Subway is enhancing cleaning procedures and sourcing masks and protective shields for workers, the company said Friday in a coronavirus-response update.
The Milford, Conn.-based franchise brand said it was working to “mitigate the strains and stresses being placed on” its franchisees during in the “ever-evolving landscape” of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the Friday coronavirus update, Subway said it was providing financial relief and support to its franchise community as well as reinforcing health and food safety standards, such as workers wearing gloves and sandwiches being individually wrapped and sealed.
The company also “introduced enhanced procedures, such as hourly restaurant cleanings, especially in high-touch areas such as door handles and credit card terminals’ and “implemented social distancing guidelines for guests and employees.”
The company said it also issued guidance for wellness checks of restaurant staff at the start of each shift.
Some participating restaurants are offering a Family Takeout Special that includes a free Footlong with the purchase of two Footlong sandwiches.
Earlier in the month, Subway began testing “Subway Grocery” sales in 100 Southern California restaurants, and the company said Friday that other Subway owners had launched “Subway Marketplace,” which allowed customers to buy bread and pre-packaged meats and vegetables to make sandwiches at home.
In March, Subway restaurants in North America temporarily halted in-store dining after many states and cities imposed restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Subway also said Friday that through April 30 it will donate 10 cents US from every Footlong sold, up to $1.5 million US, to the Feeding America charity group.
The company, which is 100% franchised, has about 42,400 restaurants in more than 100 countries. The brand ended 2018 with 24,798 U.S. restaurants, down from 27,103 in 2014, according to the Nation’s Restaurant News Top 200 census.
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