The SUBWAY restaurant chain has been named “Brand of the Year” in the “Quick Service Restaurant” category according to the 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend study. This marks the 9th year in a row that the submarine sandwich franchise has received the highest score among quick service restaurant brands included in the annual study which measures consumer perceptions of more than 1,500 brands in more than 155 categories.
The Harris Poll EquiTrend study, conducted by Harris Interactive, reveals the brands that Americans rank highest in brand equity. Surveying more than 38,000 American consumers, the study measures the level of quality, familiarity, and purchase consideration for each brand, and then awards “Brand of the Year” status to the top-ranked brand from each category.
“Receiving such high marks from consumers and being recognized by the well-respected Harris Poll study certainly indicates that we have been on the right path,” says Suzanne Greco , SUBWAY Vice President of Research & Development and Operations. “The combination of excellent service, great tasting sandwiches and salads, healthier options, convenience, and all at a good value are cornerstones of the Subway experience, and we continually hear from our customers that these are factors they consider to be most important when deciding where to eat.”
With a long standing reputation for offering an alternative to traditionally fatty fast food, the SUBWAY brand strives to continuously improve the nutritional benefits of its menu and offers a wide variety of great tasting sandwiches and salads that are trans-fat free, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol, including many with 6 grams of fat or less.
In addition, the SUBWAY chain was among the first brands to offer nutritional transparency, providing calorie, sodium and fat content of menu items long before the call for requirements to do so. SUBWAY sandwiches are served on bread that is baked fresh daily and fortified with calcium and vitamin D. The SUBWAY brand is a sponsor of the American Heart Association’s American Heart Walks; and is the first restaurant chain to earn the American Heart Association’s Heart Check certification for having heart healthy meals, a program designed to help consumers make smarter meal choices while dining away from home.
Recently, the SUBWAY chain was recognized by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the NYC department of Health for achieving the National Salt Reduction Initiative’s sodium targets for 2012 and its commitment to achieving the goals for 2014. So far the sodium content of SUBWAY Fresh Fit Sandwiches has been reduced by 28% and by 25% across the entire menu.
The SUBWAY chain’s continued efforts to reduce its environmental footprint through sustainable operations resulted in packaging improvements, distribution efficiencies, increased energy and water conservation, as well as waste reduction. Additional SUBWAY Eco Restaurants opened in 2012, some built entirely out of recycled materials, and all incorporating energy efficient equipment and controls.
