Subway’s parent has laid off about 150 of its workforce, including more than 100 at its corporate headquarters, the company said Tuesday.
Alan Marcus, senior director of public relations for the Milford, Conn.-based quick-service brand, said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to accelerate a restructuring plan for which we had been preparing.”
In additions to the layoffs, Marcus said Subway had reassigned some staff members “for better alignment and efficiencies.”
“A reduction in workforce is never an easy decision, especially during these unprecedented times,” he said.
The most recent layoffs follow 300 corporate employees let go in February as part of what the company called a "streamlining" plan.
“Our focus remains on ensuring Subway guests continue to get great service and value at every restaurant they visit; our franchise owners, all small business owners, get the full support and tools they need to help them grow and be successful and that we strengthen our overall business performance,” Marcus said.
Subway was among restaurant brands to offer grocery items during the coronavirus restrictions on in-store dining. More than 100 Subway restaurants in Southern California offered restaurant ingredients such as bagged lettuce and frozen soups to consumers looking for a safe and fast way to obtain groceries without entering a supermarket.
Dubbed Subway Grocery, the program allows customers to buy online items such as baked bread, deli meats, sliced cheese, vegetables and soups.
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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