Remember when sandwich shops were everywhere you looked? Walk down any street and you’d find at least two or three places to grab a quick sub or wrap. These days, though, some of your old favorites might not be around much longer. While McDonald’s and Starbucks seem to stay strong, several sandwich chains are quietly closing stores across the country. The reasons aren’t always obvious, but they’re real enough that hundreds of locations have already shut their doors. Some chains that once had thousands of restaurants now have only a handful left.
Subway is quietly closing hundreds of stores
You probably think Subway is doing just fine since you still see them everywhere. But here’s the truth: Subway closed 631 restaurants in 2024 alone. That’s a lot of stores for any chain, even one as big as Subway. The company used to have around 27,000 locations back in 2015, making it bigger than even McDonald’s in terms of store count. Now they’ve dropped below 20,000 restaurants in the United States for the first time in two decades.
What’s causing all these closures? Part of the problem is that Subway put too many stores too close together. If you’ve ever noticed two Subways within a few blocks of each other, that’s exactly the issue. Franchise owners end up competing with each other for the same customers, which makes it hard for anyone to make money. The company also charges franchisees an 8% royalty fee and a 4% advertising fee on all sales, which adds up fast. After the company sold to a private equity firm in 2023 for $9.6 billion, things haven’t gotten any easier for store owners.
Quiznos went from 4,700 locations to barely 150
If you loved Quiznos toasted subs back in the 2000s, you’re not alone. The chain was everywhere at its peak, with 4,700 locations competing directly with Subway. The toasted subs were different from what anyone else was doing at the time, and people loved them. But then everything fell apart in spectacular fashion. By 2017, the chain had fewer than 400 stores. Today, Quiznos operates just 148 locations in the entire United States. That’s a drop of over 96% from its best days.
So what happened? Quiznos charged franchisees extremely high prices for supplies, which made it nearly impossible for store owners to make a profit. Many franchise owners got so upset they actually sued the company and formed their own associations to fight back. Things got even worse when a private equity firm bought the company in 2006 and loaded it up with debt. When the recession hit in 2008, Quiznos couldn’t handle the pressure. The chain closed 700 locations in 2009 and another 800 in 2010. By the time they filed for bankruptcy in 2014, they owed $875 million.
Panera Bread stopped baking its own bread
Panera always made a big deal about baking fresh bread in every store. That sourdough starter from San Francisco was part of their whole identity since they opened as St. Louis Bread Company back in 1987. Now they’re completely changing how they do things. The chain recently announced they’re closing all their fresh dough facilities between 2025 and 2027. Instead of baking bread from scratch, they’re switching to par-baked bread that gets half-cooked by outside companies, frozen, and then finished in stores.
This isn’t just about bread, though. Panera launched its biggest menu makeover ever in 2024, which usually means a company is trying to fix something that’s broken. They’ve also been closing underperforming franchise locations around the country. When a chain that’s been around for decades suddenly changes everything about how they operate, it’s usually a sign they’re struggling more than they want to admit. Giving up on fresh-baked bread seems like a huge risk for a company that built its reputation on that exact thing.
Così filed for bankruptcy twice and switched to catering
Così started in Paris in 1989 and came to New York City in 1996 with its famous flatbread baked in stone-hearth ovens. At one point, the chain had more than 100 locations in 16 states, plus stores in Washington D.C., Costa Rica, and the United Arab Emirates. These days? Così is down to just 14 locations in the United States. That’s a massive shrinkage for a chain that used to be a serious competitor in the sandwich space.
The chain’s problems started with overexpansion. They opened too many stores in the wrong places, and many of those restaurants couldn’t bring in enough customers. Così filed for bankruptcy the first time in 2016 and closed 29 company-operated locations. Then in early 2020, they filed for bankruptcy protection again. This time they basically gave up on being a regular restaurant chain and switched their focus to catering instead. When a sandwich shop has to file for bankruptcy twice, you know things aren’t going well. The flatbread might still be good, but finding a Così location these days is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Blimpie closed after expanding to gas stations and kiosks
Blimpie started back in 1964 in Hoboken, New Jersey, when three guys borrowed $2,500 to open their first shop. The sandwiches were similar to what Mike’s Submarines (now Jersey Mike’s) was selling, and people loved them. Blimpie grew fast through franchising and had around 2,000 locations by 2002. Then the company made some really bad decisions that basically destroyed the business. They tried putting Blimpies in convenience stores, kiosks, and even food carts, thinking it would help them grow.
