidekicks Join The Menu

One of Subway's most recent menu shake-ups doesn't involve sandwiches but centers around snacks. In February 2024, the chain launched Sidekicks, a collection of three footlong snacks to pair with your favorite sub or savor alone.

The lineup includes a $2 Cinnabon churro, a $3 Auntie Anne's Footlong Pretzel, and a $5 chocolate chip cookie. Yup, you read that right: Subway teamed up with those two big-name snack brands so shoppers can enjoy all of their favorites in one stop. The warm Cinnabon churro is topped with Cinnabon's signature cinnamon and sugar blend and the footlong pretzel, a twist on Auntie Anne's classic, comes with Subway's honey mustard.

As for the footlong cookie, there's a chance you've had it before. It made a brief appearance in select restaurants on National Cookie Day in 2022 and 2023, and was raved about for its thick and gooey texture and the fact that it has no shortage of chocolate chips.

Deli Slicers Are Rolled Out Nationwide

In July 2023, Subway introduced a game-changing appliance into its stores: deli slicers. Their purpose? To serve guests freshly sliced meats and, overall, level up the Subway experience. The restaurant chain reportedly invested $80 million to install one in every US location, but it didn't stop there. The brand also introduced a brand-new sandwich category called Deli Heroes, starring four new deli subs: the Titan Turkey, Grand Slam Ham, Garlic Roast Beef, and The Beast (true to its cryptic-yet-intriguing name, it's packed with pepperoni, salami, turkey, ham, and roast beef).

And to make sure you get the meatiest experience possible, Subway promises The Titan Turkey and Grand Slam Ham have "33 percent more meat" than its original signature sandwiches. As for The Beast, it contains a hefty 1/2-pound of meat, catering to passionate carnivores. While all four new sandwiches differ pretty drastically in their ingredients, one consistency among them is that they all have double cheese.

Subway Series Adds 12 New Sandwiches

Subway announced its "most significant menu update" in July 2022. Enter the Subway Series, a lineup of 12 new signature sandwiches that revolutionized the menu. While patrons can still customize their orders, the Subway Series simplifies the sandwich-ordering process. Customers can now order by the name or number of their chosen sandwich and choose the size.

The sandwich chain divided the Subway Series menu into four categories, with each category featuring three sandwiches: cheesesteaks, Italianos, chicken, and clubs. Within these categories, customers can enjoy both traditional versions, like a classic Philly cheesesteak with provolone and peppers, along with more innovative variations. For instance, another cheesesteak option includes crisp bacon, double Monterey cheddar, green peppers, and red onions on toasted Artisan Italian bread, finished with creamy Peppercorn Ranch. The third option uses Pepper Jack cheese with green peppers, red onions and Baja Chipotle sauce, toasted on Artisan Italian bread.

Eat Fresh Refresh Program Is Launched

On July 13, 2021, Subway stores across the country kicked off the Eat Fresh Refresh program, an initiative that aimed to enhance the dining experience for Subway customers. The overhaul included 20 changes to the sandwich chain's menu, namely updates to 11 ingredients, the reintroduction (or return!) of six sandwiches, and upgrades to four signature sandwiches.

Some tangible examples? The chain swapped guacamole with smashed avocado, introduced two new breads — Artisan Italian and hearty multigrain — and debuted fresh BelGioioso mozzarella sourced from Wisconsin cheesemakers. The chain also unveiled four new sandwiches: Turkey Cali Fresh, Steak Cali Fresh, a Subway Club, and an All-American Club, and brought back Rotisserie-style chicken and roast beef by popular demand. On X, previously known as Twitter, fans often called for the return of these meats — and their requests were finally met.

Subway Says Farewell To The $5 Footlong

The Subway "$5 footlong" jingle is as iconic as the 12-inch sandwich deal itself. The $5 footlong deal debuted in 2008, allowing customers to purchase any footlong for that unbeatable price. It held a steady reign among other fast food deals and a prominent place in people's work weeks, but in 2016, Subway abandoned the deal, controversially raising the price by $1.

In a 2018 interview with USA Today, former Subway president Trevor Haynes announced that each franchisee would decide whether or not to sell $5 footlongs starting that month. This was to help struggling franchises have "a value proposition that fits with their economic model," per Haynes. However, when Subway welcomed its current CEO, John Chidsey, in 2020, he tried to revive the $5 footlong with a different approach. This time, Subway marketed two footlongs for $10. Despite initial plans to run the promo in-store and via the app until August 31, it was terminated in stores in June of that year because it ultimately wasn't profitable. Nonetheless, tech-savvy Subway lovers could still access the highly covetable offer via the app.

