It’s official: the Subway sandwich chain has surpassed McDonald’s Corp.  as the world’s largest restaurant chain, in terms of units.

At the end of last year, Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide, compared to McDonald’s 32,737. The burger giant disclosed its year-end store count in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing late last month.

The race for global dominance is an important one for an industry that’s mostly saturated in the U.S. High unemployment and economic uncertainty have battered the restaurant industry in the U.S., and chains are increasingly looking overseas for growth, particularly in Asia.

Starbucks Corp. Honda recently said it plans to triple its number of outlets in China, for example. Dunkin’ Brands Inc., parent of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, plans to open thousands of new outlets in China in coming years as well as its first stores in Vietnam in the next 18 months. Subway just opened its 1,000th location in Asia, including its first in Vietnam.

Subway, which opened its first international restaurant in 1984, in Bahrain, expects its number of international restaurants to exceed its domestic ones by 2020, says Don Fertman, Subway’s Chief Development Officer. The chain currently has just over 24,000 restaurants in the U.S., where it generated $10.5 billion of its $15.2 billion in revenue last year.

The closely held company, owned by Doctor’s Associates Inc., does not disclose its profits.

McDonald’s is still the leader when it comes to sales. The burger chain reported $24 billion in revenue last year. “We remain focused on listening to and serving our customers, and are committed to being better, not just bigger,” a McDonald’s spokeswoman says.

Subway, which surpassed the number of McDonald’s in the U.S. about nine years ago, expects China to eventually become one of its largest markets. The sandwich shop only has 199 restaurants in China now, but expects to have more than 500 by 2015.

Subway has achieved its rapid growth, in part, by opening outlets in non-traditional locations such as an automobile showroom in California, an appliance store in Brazil, a ferry terminal in Seattle, a riverboat in Germany, a zoo in Taiwan, a Goodwill store in South Carolina, a high school in Detroit and a church in Buffalo, New York.

“We’re continually looking at just about any opportunity for someone to buy a sandwich, wherever that might be. The closer we can get to the customer, the better,” Mr. Fertman says, explaining that it now has almost 8,000 Subways in unusual locations. “The non-traditional is becoming traditional.”

The company has some concerns about the economies of certain international markets, such as Germany and the United Kingdom. The company is trying to develop more affordable offerings in those countries, similar to the $5 foot-long sandwiches that have been successful in the U.S.

“Finding that kind of value proposition in those countries is essential,” Mr. Fertman says.

Courtesy of the Wall Street Journal & Photograph by zyphbear

We all know you’re spending a lot more for gas these days so there’s not much left in your daily caffeine fix so McDonald’s is helping us all out with some FREE coffee from February 28th to March 6th.

Visit the McDonald’s Website for more information.

Mark your calendars for February 28th when McDonald’s all across Canada will be handing out FREE small coffee to anyone and everyone all day!

Free coffee with no strings attached sounds pretty good to us…

Deal Valid from:  Feb.28 – March 6.2011

FREE Coffee!

Guess who’s giving away FREE buttermilk biscuit sandwiches?  If you haven’t guessed by now we’ll just tell you that McDonald’s will be giving them out February 9 and 10, 2011 during their breakfast hours. This offer will be open to locations in Toronto, and it will be similar to the offer that went on in Ottawa two months ago.

The best thing to do might be to call the McDonald’s location nearest you to see  if they will be participating.

CLICK HERE to find the McDonald’s location near you!

There is a choice of three sandwiches:

• Sausage, Egg and Cheese
• Bacon, Egg and Cheese
• Sausage only

There is a limit of one per customer!

For those chilly days in November McDonald’s is helping us stay nice and toasty with FREE coffee all day long.

Stop into a McDonald’s and receive a free a small coffee from November 15 – 28.2010

Find a McDonald’s near you –> Click Here
Deal Valid From:  Nov. 15 – 28.2010
Time:  All day

Photography by tadahiroshi

Some very cool advertisements from McDonald’s placed all over North America.   Have fun looking through them

It’s Ronald McDonald vs Timmie’s or “I’m Lov’n It”  vs  ”Always Fresh”, no matter how you describe it the coffee wars have started.  McDonald’s vs Tim Horton’s in an all out coffee battle for caffeine supremacy in Southern Ontario.  For the next two weeks McDonald’s is giving away FREE coffee with no strings attached and this act is considered an all out attack against Tim Horton’s in an attempt to gain some ground on the extremely lucrative coffee market.

Tim Horton’s and their executives are countering the McDonald’s surge by bringing back the ever popular “Roll up the Rim” contest but it might be too little too late.   How could you battle FREE product at McDonald’s vs buy something at a chance of winning a FREE product (doughnuts and coffee).  There is always a chance of winning a car, laptop, or cash at Tim Horton’s but does anyone really know someone who’s actually won something more substantial than a doughnut?

McDonald’s has spent a lot of effort and money on revamping their coffee taste and this event might be a substantial push to cement their place among the Coffee Czar’s.

Related Posts:

McDonald’s Free Coffee All day! (Mar. 1 – 14)

Tim Hortons – Roll Up the Rim is Back!

Your next few cups of Joe will be on the house courtesy of McDonald’s come March and it’s going to be free for the entire day!  For the first two weeks in March McDonald’s is giving away the coffee all day (not just during breakfast hours) and there’s no strings attached!

Cup of coffee before work, during work, and after work maybe?

Why do they coffee a cup of Joe you ask?

Coffee Fact of the day:

Josephus Daniels (1862-1948) was appointed Secretary of the U.S. Navy by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. Among his numerous reforms of the Navy was the abolition of the officers wine mess. From that time on, the strongest drink aboard navy ships was coffee and over the years, a cup of coffee became known as “a cup of Joe”.

Deal valid from:  Mar. 1-14.2010

Photo Credits: Sam D Cruz

OTHER RELATED ARTICLES:

Coffee War is Brewing

Tim Hortons – Roll Up the Rim is Back!

When in Rome visit the leaning tower, see Venice, have some pasta but do remember to try the new and maybe for a limited time, the McItaly burger!

This much controversial McDonald’s sandwich is made of all Italian beef, Asiago cheese, and artichoke spread.  The burger will help generate and extra $3.5 Million dollars for the Italian farmers per month!

This says much for the country who was influential in the “Slow Food” movement who prided themselves on healthy and delicious meals.

This new McItaly burger is sparking debate on the political front with democratic and republican parties arguing over how much of the $3.5 Million is actually going to the farmers.

I used to kept it simple with a bagel or muffin, that is until I found out that an Egg McMuffin actually has FEWER calories (and Weight Watchers points, for those of you counting) than either one of my carb options! Well, no longer my friends…I’m a converted Egg McMuffin breakfast eater.

For those of you who are wise enough to plan for tomorrow mornings breakfast today, here’s a deal for you and a friend to enjoy at the food court.

Buy any Egg McMuffin®, Bacon ‘n Egg McMuffin® or Sausage ‘n Egg McMuffin® breakfast sandwich at regular price and get a second same McMuffin® breakfast sandwich free with this coupon.

Expires: October 4, 2009