Jonathan Fitzpatrick, Subway CEO.
Courtesy: Subway
Sandwich Chain Subway tapped former Burger King executive Jonathan Fitzpatrick as the company’s latest CEO on July 28th.
Monday’s announcement follows a months-long search for the successor to former CEO John Chidsey. Chidsey retired from the company at the end of 2024 after five years. His tenure included a $9.6 billion sale in 2023 to the then-owned private equity company Roark Capital.
Fitzpatrick joined Subway after spending more than 12 years leading Driven Brands, another company backed by automotive service provider Roark. Prior to the Driven Brand, he took on other roles throughout the chain’s business before serving as Burger King’s Chief Brand and Operations Officer. Fitzpatrick resigned from the drive brand earlier this year.
Chidsey’s resume also included her time at Burger King. Chidsey was eventually formed 10 years before joining the subway, which led Burger King until its acquisition at 3G Capital. Restaurant Brand International.
Leadership changes come at tough times for fast food restaurants. Consumers don’t eat often, and when they do, they’re looking for a deal. Discounts like this allow you to weigh the profit margins of restaurants already razors.
The subway itself has its own unique challenges. With over 19,500 locations, it is the largest US restaurant chain in terms of number of stores, but competition with high-speed casual eateries and other sandwich chains has eroded market share over the past 15 years.
Sales fell 3.8% last year, according to Technomic data.
