Port of Subs opened its first restaurant on a U.S. military installation — and its first international location — at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay on September 30, 2026, launched through a partnership with Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM). The milestone marks a significant channel expansion for the 54-year-old sandwich franchise, which operates more than 120 units across the continental U.S.
The NEXCOM Partnership
NEXCOM supplies goods and services to Navy personnel and their families while channeling earnings back into quality-of-life programs for the service branch. By joining the NEXCOM retail network, Port of Subs gains access to a captive, underserved foodservice market on military installations — a channel that has proven resilient for QSR and fast-casual brands seeking non-traditional venue growth. The Guantánamo Bay unit is positioned near the entrance to the Navy Exchange, serving sailors, their families, civilian staff, and installation leadership with the chain's made-to-order sandwiches, salads, and wraps.
"Opening at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay is a proud moment in our company's history, and the opportunity to serve this community is an honor," said Healey Mendicino, President and CEO of Port of Subs. "It is a privilege to serve the men and women who serve our country, and the families who support them."
Why Operators Should Watch This
Military base foodservice represents a distinctive non-traditional venue category that many regional chains overlook. Installations offer long-term captive audiences, reduced direct competition, and institutional support structures that can lower some operational risks — advantages increasingly attractive as street-level real estate costs climb. For Port of Subs, the NEXCOM route also functions as an international proof-of-concept, potentially opening a pathway to additional base locations domestically and abroad.
The brand's ownership adds a layer of strategic alignment to the expansion. Dave Liniger, Chairman of Area 15 Ventures, and Adam Contos, Managing Partner, are both military veterans, giving the organization firsthand understanding of base culture and the dining expectations of service members and their families.
The Guantánamo Bay opening is the kind of non-traditional venue push that restaurant franchise development analysts are watching closely as brands look to diversify their unit footprints beyond traditional strip-center and inline locations. It also reflects a broader trend in foodservice channel expansion, where sandwich and fast-casual concepts are targeting captive-audience environments — including airports, universities, and now military bases — to drive incremental growth without intensifying street-level market competition.
Founded in 1972, Port of Subs has built its positioning around freshly sliced premium meats and cheeses and customizable, made-to-order menu options. With a growing franchise development pipeline, the NEXCOM partnership could serve as a template for further military or institutional expansion as the brand continues to evolve beyond its Nevada-rooted neighborhood sandwich shop origins.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
