Subway began in 1965 as Pete’s Super Submarines in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Fred DeLuca opened the first shop with financial help from family friend Peter Buck. The original name honored the submarine-style sandwiches being sold and Buck’s role in helping launch the business. The company later became known as Pete’s Subway and eventually adopted the shorter Subway name.
The first franchised Subway restaurant opened in Wallingford, Connecticut, in 1974. That step changed the company from a small regional sandwich business into a rapidly expanding franchise network. Subway’s model emphasized relatively small stores, standardized sandwich preparation, and local franchise ownership.
The original name is often confused with the name of the first franchise location. Bridgeport was the birthplace of the business, while Wallingford was the site of the first franchised restaurant. Those are separate milestones in Subway’s history.