Whatever Happened To Blimpie Sandwich Chains?

In 1997, Blimpie aired a commercial featuring founder Tony Conza running on a beach in slow-motion, making his way toward an anthropomorphized 6-foot submarine sandwich. The tagline, "Blimpie, it's a beautiful thing," was apparently a sentiment shared by customers — sales were good for the sub shop in the 1990's and early 2000s. It was during this time leading up to the millennium that Blimpie was experiencing its greatest expansion, opening over 2,000 shops nationwide. So, how did the once popular sandwich shop drop to just over 100 locations as of 2024? 

To gain an understanding of its success and subsequent decline, one must start at the beginning. Blimpie was founded by three teenaged pals, Tony Conza, Peter DeCarlo, and Angelo Baldassare, in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1964 (one year before Subway was founded). Inspired by the success of Mike's Subs (now Jersey Mike's Subs), they sought to capitalize on the rising popularity of made-to-order submarine sandwiches. Their first shop was so successful that the friends opened two more locations within just three months of its inaugural opening. Unfortunately, it's possible that some poor business decisions and an underdeveloped marketing strategy affected the success of the sandwich franchise. 

Lamentably, the Blimpie founders were so focused on expansion that they spent most of their money on opening new stores instead of paying their suppliers. They eventually ended up in a large amount of debt and started selling franchises to try and climb their way out. Luckily, Conza's decision to expand in the South paid off, and locations and revenue grew significantly. From 1983 to 1990, Blimpie's revenue grew from around $1 million to $120 million. However, the steady decline of Blimpie began in 2002 when Conza sold the business to private investors. Kahala Brands (the owner of Cold Stone Creamery) acquired the sub shop in 2006, and more franchises closed around the country. Some speculate that a lack of marketing/advertising was a contributing factor to its decline.

Unlike Subway and Jimmy Johns, Blimpie isn't a ubiquitous sub brand. Redditors have pointed this out when discussing the diminished sandwich shop. In the "30 Rock" subreddit, one user revealed that they had just learned Blimpie is a real place and not made up for the TV show. (If you haven't seen it, in the finale of "30 Rock," the hated-on character Lutz gets to pick lunch for the day and decides on Blimpie subs, a decision the team is not happy with). Unfortunately for Blimpie, the show and a lot of the Redditor commenters mention the poor quality of the subs, which doesn't paint the sandwich store in the best light. 

Although not near Subway sandwich status and included in a list of vanished mall food court restaurants you forgot about, Blimpie is still holding on with franchise locations in all regions of the country. They offer classics like roast beef, ham and swiss, turkey and provolone, tuna, and the Blimpie Best consisting of ham, salami, capicola, prosciuttini, provolone, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, vinegar, oil, and oregano. For those who like a super stacked sub, they have premium offerings like the Hoboken Hero and Spicy Italian, each featuring a trio of meats and a variety of veggies and condiments. Or, try a toasted sub like their meatball parmigiana, chicken cheddar bacon ranch, or Philly cheesesteak. Like their competitors, they have $5 subs, value and kids meals, and catering. 

It's no surprise that the Internet doesn't exactly agree on whether Blimpie's many sub sandwiches are delicious or gas station quality. (In fact, in 1993 Blimpie began opening stores in unconventional locations like gas stations, food courts, and convenience stores as a way to cut costs and take advantage of foot traffic). In a post, "How ya feel about Blimpie?" in the sandwich subreddit, Redditors have mixed opinions of a "love it or hate it" variety. Overall, most people in the thread reflect fondly on them, while some have never heard of them or find them "sketch". Regardless, it seems the sub shop has a nostalgic appeal since many people haven't seen them around or had their subs in years.