Recent viral complaints have highlighted customer dissatisfaction with several Subway locations in Thailand, citing issues such as poor food quality, a lack of ingredients, and inferior wrapping paper.
On Sunday, franchise operator Go Luck issued a statement on Subway Thailand’s Facebook page, attributing these complaints to consumers who had eaten at locations that had been stripped of their franchise licenses as of July 26 this year.
The announcement clarified that the franchise licenses for 105 Subway outlets were terminated, leaving only 51 branches authorized to sell Subway-branded sandwiches and wraps.
Included in the post was a directory identifying both sanctioned and unsanctioned branches, revealing that many of the unauthorized locations are situated in petrol stations, shopping malls, and office complexes, including CP Tower in Bangkok’s Silom district and the PTT Station in Chonburi’s Bang Saen resort area.
Go Luck advised customers to purchase sandwiches exclusively from Subway outlets displaying the authorized logo and mentioned that it is pursuing legal measures against the unauthorized branches.
Nevertheless, the well-known Facebook page E-sor Khayi Laek (sister-in-law dissecting facts) challenged Go Luck to address the prevalence of these unauthorized outlets.
“These branches are obviously sourcing supplies from somewhere, and they are not good. Many people reported ink stains from the wrapping paper on their sandwiches,” the page claimed. “Also, many of these eateries accept delivery orders even after losing their licenses.”
Subway, a U.S.-based fast-food chain known for its submarine sandwiches and wraps, was founded in Connecticut in 1965, initially named Pete’s Super Submarines.
It underwent several name changes before adopting the Subway brand in 1972, and it started franchising in 1974. By 2015, Subway boasted as many as 44,000 locations worldwide.
However, the chain’s global presence has diminished to about 36,000 branches this year, with competitive pressures accounting for the reduction. Of these, 20,000 are located within the United States.
Subway made its Thailand debut in 2003, and its franchise management has changed hands multiple times. In 2022, the franchise rights were acquired from About Passion by Go Luck for over 35 million baht.
