A Chicken Tikka sub is not among Subway’s famous footlongs in the United States.
But in India, where the chain said it recently hit the 200-unit mark, the Chicken Tikka is one of several subs designed to appeal to local tastes.
India has been increasingly targeted for development by American restaurant chains, including Chili’s Grill & Bar, KFC and Quiznos.
Like other brands, Subway, which entered India 10 years ago, has tweaked and supplemented its menu to suit the dietary preferences of Indian diners.
SLIDE SHOW: Subway: Global chain highlights local flavors
While Subway offers many of the same sandwiches in India as it does elsewhere in the world, pork and beef are not on the menu. The Subway Club, for example, is usually made with turkey, ham and roast beef. But in Indian Subway units, the sandwich consists of turkey, roast lamb and chicken-ham that resembles traditional ham in look and flavor.
Subway’s restaurants in India also offer several sandwiches featuring traditional Indian flavors, including the Chicken Tikka sub, made with a tikka curry seasoning, and a Chicken Seekh sub, which features coarsely ground chicken, mint and green chiles.
In addition, a number of vegetarian options are on the menu, including a Veg Shammi sub, made with soya and lentil kebabs, and an Aloo Patty sub with seasoned potato patties.
“We worked closely with local chefs and regional suppliers to ensure a good balance of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, along with many traditional Subway menu items, all specifically selected to appeal to the Indian palate,” Robby Gulri, a Subway franchisee in India, said in a statement.
Subway said it also adjusted its sub toppings to include mint and eggless mayonnaise.
Subway, a division of Milford, Conn.-based Doctor’s Associates Inc., has more than 34,000 locations worldwide.
