Subway said its Footlong Cookie has sold particularly well. | Photo by Jonathan Maze.
Footlong snacks apparently resonate with consumers.
That, at least, is based on sales of Subway’s new “Sidekicks,” which include a Cinnabon Footlong Churro and an Auntie Anne’s Footlong Pretzel along with its own Footlong Cookie. The Miami-based Subway said on Thursday that it has sold more than 3.5 million Sidekicks in the two weeks since its launch and that it is “rushing additional supply to meet guest” demand.
The footlong cookie in particular has been popular with customers, Subway said.
The company introduced its Sidekicks in mid-January, hoping that the footlong version of a churro, pretzel and its cookie would generate add-on sales to its existing sandwiches and convince customers to visit in the afternoon for a snack. It has been working on the snacks for well over a year.
It’s part of a broad set of menu changes and improvements designed to build sales for the chain, which operates 37,000 locations globally and about 20,000 in the U.S.
Subway said on Thursday that its same-store sales increased 5.9% in North America last year. It also said that its top 75% of restaurants in North America, about 17,000 locations, generated 10.1% same-store sales growth, though that implies that about 5,700 restaurants saw steep declines in the key sales metric last year.
The company did say that its global same-store sales have increased for 12 straight quarters. Subway also said that it finished with positive unit growth globally last year for the first time since 2016. The company did not provide exact figures, but that growth likely came from international restaurants that have returned to unit expansion over the past two years thanks to a series of development agreements.
“Sidekicks are a big hit with guests and the latest proof that Subway is a remarkably different brand than it was when we began our transformation journey three years ago,” CEO John Chidsey said in a statement.
Both Cinnabon and Auntie Anne’s are part of Focus Brands, the Atlanta-based operator owned by Roark Capital, the private equity group trying to buy Subway. But the company has said it began working with those brands before it put itself up for sale early last year and said the snack line and the acquisition are not connected.
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Restaurant Business Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze is a longtime industry journalist who writes about restaurant finance, mergers and acquisitions and the economy, with a particular focus on quick-service restaurants.
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FAQs
Just two weeks after the restaurant chain released its new snack line, it reported it had already sold 3.5 million of the products. Apparently, the footlong cookie was an especially big hit among customers.
What are the new sidekicks at Subway? ›
The Footlong Dipper joins the Footlong Cookie, Auntie Anne's Footlong Pretzel and Cinnabon Footlong Churro on the Sidekicks menu, which debuted in January. The sandwich chain has continued to improve its menu within the last few years, which included phasing out pre-sliced deli meats.
What are Subway footlong sidekicks? ›
SUBWAY® REVEALS SIDEKICKS, AN IRRESTIBLE COLLECTION OF FOOTLONG COOKIES, CHURROS AND PRETZELS.
How much are the new Subway sidekicks? ›
"Our guests devoured nearly 30 million Sidekicks since their debut in January and they will find all 33 flavor combinations of Dippers for $3* to be equally irresistible."
What are the new footlong items at Subway? ›
On Tuesday, the fast food sandwich chain announced the debut of Footlong Dippers -- a hot, cheesy rolled snack made from the new lavash-style flatbread -- joining the Sidekicks menu for $3. The new Footlong Dippers come in three flavors: pepperoni and cheese, chicken and cheese, and double cheese.
What are the 12 new Subway subs? ›
Subway Launches 12 New Sandwiches
- Cheesesteaks: No. 1 The Philly, No. 2 The Outlaw, No. 3 The Monster.
- Italianos: No. 4 Supreme Meats, No. 5 Bella Mozza, No. 6 The Boss.
- Chicken: No. 7 The MexiCali, No. 8 The Great Garlic, No. 9 The Champ.
- Clubs: No. 10 All-American Club, No. 11 Subway Club, No. 12 Turkey Cali Club.
Subway Sidekicks give fans more of what they love about Subway as the perfect pairing for their favorite footlong, or as a sweet and savory snack any time of day. Subway's new footlong Sidekicks are available in Subway restaurants nationwide starting January 22.
What does BMT stand for in Subway sub? ›
Subway's best-selling sandwich, the B.M.T. (short for "Biggest, Meatiest, Tastiest"), contains pepperoni, salami and ham. It was introduced as a reference to Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit, connecting to the "subway" name.
Who makes sidekicks? ›
A deliciously seasoned side dish that is quick and easy to prepare.
Does Subway own Cinnabon? ›
Auntie Anne's and Cinnabon are both owned by the Atlanta-based Focus Brands, which is owned by Roark Capital, the very same private-equity group that is trying to buy Subway.
Why did Subway get rid of the $5 footlong? ›
Long gone are the days when you could walk into Subway and buy a footlong for $5. Five years ago, the company removed the iconic promotion for a variety of reasons, such as growing food costs and struggling profits. A man discovered how the Subway foot long was no longer a menu item, shocked by how much it now costs.
What items did Subway discontinue? ›
In 2020, Subway made the unpopular decision to stop selling both roast beef and rotisserie chicken, reportedly because they were the two most expensive meat toppings on their menu. The menu cuts were a big flop, though, with angry franchisees and customers flooding Subway with complaints.
What did Subway change recently? ›
2024 may be the most exciting chapter yet in our growth story." Subway's new menu revamp comes after it debuted “freshly sliced meats” in its U.S. restaurants in July last year, where it introduced four new deli-style sandwiches which include: Titan Turkey, Grand Slam Ham, Garlic Roast Beef and The Beast.
What are the Subway dancers called? ›
Showtime is a type of performance litefeet/pole dancing done as a busking routine using hand holds installed inside New York City Subway cars. Showtime includes acrobatic flips, hat and shoe tricks, and pole tricks. Estimates have placed the number of Showtime dancers in the low hundreds.
