Mr. Sub

Origins and Early Growth

Mr. Sub was founded in 1968 in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood, an area then known as a hub for artists and the counterculture movement. The founders were two friends, Jack Levinson, an accounting clerk, and Earl Linzon, a gym teacher, who started the business with an initial investment of $1500, equivalent to approximately $13,000 in 2025. Their first restaurant, originally named Mr. Submarine, opened at 130 Yorkville Avenue on the ground floor of a converted Victorian row house under a six-month experimental lease. The concept of a fast, fresh, and affordable submarine sandwich resonated strongly, leading to the opening of a second location just five months after the first. The initial menu was simple, featuring only seven sandwich varieties including assorted cold cuts, Italian salami, ham, cheese, spiced loaf, tuna, and the double-meat "Super Sub," which retailed for $1.38, a sum equivalent to about $12.41 in 2026. This early success paved the way for franchising, with the first franchise sold in 1972, marking the beginning of the chain's national expansion and its era as the only major submarine sandwich retailer in Canada for over two decades.

Ownership Evolution and Competitive Challenges

The company rebranded from Mr. Submarine to the shorter "Mr. Sub" in 1990, reflecting a shift towards a more corporate and scalable identity. This period coincided with the arrival of American chains such as Subway and Quiznos in the mid-1990s, which introduced intense competition that led to a decline for Mr. Sub. The chain adapted by focusing on markets where it retained strength, including small towns, rural areas, and the regular take-out food courts of public institutions like hospitals, courthouses, and office complexes that catered to an older demographic. Speculation about a potential sale of the chain circulated in 2005, with names floated as possible suitors including Michael Bregman, the former owner of Second Cup, Swiss Chalet parent Cara Operations, KFC operator Priszm Canadian Income Fund, and the doughnut chain Country Style. The chain's ownership was ultimately consolidated when the MTY Food Group, which by then owned Country Style, announced on August 18, 2011, that it would acquire Mr. Sub for $23 million at the end of October that year. This acquisition integrated Mr. Sub into a large portfolio of brands, providing it with extensive corporate support and infrastructure for future operations under a publicly traded Canadian parent company with over 90 brands globally.

Menu Development and Product Innovation

The core of Mr. Sub's offering has always been the submarine sandwich, a long roll filled with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and sauces. Over the decades, the menu has expanded significantly from its original seven sandwiches to meet evolving consumer tastes and address new market entrants. By the 1990s, the menu had grown to offer 18 submarine sandwiches, alongside new additions like salads and desserts, as a direct response to competition from chains like Subway. Today, the chain's website lists 26 submarine sandwich options, including vegetarian and seafood varieties, maintaining its range of salads, wraps, soups, and panini. A key strategic focus has been on menu innovation to drive customer interest and frequency. In 2025, Mr. Sub launched a new menu lineup called "Fired-Up Faves," featuring hot subs, tots, and a new dessert item called SMACK, all prepared in a new 'speed oven' designed for faster service and consistent quality. The chain utilizes a dynamic calendar of Limited Time Offers to create excitement and trial, with recent examples including the "Rib Sub" and the "Queso & Bacon Cheesesteak Sub." The menu also deliberately caters to diverse dietary preferences, maintaining options like the Tex-Mex Black Bean sub for customers seeking meat-free alternatives, ensuring the brand has something for everyone.

Marketing Strategy and Brand Identity

Mr. Sub's marketing strategy leverages its long history and Canadian ownership as central brand pillars. The current slogan, "Yours Since 1968," explicitly ties the brand to its heritage, using longevity as a marker of trust and reliability cultivated over more than 55 years. This focus on national identity has been a recurring theme, exemplified by the past slogan "Oh Canada, Oh Mr. Sub!" which was launched alongside a television advertising campaign intended to remind consumers of the brand's Canadian identity, a move explained by then Vice-President of Marketing Rita McParland as wanting to highlight the personality of their Canadian company. The company's marketing operates on two levels: national brand building and local store activation, employing methods such as strategic partnerships with the country's most visible sports franchises, national promotions, and ongoing in-restaurant campaigns. Historically, the company has used several slogans to communicate its value proposition and adapt to different eras, reflecting its evolving marketing messages.

