Milford sandwich chain Subway is trying out a new concept that involves a more spacious restaurant with chic lighting, flat-screen TVs, stuffed chairs, pastries and bistro sandwiches, The Associated Press reports.
The decor and expanded menu are part of cafe concept being tested in Washington D.C. and Flagstaff, Ariz., among other places, by the nation’s largest sandwich chain that aims to steal a portion of the breakfast market, lure coffee drinkers from its competitors and get customers to stick around for a while.
Those elements are in line with offerings at Starbucks and McDonalds, making the target of the Subway Cafes clear, said Nima Samadi, a restaurant industry analyst with IBISWorld, Inc.
“Sometimes in our Subway locations, we want people to get up and go,” said Mark Roden, who opened a Subway Cafe in Flagstaff on Wednesday. “Here, we want people to stay.”
Roden is following a path few other franchise owners have so far. The first of the cafes opened in Washington D.C., to fill a request from a landlord who was looking to serve tenants in an office building, said Subway spokesman Les Winograd. About 15 others have opened up since, and the company plans to expand on a case-by-case basis.
Blueberry crumb cake and chocolate chunk muffins are displayed along with marble pound cake and key lime Danishes at the Subway Cafe, while the menu advertises espresso drinks, Panini sandwiches and chicken Caesar salads, among other things.
A seating area equipped with electrical outlets was built with business people in mind, who are looking for a place to sit and work with Wi-Fi access while they eat, Roden said.
