CHICAGO — Subway is expanding — both its menu and its stores.
The closely held sandwich chain, which has more than 26,600 U.S. locations, has room to add 7,000 to 8,000 more domestic eateries, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Fred DeLuca said Tuesday.
“Maybe it will take 10 years or so,” he said in a telephone interview. “If we do a good job building consumer demand, that number might change and be higher.”
DeLuca also disclosed that Subway has started testing hummus as a sandwich topping as it seeks to maintain its appeal among health-conscious consumers.
Subway’s expansion and tests are taking place at a time of growing competition among fast-food chains that has hampered their ability to boost U.S. revenue. McDonald’s said two weeks ago that sales at its established U.S. locations fell for the fifth straight month in March as “challenging industry dynamics” slowed customer traffic.