Subway chain is the third largest fast food chain in the world after McDonald‟s and KFC. The first Subway was founded in 1965. The founder of the Subway chain, Fred De Luca, started running his restaurant business when he was only 17 years old. The first Subway restaurant was opened nine years after its foundation in Connecticut where the headquarter is now situated. (Subway Denmark)
Now there are more than 30,000 Subway restaurants in 88 countries worldwide and it is the world‟s fastest growing franchise chain. New Subway restaurants are opening all the time. The franchise chain has employed more than 150,000 people. (Subway 2009)
Subway offers customers many different kinds of fresh submarine sandwiches also called “subs”. Customers always decide how they want their sandwiches to be served. Subway‟s advertising is based on freshness. Slogan “Eat Fresh” tells that Subway chain uses only freshly baked bread and fresh ingredients. Subway has a lot of competitors for example McDonald‟s, Burger King and Sunset Boulevard.
There were more than 20 Subways in Denmark in the 1990s but 10 years ago they withdrew from the Danish market. In 2009 Subway tried to strive for the Danish market again. At the beginning of February they reopened Subway in 2 cities, in Aalborg and Sønderborg. The Subway chain has also a lot of competitors in Danish market. One of the main competitors is the Danish chain Sunset Boulevard. When the Subway chain was withdrawing their restaurants from the Danish market, Sunset Boulevard bought 3 of their branches. (Subway Denmark)
1.1 Background of the research
This thesis will give background information about the Subway chain, its customers and Subway as a franchise concept. The fast food market in Denmark and the competition between Subway and its three biggest competitors, McDonald‟s, Burger King and Sunset Boulevard, are also included. 7
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of this thesis is to find out how attractive the Danish