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Subway: Founded By a 17 Year Old College Student

Today Subway chain is ranked in the number one as the best Franchise Opportunity of the world according to the Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 rankings. However, as the majority of the big chains, it started as a little restaurant in a little town somewhere. The history of Subway started over 40 years ago with a boy called Fred DeLuca.

Fred was a recent graduated student of college who wanted to go on with his university education but did not had enough money to pay for a career in the university. For those times, he had a friend called Pete Buck who was doctor. Fred thought that he could ask him some money to pay for his studies.

When Fred went to talk with Pete about it, Pete told him “Why don't you start a submarine sandwiches chain?” Of course, Fred thought that he was kidding, but he was not. Pete gave him a check for $1,000 to start with the business. That was how in August 28, 1965 in Bridgeport, CT. Fred DeLuca opened the first submarine sandwiches restaurant called Pete’s Super Submarines.

For the year 1974, Fred and Pete were owners of 32 restaurants in Connecticut. In that same year, both Fred and Pete talked with their attorney and asked him for advice on the business and its future. The lawyer told them that the best option was to establish a franchise. They did not think about it as the best option, but one day, Fred called a friend whose name was Brian Dixon and gave him the idea. That friend was the first person to buy their franchise. That is how the business started its expansion around the world.

Today, Subway chain is the biggest chain of submarines sandwiches in the world with more than 25,000 restaurants in more than 80 countries. Not bad for a guy of 17 years, don't you think?

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