Subway’s Humble Beginnings
Subway, the largest fast-food chain in the world, was founded by 17-year-old Fred DeLuca in 1965. With the help of his partner Pete Buck, a nuclear physicist, Fred opened his first sub shop, Pete’s Submarines, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Early Struggles
The shop struggled to attract customers, and sales plummeted. Despite this, Fred and Pete refused to give up. They opened a second shop, which was successful, and eventually a third. However, sales plummeted again as winter approached.
Turning Point
Fred and Pete realized their business was highly seasonal and decided to wait it out. Sales improved by spring, and over time, business became more stable as their reputation grew. Fred sought advice from William Rosenberg, the founder of Dunkin’ Donuts, who encouraged him to franchise and open shops in locations with parking.
Rapid Expansion
Fred changed the business name to Subway and started franchising. The company expanded rapidly, opening over 5,000 restaurants in the next decade. The introduction of the “$5 footlong” promotion and the partnership with Jared Fogle, a college student who lost weight eating Subway subs, further boosted sales.
Legacy
Today, Subway is the largest fast-food chain in the world, with over 44,000 stores in 110 countries. Despite facing crises and closing over 3,000 locations, the company remains a success story. Fred DeLuca’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and innovative thinking in business.
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise | A business model where a company allows other individuals or groups to operate under its name and sell its products or services. | “Fred changed the business name to Subway and started franchising, which led to rapid expansion.” |
| Seasonal | Relating to or dependent on a particular season of the year. | “Fred and Pete realized their business was highly seasonal and decided to wait it out until sales improved by spring.” |
| Perseverance | The ability to continue trying hard despite difficulties or setbacks. | “Fred DeLuca’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and innovative thinking in business.” |
| Innovative | Introducing new or original ideas, methods, or products. | “The introduction of the ‘$5 footlong’ promotion was an innovative marketing strategy that boosted sales.” |
| Partnership | A relationship between two or more individuals or organizations working together to achieve a common goal. | “The partnership with Jared Fogle, a college student who lost weight eating Subway subs, further boosted sales.” |
| Reputation | The opinion or view that people have of someone or something. | “Over time, business became more stable as their reputation grew and more customers visited their shops.” |
| Expansion | The act of becoming or making something larger or more extensive. | “The company expanded rapidly, opening over 5,000 restaurants in the next decade.” |
| Crisis | A situation in which an individual or organization is facing a serious problem or difficulty. | “Despite facing crises and closing over 3,000 locations, the company remains a success story.” |
| Testament | Something that serves as proof or evidence of a particular fact or situation. | “Fred DeLuca’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and innovative thinking in business.” |
| Legacy | The impact or influence that someone or something has on future generations or situations. | “Today, Subway is the largest fast-food chain in the world, with over 44,000 stores in 110 countries, a legacy of Fred DeLuca’s hard work and determination.” |
Subway Vocabulary Quiz
Test your knowledge of vocabulary from the story of Subway’s humble beginnings.
Answer Key:
- 2. Decreased sharply
- 2. Occurring or done at fixed times of the year
- 2. To give someone the right to sell a company’s products or services
- 2. The ability to continue trying hard despite difficulties
- 1. A person or thing that serves as a sign or indication of something
Using the Past Perfect Continuous Tense to Describe Causes of Past Events
| The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started before a specific point in the past and continued up to that point. It can be used to show the cause of a past event. For example, in the text, “sales had plummeted” can be used to describe the cause of Fred and Pete’s struggles. The past perfect continuous tense is formed using “had been” + the present participle of the verb (e.g., had been struggling, had been working). This tense is often used with time expressions such as “by the time,” “before,” and “until” to indicate when the action started or stopped. |
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Quiz Time!
Choose the correct answer for each question:
- By the time Fred and Pete opened their second shop, they ____________________ their business plan for several months.
had been revising
revised
were revising have revised - Before sales improved, Fred and Pete ____________________ their business for over a year.
had been running
were running
run have been running - Until William Rosenberg gave his advice, Fred ____________________ about franchising his business.
had been thinking
was thinking
thinks has been thinking - By the time Subway expanded to over 5,000 restaurants, Fred ____________________ the “$5 footlong” promotion for several years.
had been introducing
was introducing
introduces has been introducing - Before Jared Fogle partnered with Subway, he ____________________ weight by eating their subs for several months.
had been losing
was losing
loses has been losing
Answer Key:
- a) had been revising
- a) had been running
- a) had been thinking
- a) had been introducing
- a) had been losing
