Subway opened its first franchised restaurant in 1974, nine years after its first shop began operating in Connecticut.
The sandwich business was founded in 1965 as Pete's Super Submarines by Fred DeLuca, with financial help from Peter Buck. The company later adopted the Subway name and began expanding through franchising, allowing independent operators to open restaurants using the brand's system and menu.
The first franchise was opened in Wallingford, Connecticut. This was an important step because franchising enabled Subway to grow beyond the original stores without requiring the company itself to own every location. Its made-to-order submarine sandwiches also gave the chain a format that could be adapted to different markets.
Subway's first franchised restaurant is separate from its first restaurant: the original shop opened in Bridgeport in 1965. Confusing those two milestones can lead to the earlier year being given as the franchise date.