Prime Highlights
- Subway hires Burger King and Driven Brands veteran Jonathan Fitzpatrick as new CEO starting July 28, 2025.
- He will concentrate on accelerating worldwide growth, pushing U.S. sales, and boosting profitability for franchisees.
Key Fact
- Subway has about 37,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.
- Fitzpatrick succeeds interim CEO Carrie Walsh after John Chidsey retired last year at the end of 2024.
Key Background
Jonathan Fitzpatrick brings over 20 years of experience as a fast-food and franchising operations executive to Subway. Before joining, he was CEO at Driven Brands, with consistent growth and operating performance there. He had previously been in top positions at Burger King, managing one of the company’s most profitable menu and operating revamps. His appointment is seen as a bid to attempt to apply that same turnaround to Subway’s gargantuan global presence.
Fitzpatrick will take on the role of CEO on July 28, 2025. The hire followed a stint of interim CEO transition by Carrie Walsh after John Chidsey’s exit in November 2024. Leadership transition is one of the ways Subway is welcoming the manner in which it is changing as it starts anew under new parent Roark Capital, which acquired the chain last year. Fitzpatrick’s hiring is a management plan to introduce fresh strategic perspective at the optimal moment and exercised restraint in executive hiring.
The fast-food market in America has intensified competition, and Subway is no exception. The chain fell short of U.S. sales by 3% in 2024 when competitors Jersey Mike’s and Firehouse Subs picked up share. Despite years of efforts to revamp the menu, including a mass chef-led re-structure in 2022, the brand has struggled to maintain its pace. Fitzpatrick’s job will be to move past these issues by re-defining the value proposition of Subway and re-giving it relevance to US consumers. A Global Franchise Network in Transition
Subway remains huge in scale with globally nearly 37,000 franchised units. Its worldwide presence in more than 100 markets provides it with a massive canvas to grow and grow. Twin bases in Shelton, Connecticut, and Miami, Subway has the ideal mix to utilize Fitzpatrick’s global exposure and Roark Capital backing. His history of franchise development and operations should complement Subway’s franchisee relationships and propel its global reinvention initiative.
