US-style sandwich chain Quiznos Sub plans to double its number of stores in the UK in 2007.

The UK business, part of a worldwide operation of 5,800 outlets, has 27 units. These are all franchises, currently concentrated in London and the south east, averaging 1,000sq ft each.

Franchise development director Philippe Craston said Quiznos, which has been in the UK three years, is expanding nationally. It will open four franchises in Glasgow early in the new year.

Craston said he believed there was capacity for around 500 outlets in the UK. But Quiznos has no ambition to rival Subway’s UK target of 2010 stores by 2010, he said. "Our business plan allows franchisees to maximise sales, we want to avoid clustering stores."

Craston said Quiznos sees McDonald’s and Burger King as its main rivals, although Subway and Greggs were also "stiff competition". He added: "We go for bigger, more central and higher turnover sites (than rival Subway) in the centre of town, so our franchisees are guaranteed to make money."

Quiznos operates in 30 countries. In the UK, its bread is supplied by Kent-based Speciality Breads. Father and son Kazem and Michael Najafi own the Quiznos licence in the UK.