Foot-long sandwiches will be pumped out of Arts basement within a week, as a Subway franchise prepares to take over from the McGill Arts Cafe.
According to Bill Pageau, McGill Food & Dining Services administrator, Subway’s popularity amongst students was the principle reason for inviting in a franchise.
Subway ranked first in a survey conducted last spring, which asked “Which of the following brands would you like to see on the McGill campus?” With 33 per cent popularity, it was followed by Tim Horton’s, Starbucks, Commensal, and Quizno’s.
Pageau, however, did not indicate what other criteria was considered when selecting Subway, or how the survey was designed.
Pageau explained that a Subway franchise satisfied the 2005 proposals from the Dining-at-McGill Advisory Committee (DMAC) which declared exclusivity of a single food-service provided – such as Chartwells – was undesired.
“On the question of a larger presence of privately-owned operators on campus…it contributes to a greater variety of food choices at McGill,” Pageau wrote in an email to The Daily.
Though the franchise will be located in the Arts Building, Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) VP Finance Kendall Zaluski indicated that the AUS is not responsible for any aspect of the Subway franchise’s operations.
The University will not be involved in the Subway’s management, because the Quebec-based Chahrour Group owns the franchise.
Mahmoud Chahrour, general manager of Chahrour Group, said that the store will open Friday or Monday, depending on the time it takes to get the restaurant up and running.