13 Signs Quiznos Is Getting Ready To Make A Comeback

You'll want to get ready because we've been seeing a lot of signs that Quiznos is making some serious changes that may lead to it making a comeback. If you're like us, you probably remember what a revelation it was the first time you tried Quiznos. Sure, those toasty buns cut the corners of your mouth, but a hot and toasty sub was still pretty amazing. Unfortunately, the chain hasn't been doing so great the last couple of decades, and you may have thought Quiznos had disappeared altogether. However, that's not the case. The chain seems to be on the brink of something great. We always like a success story around here, so we're certainly cheering them on and hoping for the best.

Quiznos has been disappearing across the country for years. So, what makes us think that Quiznos could make a miraculous comeback? We've uncovered 13 recent changes the company is enacting that sound like it could be heading in the right direction. New ownership and partnerships, new designs, and new menu items are just the tip of the iceberg.

Whether or not it will manage to tap into the pulse of sub lovers, former customers, and new customers remains to be seen, but we're hopeful. We think it's quite likely that you could start seeing new Quiznos locations pop up again near you, and they're likely to look a little different than you remember, along with lots of positive changes.

Quiznos' comeback seems to be largely fueled by being under new ownership. The Denver-based REGO Restaurant Group acquired Quiznos in 2018. The company is funded by High Bluff Capital Partners and is the parent company for 800 restaurants around the world, including Taco Del Mar — a Mexican fast food restaurant we wish we could find in more locations.

The group's game plan involves helping franchise owners make more money and making the whole franchise-ownership experience less complex. The company also uses customer data to help its restaurants to grow.

While REGO seemed to sit on its acquisition of Quiznos without too many changes for a while, it's now moving into action to try to resurrect it. Quiznos' CEO Tim Casey told Business Wire in 2022, "When Quiznos first started in 1981, it was a complete disruptor. ... It was doing things that no other brand was doing and we're now returning to those roots as the most innovative franchise, by reinventing the brand and making Quiznos an outstanding investment opportunity for entrepreneurs who are seeking profitability and growth."

Under new ownership, Quiznos is putting new emphasis on the value of its franchisees. Quiznos has a bad history of relationships with its franchisees under the previous ownership. In fact, it was sued by several of its franchisees starting in 2007 for fraud when stores weren't being profitable. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2014 and settled with the franchisees in 2016 over several things, including misrepresenting how much locations could actually make.

Because of the rocky past Quiznos had with its franchisees, it makes sense that one of the first things REGO Restaurant Group did when it acquired Quiznos was to offer support centers for its franchisees. Vice President of Marketing and Digital Experience, Brent Philip told QSR, "[W]e really do see franchisees as important partners in this and needing their feedback, their learnings, their knowledge to represent a variety of markets to help drive the brand forward. ... [W]e also see the restaurant economics as also reliant on entrepreneurial, inspired franchises."

Quiznos President Mark Lohman says, "[W]e've designed our restaurant of the future to ensure that our franchisees have long-term growth potential." Current franchisees can opt in to a lot of the changes the company is enacting to improve the quality or even the size of their stores to fit their needs better.

It was in 2022 that Quiznos finally opened itself up to new franchisees again after a long dry spell. Whereas it previously hadn't had new franchisees in over 10 years, it made around 100 new agreements the first year it started franchising again. While it's a slow start, it's still a start. So, if you don't have any near you, you should probably look for one to show up in your neck of the woods again sometime soon.

Several of the new franchisees are opening multiple locations. Plus, at least one franchise group that previously lost faith with the brand is returning to the Quiznos fold again. Parish Patel left Quiznos in 2015 but came back in 2023, signing a new area exclusivity agreement in Arizona. Patel told Business Wire, "I truly believe — with everything the brand is doing differently, from its menu to their new franchisee-first model –- that Quiznos can return to the top 10 in the QSR category."

Quiznos locations have been steadily closing more locations than they've opened for nearly two decades. With there only being one or just a handful of locations open in 34 states and territories, you'd be forgiven for thinking the whole chain had folded up and blown away in the wind. Out of sight, out of mind.

At its height in 2007, Quiznos had 4,700 locations in the U.S. However, in just the 10 years between 2007 to 2017, it lost 90% of its locations, shrinking down to around 400 locations. In the five years before Quiznos got its new owner, it was closing around 24% to 33% of its remaining locations each year. By the end of the year that REGO restaurant group bought Quiznos in 2018, it only had 323 locations open. As of spring 2024, it only had 148 locations, meaning that it had about 54% fewer locations than when the company acquired it. So, it was ripe for some new ideas and action lest it completely fold.

