So far, since the company was formed in Denver, Colo., in 1995, 2,500 franchises have sold. And more are popping up here and abroad every hour. "Every 60 minutes, another one opens," says Theresa Vo, who opened her Quiznos in Saratoga last November with her sister-in-law, Tami Trinh.

Every business needs a gimmick if it's going to catch on. The Quiznos gizmo is a toasting machine. Every sandwich runs through it. In the case of the Turkey Ranch and Swiss, the result is warmed turkey with Swiss cheese melted over it, while the tomato, red onion and lettuce remain properly chilled. The combination of hot and cold in the same sandwich is achieved through a carefully planned and timed procedure.

Vo and partner Trinh oversee four employees at their Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road location. They can whip out a sandwich or salad order in less than two minutes, including the sandwich's 59 seconds in the toaster. Even the salads, like the Honey Mustard Chicken, has warmed meat and cheese in them.

Vo explains it well: Each employee in the food assembly line has a title describing his or her function. There's a "baser" who takes the customer's order, pulls out the proper bread and places the basic ingredients on it, like mayonnaise and mustard. The sandwich moves next to the "finisher," who piles on the meat and cheese and sends it through the oven. As it comes out the other side, the "wrapper" puts on the lettuce, tomatoes and other vegetables and packages it for eating at the restaurant or for taking out. The cashier rings it up and hands the finished product to the customer. Each function should take no more than 20 seconds to complete.

"Most employees are very comfortable with the time and can beat it," Vo says. To assure that precision, new employees go through two weeks of training. They view videotapes describing how to assemble the 50 sandwiches on the menu, how to keep safe, how to clean, what products are used and how to ensure the freshness of the food. "We worry about shelf life," notes Vo. Vegetables come fresh from a local vendor daily. But blocks of meat and cheese and frozen pouches of soups and desserts come from the corporate provider. They need to be sliced or defrosted, then placed in time-dated containers. "Our shelf life is 48 hours," Vo explains. "What's not used [before a specific hour] is thrown out. It's a very thorough system." Beyond the standards that Vo and Trinh impose on themselves are the ones the corporate office requires. Visits by anonymous "mystery shoppers" as well as scheduled visits by corporate representatives guarantee those standards are met. "We have a biannual olympics where we go through a top-to-bottom inspection. Last April was our second since we bought the place, and we won a platinum plaque," Vo says proudly. She agrees that there is little room for individual creativity in a rigidly structured company. However, she adds, "You can't and shouldn't have a mark of individuality, because you pick the franchise for its system. The result is a standardized product and service."

While going through an MBA program at University of California, Irvine, Vo took a suggestion from her brother to attend a Quiznos franchise information session in San Jose. She came away impressed. "The toasty sandwich was unique," she smiles. The lunchtime line in front of the order counter suggests customers may feel the same.

Quiznos Sub is located at 12108 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road near Prospect Road in Saratoga. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call for orders or catering information: 408.446.4457.