Antibiotic-Free Chicken Is Introduced

In 2015, Subway publicly committed to offering antibiotic-free proteins. According to Harvard Medical School, consuming proteins with antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, thus a valid public health concern. The sandwich chain aimed to remove antibiotics from its chicken by the end of 2016, but managed to achieve this milestone ahead of schedule in February 2016. In turn, it became the first global restaurant chain to take this step.

This initiative didn't simply involve improving its chicken; Subway also introduced an entirely new recipe. In February, the chain launched its rotisserie-style chicken, which is not only free from antibiotics but also devoid of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. "When we developed the new Rotisserie-Style Chicken recipe, we were inspired by its seasoned, slow-cooked flavor profile and a belief in better, quality ingredients," noted Chris Martone, former Subway executive chef. "At first, there wasn't a national supply available to meet our demands of our 27,000-plus U.S. restaurants, but our guests pushed us to continue the journey with our purchasing partners and suppliers and we are proud to deliver on our commitment to serve a premium product raised without antibiotics to them so quickly."

Avocado Becomes An Option

While avocado may seem like a longtime sandwich staple, it wasn't until 2011 that Subway added it to its menu on a limited-time basis. In honor of introducing the new ingredient to its menu, the chain launched a series of limited-time sandwiches showcasing it, including a turkey and bacon avocado sub.

A few years later, in 2015, the chain announced the arrival of guacamole. The new-and-improved avocado-based ingredient was different from the 2011 version because it was made with jalapeño purée, onion, garlic, and salt. The brand implied that the earlier version was solely made with 100% Hass avocados and thus was more of a paste than proper guacamole.

Eventually, both the avocado paste and guacamole were phased out, replaced by the chain's smashed avocado, as part of the brand's Eat Fresh Refresh initiative. It's made of just two ingredients, Haas avocados and sea salt.

Subway Gets In On The Breakfast Game

Subway launched its breakfast menu in October 2010, making it possible for customers to get their hands on a sub for all three meals. The new breakfast sandwich options included a Western egg and cheese omelet, egg and cheese, Black Forest ham and cheese, and steak, egg, and cheese, and all options could be ordered on an English muffin, flatbread, or one of Subway's signature sub rolls.

Subway also expanded its menu to include yogurt, apple slices, and coffee to complement its breakfast offerings. The chain's breakfast took off, which was a surprise to no one.

The chain still offers a breakfast menu to start your day on a full stomach. The only thing that might hinder your next breakfast sandwich purchase though is if you get there too late. Subway stops serving breakfast at 11 a.m., so be sure to pay close attention to the clock.

The Arrival Of Toasters

Even though getting asked the question "Would you like that toasted?" feels deeply ingrained in Subway's DNA, the option for a toasted sub wasn't always available. It wasn't until the early 2000s that the sandwich chain introduced toasters into its restaurants, ushering in a new chapter for the brand.

In 2004, Subway announced the arrival of toaster ovens designed specially for Subway sandwiches, promising all 20,000 restaurants would be equipped with a toaster by year's end. Chris Martone, the former executive chef, praised the new appliance and its ability to toast a sandwich "all the way through, not just the bread and the cheese on top."

The success of the brand's toasters speaks for themselves, as most customers nod "yes" when asked if they'd like their sub toasted. Much like the chain's renowned $5 footlong sandwiches, toasting has become an integral part of the brand's identity.

Subway Gives Its Wrap Menu A Refresh

The newest change to Subway's menu is a welcome refresh to its wraps menu. In April 2024, Subway announced the addition of four new wrap recipes to its already-extensive lineup of sandwich options. Starting April 11, diners can change up their order with a homestyle chicken salad wrap with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, or opt for a honey mustard chicken option stuffed with Rotisserie-style chicken, Monterey cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.

Vegetarians can look forward to the Cali caprese wrap, featuring BelGioioso fresh mozzarella, smashed avocado, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, vinaigrette dressing, and roasted garlic aioli. And rounding out the quartet: a turkey, bacon, and avocado wrap, complemented with Monterey cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and peppercorn ranch.

But that's not all. Subway recognizes that wraps are notorious for getting soggy or falling apart easily, therefore the company is introducing a sturdier lavash-style flatbread to replace its current tortilla and toasted artisan flatbread options. Rest assured, your next wrap order will exceed expectations.

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