The winds are changing, though. As we previously mentioned, new and returning franchise groups are investing in multiple locations all over the U.S. For example, Parish Patel's comeback in 2023 includes ultimately opening 30 locations in his exclusive area in Arizona. And there is an agreement for 10 new locations in Georgia.

Like many other fast food and fast casual restaurants, Quiznos is modernizing its design aesthetics and branding. Remodeled and new stores are all opening with a new look both inside and out.

Whereas the main colors of Quiznos were once basic red, green, and white, the new colors of the chain are black, grey, and white with splashes of bright neon green and orange. Everything is clean, simple, and more industrial-looking than before. The floorplans are also meant to be more efficient. The vice president of marketing and digital experience, Brent Phillip, told QSR, "The new restaurant is really a redesigned and reimagined Quiznos, built truly to evolving consumer interest. So, it is founded on extensive research that was done prior to the pandemic and through the pandemic for what should Quiznos look like and feel like in terms of consumers experience, to provide them what they're seeking today, but also really truly 'wow.'"

The logo has changed, too. Rather than the logo being a bright red and green "Q" above a green "Quiznos" name, it's either a black or neon green "Q." Sometimes, the logo is surrounded by a circle of words or has a message inside the "Q." At other times, the chain just uses the name "Quiznos" in one of its trendy new colors.

The design upgrades at Quiznos are happening in places other than just the dining room and exterior. The kitchen is getting an upgrade, too. In the past, the kitchen was focused mainly on getting your subs nice and toasty. Until other sub shops caught onto the trend and started offering toasted subs, having a toaster in the kitchen was fairly novel. Once again, Quiznos is trying to think outside the toasted bun to what else it can offer that other sub shops don't have. So, it's adding features to its kitchen that you're more likely to see in a fast food burger joint, like a flat-topped grill and a deep fryer.

Suddenly, with new equipment, there are more possibilities for what Quiznos can offer that other sub shops can't. How the chain will ultimately be able to change its menu with these new features is unknown, but we wouldn't be sad if we could get curly fries with our toasted subs. For now, the new equipment is allowing the chain to create a more flexible menu with unique items inspired by various global cuisines.

Once a Quiznos location updates its kitchen with new equipment, it's able to produce some very different menu items to tantalize its customers' taste buds. While not everywhere, some of the new options sound like an exciting addition to the regular sandwich lineup.

In 2022, one of the more obvious menu items the chain began to be able to make was a Steakhouse Philly sub. Giving the steak sub concept a global twist, it also created an Asian Steak Dipper sub with lots of fresh and pickled vegetables and pho for dipping. The company created a Carne Supreme sub with tons of Italian meats, provolone, and marinara. It also tested out a Kimchi Philly Sandwich. Another new offering it tested was Steak and Frites, which was french fries topped with grilled steak, onions, peppers, and cheese. Plus, there was a Cobb Salad, as well as a vegetarian sub made with grilled Beyond Italian Sausage, peppers, and onions, along with provolone and marinara. Bison and Hickory Smoked Burnt Ends are other unique options you might find on your menu.

However, looking through menus of several Quiznos in 2024, we're not seeing these options everywhere yet because not every franchise owner has updated their kitchen. We did find locations making Queso Phillies, Mushroom Phillies, and Spicy Philly Cheesesteaks. Cubanos are an option in some locations, too. Some items you might enjoy from the deep fryer include Fries, Tots, and Donut Holes. 

Something else that adding a grill to the kitchen allows is making fried or scrambled eggs and other ingredients for breakfast subs. While a breakfast menu at Quiznos isn't completely new, 2022 was the first time you could get a breakfast sub all day.

The chain has created a breakfast sub that you can order any time of the day called a Steak and Eggs sub. The Black Angus steak, eggs, peppers, and onions for the sub are all fresh off the grill. Plus, it includes cherry peppers and American cheese. While it's not available everywhere, a few places have it.

Quiznos has had breakfast on the menu in some locations for a while, but just for breakfast rather than all day long. For example, you can find Quiznos breakfast subs in places like airports. The ones located in convenience stores started serving breakfast subs in 2010. In addition to breakfast subs, convenience store locations were serving breakfast biscuits and flatbread sandwiches, along with cinnamon rolls.

One option that new franchise owners are liking is the possibility of starting out with a restaurant that has a much smaller footprint. Rather than incurring the expenses of building a new full-sized restaurant, they can choose a prefabricated Qube created by the BCubed company.

