Fred DeLuca

Frederick Adrian DeLuca (October 3, 1947 – September 14, 2015) was an American businessman, who was the co-founder and president of the Subway franchise of fast food restaurants with Peter Buck. During his tenure, Subway grew into the largest franchise in the world.

Early life Fred DeLuca was born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 3, 1947 to Italian American parents Carmela and Salvatore DeLuca. At the age of 10, DeLuca moved to Amsterdam, New York, where he and his family became friends with Peter Buck. Once in his teens, he moved with his family to Bridgeport, Connecticut, DeLuca realized a dream of his to go to college and graduated from the University of Bridgeport.

Career In 1965, 17-year-old DeLuca borrowed $1,000 from family friend Peter Buck. to study medicine. DeLuca's plan was to begin a "fast-food venture that provided a healthful, less fattening bill of fare".

Early years of Subway With the help of his mother Carmela and Dr. Buck, the first shop opened on August 28, 1965, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The first year of business was a learning experience and a challenge. A year later they opened their second location, having realized that visibility and marketing were key factors to success. DeLuca believed that the biggest mistake he made was where he set up his very first shop as it was a "crummy location."

Fred DeLuca ran Subway as a family business, with his mother running the first shop, his sister working as a "sandwich artist" and even his wife Elisabeth worked in the corporate office. Every Monday, Dr. Buck would visit the DeLuca household and visit Carmela and Fred to discuss the Subway business. As time went on, they eventually turned to a franchising model which is when they saw their growth explode.

In 1978, Subway's 100th store opened, and reached the 1,000 store mark in 1987. Explosive growth continued with Subway opening 1,100 units in 1993.

Jared Fogle After reading an article about an Indiana man who lost eating Subway Sandwiches, Fred DeLuca met Jared Fogle, bought him a new Mitsubishi Galant, and made him Subway's featured spokesman by 2000.

Other ventures DeLuca and Buck also partnered to create Franchise Brands.

Legacy During DeLuca's tenure, Subway grew to be the largest franchise in the world. From 2015 to 2023, Subway had a net loss of approximately 7,000 restaurant locations, although it remains the largest sandwich chain in the US.

Personal life DeLuca had homes in Milford, Connecticut, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, DeLuca died on September 14, 2015, at Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.