Quiznos
Quiznos is a Denver-based privately held fast-casual chain founded in 1981 that franchises approximately 280 toasted submarine sandwich restaurants across the US and Canada under Rego Restaurant Group ownership, pursuing a turnaround under new CEO Neel Patel appointed March 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Quiznos does
Quiznos is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 1981 in Denver, Colorado, that operates and franchises toasted submarine sandwich shops in the United States and Canada. The company currently operates from an estimated ~280 locations, a steep contraction from a peak of roughly 5,000 global outlets in the early 2000s and a 90% loss of locations between 2007 and 2017 that culminated in a 2014 bankruptcy filing. Quiznos is owned by Rego Restaurant Group (acquired 2018) and is led by CEO Neel Patel, appointed in March 2025 to drive a turnaround.
The company's core product is the toasted sub sandwich, differentiated by a proprietary toasting process and signature recipes (e.g., 'batch 83 chili sauce'). The menu spans Classic, Chicken, and Steak sub categories, complemented by flatbread Sammies, salads, soups, kids' meals, sides/desserts, and a value-oriented Qravings menu featuring Zliders and Pretz Bites. Supporting the core dine-in/takeout experience, Quiznos runs a digital ecosystem comprising iOS and Android mobile apps (built on Punchh's third-party loyalty platform), the Toasty Points loyalty program (1 point per dollar spent, tiered rewards, $5 sign-up bonus), gift cards (via CashStar), and a catering service for corporate events and group orders.
Quiznos makes money primarily through franchise royalties and fees on independently operated restaurant locations, supplemented by gift card margin and ancillary licensing. Pricing at the consumer level is set by individual franchisees, with national promotions such as the $7.99 Toasty Deal of the Day driving traffic. The company is pursuing a comeback via the Qube modular restaurant concept (lower-capex, non-traditional-format franchise expansion) and a partnership with convenience store chain Pump and Pantry. It has no disclosed proprietary AI/ML technology and operates as a traditional franchise-driven QSR brand.
Quiznos firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Quiznos
- Legal name
- Quiz Holdings, LLC
- Website
- http://www.quiznos.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Quiznos is a Denver-based privately held fast-casual chain founded in 1981 that franchises approximately 280 toasted submarine sandwich restaurants across the US and Canada under Rego Restaurant Group ownership, pursuing a turnaround under new CEO Neel Patel appointed March 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Quiznos industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Quick Service Restaurants
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sandwiches & Subs QSR (THAFAAAD)
Keywords
Where Quiznos is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Quiznos business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Franchise Operations: Quiznos operates as a franchise-based restaurant chain. Individual franchise owners operate restaurants under franchise agreements. The company collects franchise fees and royalties from franchisees.
- Product Sales: Revenue from sale of sandwiches, subs, salads, and other food items through franchise locations. Products are made available by franchisees who set prices and determine product availability.
- Gift Cards: Digital and physical gift cards sold through third-party provider CashStar. Customers can purchase gift cards and check balances.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Toasty Deal of the Day at $7.99 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Toasty Points Loyalty Tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Quiznos product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Quiznos operates and franchises a chain of quick-service restaurants serving toasted submarine sandwiches, soups, salads, sides, and desserts to consumers in the U.S. and select international markets. The brand supports its restaurants with a mobile app, the Toasty Points loyalty program, catering services, and a Qube modular restaurant format for franchise expansion.