Those non-traditional locations turned out to be a disaster. Between mid-2000 and mid-2001, Blimpie closed 155 underperforming locations, and about 70% of them were in those weird spots like gas stations. The chain got sold to a private investor group in 2002, then closed another 200 stores before getting sold again to Kahala Brands in 2006. Poor management and opening stores in the wrong places killed what could have been a successful chain. Now Blimpie has maybe 200 locations left, which is nothing compared to its peak.
Which Wich lost over 300 restaurants since 2018
Which Wich opened its first location in Dallas, Texas, in 2003, literally inside a building that used to be a Subway. The chain became known for letting customers customize their sandwiches however they wanted, using a checklist system to mark what they wanted on their order. This worked really well for a while. By 2018, Which Wich peaked at more than 430 locations across the country. Then everything started falling apart.
The pandemic hit Which Wich especially hard since they relied on people coming into the stores to order. When everyone started staying home, foot traffic basically disappeared. By 2023, the chain had shrunk to about 220 locations. Now there are only about 130 Which Wich restaurants left in the United States. That means they’ve lost roughly 300 stores in just six years. Some closures happened because franchise owners gave up and left, others because leases expired and the company decided not to renew them. The pandemic was tough on everyone, but Which Wich got hit harder than most.
Eegee’s filed for bankruptcy with millions in debt
Eegee’s is more famous for its frozen fruit drinks than its sandwiches, but the Arizona chain does serve toasted subs and cold sandwiches alongside those drinks. The company started in 1971 as a vending truck selling frozen drinks at schools and sporting events. Eventually they opened real restaurants and grew to 24 locations by 2018. That’s when a private equity firm called 39 North Capital bought the company and tried to expand even more aggressively.
The expansion didn’t work out like they hoped. By 2024, Eegee’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection owing roughly $3.1 million in unsecured debts. The company blamed pandemic-related financial problems, rising inflation, labor shortages, and high maintenance costs for their troubles. They also got into a legal fight with their food distributor Sysco, which definitely didn’t help. After reaching 35 locations at their peak in 2022, Eegee’s is now down to just 25 restaurants. That’s still more than some chains on this list, but the bankruptcy filing doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Au Bon Pain sold everything to focus on Panera
Au Bon Pain means “where the good bread’s at” in French, and the chain started in Boston’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace in 1978. They sold French bakery items, sandwiches, soups, salads, and coffee. The company did well for many years, even though they took some big losses in the mid-1990s. By around 2012, Au Bon Pain had expanded to more than 200 locations. Then the company that owned Au Bon Pain decided to sell off most of the chain in 1999 to focus on this new concept they’d created called Panera Bread.
That turned out to be a smart move for Panera but terrible for Au Bon Pain. Panera eventually bought back Au Bon Pain in 2017, but by then the damage was done. Au Bon Pain closed its last Boston location in 2024, which is pretty sad considering that’s where the whole thing started. Now there are only about 30 Au Bon Pain restaurants left in 12 states, mostly in airports. When a chain loses its hometown location and ends up mostly in airports, that’s usually the beginning of the end.
Arby’s closed stores in eight different states
Arby’s always stood out from other fast food chains because of its roast beef sandwiches and curly fries. While they’re not strictly a sandwich-only chain, sandwiches are definitely their main thing. The company is huge, with over 3,000 locations worldwide and nearly $30 billion in sales last year. But even Arby’s isn’t immune to the problems hitting the restaurant industry. Arby’s closed 48 restaurants in 2024, including a famous Hollywood location with a giant hat-shaped sign.
At least another 14 Arby’s locations closed in 2025, affecting stores in California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington state. The company’s parent company, Inspire Brands, hasn’t said much about why they’re closing so many stores. Arby’s was reportedly the lowest-performing brand under Inspire Brands last year, which probably explains the closures. While 62 closures might not sound like much for a chain with thousands of locations, it’s still a concerning trend. Even the big chains are feeling the pressure as customers spend less money eating out and have more choices than ever.
The sandwich shop landscape looks completely different than it did just ten years ago. Chains that seemed unstoppable are now closing stores left and right, while others have already disappeared from most of the country. Whether it’s bad management, too much debt, or just changing tastes, these once-popular chains are fighting for survival. If you’ve got a favorite sandwich spot, you might want to visit while you still can.