• "Lub my Sub"
• "Fresh thinking is what we are"
• "Taste a Canadian Tradition"
• "It's not a sandwich it's a Sub"
• "There's always something good going down at Mr. Sub"
• "Oh Canada, Oh Mr. Sub!"
• "Yours Since 1968" (current)

Mr. Sub has made an appearance in popular culture. In 1982, a Toronto store was used as a filming location for a television movie. The movie was titled "When We First Met" and it starred child actor Amy Linker. Amy Linker was known for her role on the CBS series called Square Pegs.

Franchise Operations and Corporate Support

Mr. Sub is primarily a franchise-based business, with hundreds of franchisees operating across its network over the last five decades. The franchise is promoted as a uniquely Canadian business opportunity with a proven, over-55-year operational history that has survived multiple economic cycles including the stagflation of the 1970s, recessions in the 1980s and 1990s, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Prospective owners are attracted by the stability of the established brand and the extensive support structure provided by its parent company, the MTY Food Group, a publicly traded powerhouse with over 90 brands and 7,000 locations worldwide. This support includes comprehensive training programs, expert operational guidance from the Mr. Sub management team, and access to corporate infrastructure that independent business owners cannot typically access, such as centralized purchasing and marketing resources. A critical component of modern franchise support is digital integration, as the quick-service restaurant sector has seen digital ordering volumes surge by over 155 percent between 2022 and 2024. Mr. Sub has invested in a sophisticated digital ecosystem centred around the MR.SUB Official App and online ordering platforms to capture this growing demand and provide convenience for customers. The franchise model emphasizes community connection, positioning each restaurant as a local gathering place built on wholesome food and genuine hospitality, where franchisees are given all the tools needed not only to succeed but to thrive within the national network.

Geographic Presence and Expansion

Mr. Sub maintains a strong domestic footprint with hundreds of locations spanning from British Columbia to Newfoundland. The vast majority of its over 200 restaurants are located within Canada, solidifying its status as a nationwide chain with a presence in both major urban centres and smaller communities. Its stores are commonly found in a variety of settings including standalone locations, shopping mall food courts, and within public institutions like hospitals and office complexes, which helped sustain the chain during periods of intense competition by catering to a steady clientele. While the chain's heartland is Canada, it has also established a limited international presence through franchise agreements. As of 2015, the company had seven restaurants in India, one in Dubai, and one in Saudi Arabia. This ongoing domestic growth points to the brand's continued relevance and its strategy of deepening its roots in Canada while maintaining a selective international footprint in specific markets.

Business Performance and Market Position

Mr. Sub's performance and position within the Canadian restaurant sector have been shaped by its long history and its response to market shifts. For many years after its 1968 founding, it operated without direct domestic competitors in the submarine sandwich category, establishing itself as Canada's original sub. The entry of large American chains in the 1990s fundamentally altered the market, challenging Mr. Sub's dominance and leading to a strategic repositioning towards niche markets and institutional food courts. The chain's subsequent survival and stability have been attributed to its focus on markets less targeted by larger competitors, its adaptation of the menu, and the operational resilience built over decades of experience. The 2011 acquisition by MTY Food Group provided a new foundation for growth, integrating the brand into a larger corporate entity with significant resources for marketing, technology development, and franchisee support systems. The brand's value proposition as the largest Canadian-owned sub franchise is a deliberate differentiator in a sector populated by American conglomerates, appealing to both consumers and prospective franchisees who value domestic ownership. The company's ability to withstand economic volatility, including the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, is cited as evidence of its operational resilience, which reduces the perceived speculative risk for franchise investors considering the brand. The introduction of new technologies like speed ovens and a concentrated focus on digital ordering are part of its ongoing adaptation to contemporary consumer demands for speed, convenience, and operational efficiencies in the quick-service restaurant sector.

