By the beginning of the year 2003, SUBWAY® had entered its 38th year of operation. It is the world's largest submarine sandwich chain with more than 17,500 restaurants located in 71 countries. As a matter of fact, SUBWAY® operates more units in the U.S. and Canada than McDonald's does. The SUBWAY® name and its products have even appeared in numerous television and motion picture productions. In 1996, DeLuca established MILE--the Micro Investment Lending Enterprise--a nonprofit organization designed to provide microloans for new entrepreneurs.

With more than 3,000 international locations, Subway is a leader in fast-food international development. Subway opened its first international unit in the small Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain in December of 1984. Since then, Subway had gone worldwide.

Despite the diversity of cultures wherever Subway restaurants are located, the menu stays relatively the same-with the exception of some cultural and religious variations. World travelers can expect the same fresh ingredients regardless of what country they are visiting.

...and in September 2003, the first Subway store opened in the Czech Republic!