Subway closed hundreds of locations last year for the first time in its history

pulse

April 20, 2017 6:21 PM

Subway — the largest restaurant chain in the US — shut down hundreds of locations in 2016.

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Subway Restaurants, the largest restaurant chain in the US, shut down hundreds of locations in 2016.

The chain's store count dropped by 359 locations in the US last year — the first time in history that Subway experienced a net loss in locations, Bloomberg reported.

With 26,744 locations, Subway is still the most ubiquitous restaurant chain in the US, with McDonald's in the No. 2 spot.

Bloomberg reported that sales fell 1.7 percent last year to about $11.3 billion. The chain has struggled to keep up with fast-casual competitors like Panera and Sweetgreen better suited to meet Americans' swiftly evolving health trends.

The company also faced negative publicity from a scandal involving its former spokesperson Jared Fogle. Fogle is currently serving a nearly 16-year prison sentence cut ties

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