Does Subway use AI?

Yes, but modestly. Subway scores 58/100 on the Franpulse.ai AI Adoption Index — below the 63 industry average, and 29 points behind category leader McDonald's, despite operating one of the largest unit counts in franchising. Its U.S. system has now shrunk for three straight years.

Subway is the most instructive entry in our Index, because scale and AI maturity come apart so visibly.

What it actually runs

—AI-powered smart fridges that customers can talk to, in the Subway Grab & Go format since 2022.

—Self-serve kiosks, order-ready screens and kitchen display systems, which Subway said in November 2024 were «currently being tested» in its Fresh Forward design — digital rather than AI.

Why the score is below average

Its pillars are marketing 66, data 59, operations 55, training 52. The pattern — marketing ahead, operations behind — is the signature of AI adopted as a campaign tool rather than an operating system.

With more than 35,000 restaurants, Subway still has more locations than Domino's and Marriott combined, and scores 25 points lower than Domino's. Unit count does not produce AI maturity; unified data does.

What would move it

Operations and training are its two weakest pillars and together carry 50% of the score weight. Gains there would move the number faster than more marketing AI.

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