While Quiznos says the total investment cost of opening up a standard, full-sized location can be over $1.43 million, you can open up a modular Qube location for as little as $458,100. So, it makes ownership of one or more locations even more attainable. As Quiznos starts opening up new locations, many are slated to be free-standing Qubes instead of traditional larger restaurants.

Not only does a Qube make owning a new Quiznos franchise cheaper and require less land, but it's also faster to build. While it's prefabricated, it does require a little work. However, the time from start to finish is mere weeks rather than the months it would take to build a restaurant from the ground up. Not only is the time to get it open faster because it's smaller, but because it comes with all the equipment, wires, and plumbing already there. Thus, you don't have to wait for contractors to outfit the building, just for them to hook everything up.

One thing that has been lacking for Quiznos for many years is a drive-through option. Many other fast food restaurants that didn't have drive-throughs previously (like Chipotle) have seen the value of adding drive-through windows since people's dining habits have begun to change after the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, the fact that Quiznos' menu includes pre-made subs makes it easy to embrace drive-through and walk-up windows.

One thing that the new Qube concept has going for it is that it comes with a drive-through window. Being a small building already, everything is more efficient. However, having a drive-through increases the speed that customers can get their menu items. Current Quiznos owners also have the option now of adding on a drive-thru window to their current locations.

Not only do the new Qubes have a drive-through window, but they also have a walk-up window for customers who prefer to park or for those who are on foot rather than driving up in a vehicle. The walk-up option works especially well for locations with more pedestrian foot traffic, like ones near university campuses. It's also a good option for those who prefer to dine on the patio (if available) rather than eat in their car.

Quiznos is also starting to embrace the new age of fast food with more digital and delivery options. While the chain is still lagging behind most others when it comes to consistent digital ordering and delivery options, it's still making an effort.

There are now two digital ordering options at Quiznos as well as delivery options. You can either order online or download the app to use for ordering (where available). Using the app also helps you earn loyalty rewards. Even if you don't order through the app, you can scan in your receipts to get the rewards. As for delivery, while Quiznos doesn't have a direct delivery service like pizza restaurants do, some locations do offer third-party delivery options.

However, not every location has gotten onboard with going digital yet. Some places don't have online ordering options, some don't have delivery options, some have one but not the other, and some places have neither option yet. Ultimately, it's up to the franchise owner, but it seems like a poor choice to not embrace any digital or delivery opportunities these days.

Quiznos isn't exactly new to partnerships with gas stations, but it has made a few inroads into the world of convenience store partnerships in the last few years. So, even if Quiznos hasn't made a comeback in your city yet, you may still run across one at a convenience store on a road trip.

After a partnership with Bosselman Enterprises in 2022, Quiznos opened up four locations inside Pump & Pantry convenience stores in Nebraska. It has already started progress on its agreement to open up six more between 2024 and 2026 so that there will be a total of 10 Pump & Pantries with a Quiznos inside.

Since it owns both restaurants, REGO Restaurant Group created a combined Quiznos and Taco Del Mar restaurant to open inside a Sunshine Gasoline Distributors in Cape Coral, Florida in 2023. Since the combined Quiznos and Taco Del Mar has an updated kitchen, it can offer items like fries, tots, and grilled steak sandwich options, like the all-day Steak and Eggs breakfast sandwich.

Yes, Quiznos' out-of-control Spongmonkey mascots look like something a child created in a computer photo editing program, but Quiznos decided they needed to make a comeback. If you've managed to miss seeing Spongmonkeys before now, they first showed up in a Quiznos commercial in 2004 looking like someone added human eyes and bad human teeth to a gerbil rabbit animal thing with wonky ears and fun hats.

Quiznos brought back the Spongmonkeys in a digital ad campaign that ran in 2023. There was a "Return of the Infamous Spongmonkeys!!!" video. And if you enjoy their off-key singing enough, you could hop over to Spotify and listen to their official theme song called "We Love the Subs!!!" Their song sounds completely unhinged, but nearly 3,000 people had listened to it when we went searching for it.

In 2023, Quiznos ran a silly promotion for the Spongmonkeys where the mascots were demanding the creation of a new day on the calendar to recover from their favorite holiday: Halloween. The new holiday would be October 32 and would fall on the calendar immediately October 31 (Halloween). So, on October 32, 2023 (technically, November 1), you could get a free 8-inch sub with a $10 purchase to celebrate the proposed existence of the new calendar day.