Entrepreneur magazine has again named the SUBWAY restaurant the Number One Franchise opportunity, as well as the Number One Global Franchise opportunity, for 2010 in its annual “Franchise 500” rankings. This is the 17th time in the past 23 years that the SUBWAY chain has been recognized with the overall top honor.First established in 1980, Entrepreneur magazine’s “Franchise 500” listing is considered to be the most comprehensive and influential set of rankings in the world, taking many factors into consideration, such as financial strength and stability, growth rate, size of the system and start-up costs.Now, at more than 32,000 locations in 90 countries, the chain is poised to become the world’s single largest restaurant brand, in terms of number of locations. Contributing to the brand’s growth is its ability to find new markets and adapt to unique locations. This strategy has allowed SUBWAY restaurants to be found in spaces where competitors just could not fit or found impractical.Also contributing to the SUBWAY chain’s success is that it continues to keep its concept and operations simple, start up costs low and seeks franchisees who embrace the entrepreneurial spirit.