Cultural Context and Industry Recognition

Within the Canadian restaurant industry, Mr. Sub occupies a specific cultural niche as a homegrown alternative to larger international chains. The brand's story is frequently highlighted in discussions about Canadian food chains, often noted as one of the few domestic players in the submarine sandwich segment alongside numerous American brands. The chain has been subject to industry rankings and reviews, such as a 2026 online video ranking titled "5 Worst and 5 Best CANADIAN Sandwich Chains in 2026," indicating its ongoing relevance in consumer comparisons. The business is characterized as a staple in low-key shopping complexes and areas catering to an older demographic, a positioning that has provided a stable, if less flashy, customer base. The company's profile as an operator of a restaurant chain based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, offering various types of subs, salads, wraps, soups, breads, sauces, and cold drinks, is standard in corporate descriptions. The enduring nature of the Mr. Sub brand, still going strong since 1968 as its own tagline states, serves as a case study in brand longevity and adaptation within the Canadian commercial environment, where many domestic brands have been acquired or displaced.

Questions about Mr. Sub

When and where was the first Mr. Sub opened?

The first Mr. Sub, originally called Mr. Submarine, opened in 1968 at 130 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto, Ontario. The location was on the ground floor of a converted Victorian row house in the Yorkville neighbourhood, which was then a centre for counterculture. The founders, Jack Levinson and Earl Linzon, started with a six-month lease and $1500 in start-up capital to test the concept. The immediate success led them to open a second location just five months later, confirming the viability of their submarine sandwich restaurant.

Who owns Mr. Sub now?

Mr. Sub has been owned by the MTY Food Group since October 2011. MTY, a large Canadian franchisor, acquired the chain for $23 million. Prior to this acquisition, Mr. Sub was an independent chain, and there was speculation in 2005 about a potential sale to other Canadian food service companies like Cara Operations or the former owner of Second Cup. As part of MTY's portfolio of over 90 brands and 7,000 locations worldwide, Mr. Sub benefits from extensive corporate infrastructure, training, and support systems.

What is Mr. Sub's current slogan?

Mr. Sub's current slogan is "Yours Since 1968. This slogan emphasizes the brand's longevity and heritage as a Canadian institution founded in 1968. It replaced previous slogans like "Oh Canada, Oh Mr. Sub!" which was part of a specific TV campaign to highlight the brand's Canadian identity. The company has used several slogans throughout its history, including "Lub my Sub" and "It's not a sandwich it's a Sub," to communicate different aspects of its brand promise over time.

What kind of food does Mr. Sub serve?

Mr. Sub primarily serves submarine sandwiches, which are long rolls filled with various meats, cheeses, vegetables, and sauces. The menu also includes wraps, soups, salads, panini grilled sandwiches, and baked goods. The chain frequently introduces new items and limited-time offers, such as the "Fired-Up Faves" hot sub lineup launched in 2025 and options like the Tex-Mex Black Bean sub for vegetarians. The original 1968 menu featured only seven sandwich varieties, including the double-portion "Super Sub" for $1.38.

How can I become a Mr. Sub franchise owner?

Prospective franchise owners can inquire through MTY Franchising, the parent company. The franchise is promoted as a proven Canadian business model with over 55 years of history and the backing of the MTY Group's extensive infrastructure. Interested parties are directed to contact the Director of Franchise Development via email at [email protected] or by phone at 905-764-7066 extension 8741 for information on costs, investment requirements, and the support system. The franchise offering includes extensive training, expert operational support, and tools for digital ordering and marketing.

How many Mr. Sub locations are there?

Mr. Sub is a chain of over 200 submarine sandwich shops. The vast majority of these restaurants are located across Canada, from British Columbia to Newfoundland. As of 2015, the company also had seven restaurants in India, one in Dubai, and one in Saudi Arabia. The chain continues to operate and expand within Canada, with new locations opening, such as one in East Windsor, Ontario, which was reported to open in March 2026. The brand's growth is supported by its franchise model under the MTY Food Group.

Sources and further reading

• Mr. Sub (Wikipedia)
• Franchise With Us! | Own A MR.SUB Location (mrsub.ca)
• Mr Sub Franchise Cost: Investment Overview (mtyfranchising.com)
• 7 Things You Need To Know About Canadian Sandwich ... (tastingtable.com)

Checked by the Novello Desserts desk. Last updated 2026-10-24.