Subway's new Blueprint format connects digital menu boards, self-order kiosks and kitchen displays. The concept will become standard for new restaurants and remodels across EMEA starting in 2027.
QSR: Subway Unveils Digital-First Restaurant Concept for EMEA
Subway is introducing a digitally connected restaurant concept across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), combining self-service ordering, digital signage and redesigned interiors as part of a multi-year expansion strategy.
Called Blueprint, the new format will become standard for every new Subway restaurant and remodel across the region beginning January 1, 2027. The first locations opened in the Netherlands and the UK during the summer of 2026.
The concept integrates digital menu boards, self-order kiosks, kitchen display systems and order-status screens into a connected environment designed to simplify ordering and improve restaurant operations.
Customers can place orders at traditional service counters, use self-service kiosks to browse and customize meals, or order through Subway’s app and delivery services.
Behind the counter, connected kitchen displays help employees manage orders, while customer-facing screens indicate when meals are ready for collection. Dedicated pickup areas are intended to improve the flow of customers through the restaurant.
Digital menus adapt throughout the day
Blueprint also gives Subway greater flexibility in how it uses its restaurants throughout the day.
The company is expanding its breakfast and coffee offerings and introducing Grab & Go options at high-traffic locations such as transportation hubs.
A bigger change is Subway After Dark, an evening dining concept currently being piloted in the Netherlands.
Beginning at 6 pm, participating restaurants change their lighting and music to create a different atmosphere. Digital menu boards switch to an evening menu featuring items such as footlong pizzas, mac and cheese and loaded waffle fries.
The approach demonstrates how connected digital signage can support multiple dining formats within the same physical location, allowing restaurants to change their offerings and customer experience without redesigning the space.
Subway says the availability of After Dark and Grab & Go will depend on individual locations and local demand.
Supporting a major expansion
The restaurant redesign also includes warmer interiors, improved layouts, and clearer customer information. Food preparation and ingredient displays remain prominent, maintaining Subway’s traditional emphasis on customization.
“Guests want to eat their way, on their own schedule, and Blueprint is how we deliver on that,” said Tracy Gehlan, president of Subway EMEA.
The company has also introduced Get Your Own Way, a regional marketing platform designed to unify its advertising, packaging, digital channels and in-store experience.
Blueprint forms part of Subway’s strategy to nearly double its restaurant footprint across EMEA over the next five years. The expansion plans also encompass India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Subway operates more than 35,000 restaurants worldwide and has been incorporating digital technology into its restaurants since introducing its Fresh Forward design in 2017. Its subsequent Fresh Forward 2.0 concept, announced in 2024, expanded testing of self-order kiosks, order-ready screens and kitchen display systems. Blueprint builds on those initiatives with a more integrated approach tailored to EMEA.