The rise and fall of Subway: The $11 billion empire that crumbled

Subway started with a simple $1,000 loan and quickly grew into the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chain, surpassing even McDonald’s in store count. But how did a sandwich shop expand so fast? And what challenges came with that rapid growth? 👇 SUBSCRIBE for more business breakdowns    / @michael-girdley   Get my free guide → Why Great Businesses Fail: 10 Multi-Million Dollar Mistakes To Avoid: https://links.girdley.com/10fails-yt ------------------------------------------------------------------ ► For sponsorships or inquiries please reach out to: alexandro@girdley.com ► Get my weekly letter to business owners: essential insights to run, grow, and stay ahead in your business → https://links.girdley.com/newsletter-yt ► Free events on all things small business: https://links.girdley.com/lectures-yt ► Deep dives on businesses for sale:    / @acquisitionsanonymouspodcast   ► Follow me on Twitter/X: https://x.com/girdley ------------------------------------------------------------------ In this video, we dive into the fascinating story of Subway — from its humble beginnings to becoming a global giant, and the lessons every entrepreneur can learn from its rise (and struggles). If you’re interested in business, franchising, or success stories, this breakdown will give you insights into one of the most famous franchises in history. In this video, we’ll cover: How the $5 Footlong deal exploded in popularity Why Subway franchises actually lost money on the promotion The lawsuits and controversies that followed Why the $5 Footlong eventually disappeared What this marketing fail can teach us about business strategy