Subway to make stores accessible

Subway, the largest U.S. restaurant chain by number of stores, will remodel some shops to make them more accessible for people with disabilities under an agreement with the Justice Department.

Doctor Associates Inc., a closely held company that franchises Subway shops in the U.S., will help identify barriers and update manuals to say franchisees are required to remove the barriers so the disabled can enter stores, the agency said.

More than 20,000 Subway U.S. shops may be affected by the settlement and penalties can be imposed if stores don’t comply, the Justice Department said. Subway operates more than 27,500 stores in 87 countries, including about 21,000 in the U.S.