It’s no secret that Subway has been in decline globally, including in Kenya. They’re closing more stores than they’re opening, and in Kenya, no new stores are being launched—only existing ones are shutting down. So, what’s going on?
A few years back, around 2017-2018, there were at least three Subway locations in Nairobi’s CBD. I specifically remember two: one on University Way next to the UoN footbridge, and another on Kenyatta Avenue near the Bank of India building. The University Way branch was even located alongside Pizza Hut, essentially two restaurants in one building, but both have since closed. Subway used to be my favorite, so it was sad to see them go.
The locations weren’t busy—even during lunch hours, you might only see two people in the restaurant for an hour, with no one else walking in.
The Subway franchise model in Kenya failed after 10 years, and the quality of the subs deteriorated over time. While there are still operational locations in malls and affluent neighborhoods, even these have seen a decline in food quality and price increases, making Subway less popular.
Footlongs that used to cost between 700 and 900 KES have now increased to between 1000 and 1200 KES after rebranding. This price hike is for a sandwich that is actually mediocre in quality.
Interestingly, many of the existing locations have been rebranded from Subway to Subz, possibly in an attempt to localize the brand. As of 2024, the 10 operational branches in Kenya are located at:
- Amee Arcade
- Galleria Mall
- Gigiri
- Junction Mall
- The Hub
- Timau Plaza
- Westgate Mall
- BBS Mall
- Green House
- Valley Arcade
The Subway Kenya situation is clearly confusing, it’s like they still exist, and at the same time they don’t, will visit the rebranded locations soon to see what is the difference.
In the end, Subway’s demise in Kenya is not surprising, more like like how are these guys still in business?
You can read my rant about Subway from a while ago on the link down below
Read the Full Review on This Post: The 20 Popular Fast Food Chains in Kenya Ranked.