Product overview
Quiznos is a toasted submarine sandwich restaurant chain offering a diverse menu centered around its signature toasted subs. The core product portfolio includes various sub sandwich categories (Classic Subs, Chicken Subs, Steak Subs), value items (Qravings Value Menu with Zliders), flatbread Sammies, Kids meals, Salads, Soups, and Sides & Desserts. Supporting the core dining experience, Quiznos operates a digital ecosystem comprising the Toasty Points Loyalty Program and mobile app for iOS and Android, enabling order-ahead, loyalty rewards earning/redemption, and location finding. The company also offers catering services (sub trays, box lunches, salad bowls) for group events and sells gift cards. A modular restaurant concept called Qube supports franchise expansion into non-traditional locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Toasted Sub Sandwiches
Companies that use Quiznos
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Quiznos technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Quiznos partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Pump and PantryminorNebraska-based convenience store chain partnership. Started with Quiznos outlets at Pump and Pantry locations. Has grown to four outlets with six more planned. Represents non-traditional franchise expansion strategy.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Quiznos competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Subway: Subway is the largest sandwich QSR chain globally and the most direct competitor to Quiznos, offering a similar build-your-own sub model with both dine-in and franchise-operated stores. Its scale and pricing benchmarks heavily influence Quiznos's competitive positioning.
- Jimmy John's: Jimmy John's is a franchised sandwich QSR chain focused on 'freaky fast' delivery and toasted sub-style offerings. It competes head-to-head with Quiznos for lunchtime sandwich customers and franchisee capital.
- Jersey Mike's Subs: Jersey Mike's is one of the fastest-growing franchised sub QSR chains in the US, emphasizing fresh-sliced, made-to-order sandwiches. Its unit growth trajectory is the inverse of Quiznos's, making it the most relevant growth benchmark in the niche.
- Firehouse Subs: Firehouse Subs is a franchised toasted-sub QSR chain with a strong brand identity (firehouse/hero theme) and similar menu architecture to Quiznos. It competes for the same customer occasions and franchisee candidates.
- Potbelly Sandwich Works: Potbelly is a toasted-sandwich-focused fast-casual chain, overlapping directly with Quiznos's core product (toasted subs). Both target lunch and catering occasions, with Potbelly leaning fast-casual and Quiznos leaning QSR.
- Blimpie: Blimpie is a legacy franchised sub QSR chain that, like Quiznos, has experienced significant unit count decline. It is a useful direct peer for benchmarking what a shrinking sandwich franchise looks like operationally.
- Penn Station East Coast Subs: Penn Station is a Midwest-based franchised sub chain specializing in toasted sub sandwiches, a near-direct product overlap with Quiznos. It serves a similar customer base and competes for franchisees in overlapping geographies.
- Capriotti's Sandwich Shop: Capriotti's is a franchised sub chain with a growing footprint focused on premium roasted-turkey and cheesesteak subs. It is a direct competitor for premium-positioned toasted sandwich occasions.
- Schlotzsky's: Schlotzsky's is a franchised sandwich QSR brand with toasted-sub heritage similar to Quiznos. Both brands have navigated franchise-system restructuring and compete in the same toasted-sandwich niche.
- Which Wich: Which Wich is a franchised sandwich chain known for its ordering system and customizable toasted sandwiches. It competes directly with Quiznos for build-your-own toasted-sub occasions in malls, campuses, and urban trade areas.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Quiznos social profiles
Digital presenceQuiznos financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Quiznos leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Quiznos funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Quiznos M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Quiznos
What does Quiznos do?
Quiznos operates and franchises a chain of quick-service restaurants serving toasted submarine sandwiches, soups, salads, sides, and desserts to consumers in the U.S. and select international markets. The brand supports its restaurants with a mobile app, the Toasty Points loyalty program, catering services, and a Qube modular restaurant format for franchise expansion.
Is Quiznos a public or private company?
Quiznos is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Quiznos founded?
Quiznos was founded in 1981. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Quiznos based?
Quiznos is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Quiznos make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Franchise Operations are the primary driver. The others are product Sales and gift Cards.
Who are Quiznos's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Subway, Jimmy John's, Jersey Mike's Subs, Firehouse Subs, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Blimpie, Penn Station East Coast Subs, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, Schlotzsky's and Which Wich.
Does Quiznos have an API?
No public API is recorded for Quiznos.
What industry is Quiznos in?
Quiznos's product category is Quick Service Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAAAD, Sandwiches & Subs QSR. Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 2090.