Sandwich chain Subway has unveiled ‘Blueprint’, a reimagining of its locations and brand experience in support of growth plans across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
From 1 January 2027, every new Subway site and remodelling in the region will be built to Blueprint, which it said forms the centrepiece of the company’s multi-year business strategy.
The first Blueprint restaurants have already been rolled out over the summer in the UK and the Netherlands, while the ‘Get Your Own Way’ campaign also went live across EMEA.
The brand is pursuing ambitious expansion, collaborating with strong operators and franchise partners, as it looks to nearly double its regional footprint over the next five years (this includes the India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka markets). At the start of the year, Subway operated a total of 2,081 sites in the UK, having closed 51 stores last year.
Meal customisation has been part of the Subway offering for more than 60 years. The new concept extends this to the rest of the brand experience including more modern, digitally connected spaces with self-order kiosks at restaurants.
Well-organised layouts and clearer information make the experience more intuitive for customers and easier for Sandwich Artists (staff at counters) to manage, so they can give their full attention to the food and the customer in front of them, noted Subway. Freshly baked bread, salad ingredients, and sauces are showcased at the heart of the restaurant through the new design, there are clearly marked collection points to make pick-ups quick and easy, and cookies and coffee sit within reach for last-minute cravings.
Subway has looked to cater to new meal occasions throughout the day, including a breakfast range and coffee offer accompanied by a morning playlist setting the tone at sites. There’s a new Grab & Go option available at fast-moving locations such as travel hubs, serving freshly made meals ready for takeaway.
Subway After Dark, currently being piloted in the Netherlands, is a brand-new dining concept for the evenings whereby lighting warms and the music shifts from 6pm. Sandwich Artists (staff at counters) pull on a dedicated After Dark wardrobe and the digital menu boards reveal a more indulgent, customisable selection including footlong pizzas, loaded waffle fries, mac n’ cheese, desserts and drinks.
“Guests want to eat their way, on their own schedule, and Blueprint is how we deliver on that,” said Tracy Gehlan, president of Subway EMEA. “We celebrate our guests’ individual choices, from how they order to when they visit to what they want in their meal, always with great food, great service and a great environment. For our franchisees, it means stronger restaurant economics and a stronger brand built for the long term.”
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