--- title: Quiznos’ off-key Spongmonkeys are back - The Hustle description: Quiznos is mounting a comeback, and it’s bringing its infamous off-key rodents. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/464136233-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-quiznos-spongmonkeys_20230723220935.webp --- # Quiznos’ off-key Spongmonkeys are back ![Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/HubSpot%20Media/Blog%202021/Images/Nav/Optimized/TheHustle_Icon_Dark.svg) [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) [Juliet Bennett Rylah Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/JBRylah) Published: July 24, 2023 Updated: October 11, 2023 In a single week of 2004, Quiznos received [30k](https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/quiznos-spongmonkey-ad-history) complaints. They had nothing to do with the chain’s subs, but a bizarre ad campaign featuring two rodents — known as Spongmonkeys — belting an off-key song. ![Spongmonkeys](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/464136233-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-quiznos-spongmonkeys_20230723220935.webp?width=595&height=400&name=464136233-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-quiznos-spongmonkeys_20230723220935.webp) If you somehow missed it, [here ya go](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PdsS01iUZs). If it still haunts you, guess what? They’re back, baby. #### **Jimmy Lambatos…** … founded Quiznos in Denver in 1981, touting the fact that, unlike other sandwich shops, it toasted its subs. Lambatos [sold](https://wolfoffranchises.com/what-happened-to-quiznos-subs/) Quiznos to father-and-son franchisees Richard and Rick Schaden in 1991, who took the company public in 1994. Quiznos grew rapidly, at one point becoming the second-largest sub chain in North America behind Subway, with 5k+ locations by 2007. #### **But it wouldn’t last** Several misfortunes and bad decisions occurred: - Competitor Subway [started toasting](https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/brief-history-quiznos-collapse) its subs - The Great Recession led to numerous store closures - Quiznos settled with several franchisees who [sued](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303722104579240194214517248) over being forced to purchase food and paper goods from a subsidiary at above-market prices Quiznos filed for bankruptcy in 2014, and fewer than 200 remain today. #### **In 2018…** … private equity firm High Bluff Capital bought Quiznos and placed it under the care of its restaurant platform, REGO Restaurant Group. REGO is [mounting a comeback](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/quiznos-tomorrow-has-arrived) with a new look, menu items, and drive-thrus. #### **Which is why the Spongmonkeys are back** In the early-aughts, Quiznos wanted to make a splashy ad with a small budget. [According to](https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/quiznos-spongmonkey-ad-history) *Mel Magazine*, Ty Harper of ad agency The Martin Agency recalled a video by animator Joel Veitch that featured the “spongmonkeys” singing [about the moon](http://rathergood.com/2015/09/09/we-like-the-moon/). Harper pitched it for subs. - Quiznos put out a lot of weird ads — a [man suckling a wolf](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APbUGnt2DaM), a [suggestive toaster](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LQpRQh2KSQ) — but none was so polarizing and enduring as 2004’s Spongmonkeys. So, naturally, Quiznos hired Veitch to make a brand-new commercial for its attempted comeback. [This one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWfBIKADTUY) features the Spongmonkeys on a road trip to find the nation’s remaining Quiznos as the company attempts to [court new franchisees](https://ownaquiznos.com/?_gl=1*1hnptea*_ga*MjAwMzU1ODcwOS4xNjg5OTU0ODQz*_ga_BRVKQ7R7BE*MTY4OTk1NDg0My4xLjEuMTY4OTk1NDkxNy4wLjAuMA..), and rebuild its empire one toasted cheesesteak and fever-dream folk song at a time. 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