The Subway Sandwich franchise could learn a lot from other sandwich chains like Jimmy John’s, Quiznos, Zero’s, Sub Station, practically everybody.
Subway sandwiches are a rip off. After eating one, I’m still hungry. And it’s not because I’m a pig, it’s because Subway skimps on everything they put on their sandwiches. I swear Subway trains their “sandwich artists” on exactly how many veggies to put on them. On an average foot-long sub, they put about 6 olive pieces, a few strands of lettuce, a couple of bits of onions, and a tomato here and there. Honestly, how much does lettuces cost? The employees count the pickles as if they are quarters and they are coming out of their paychecks. They put about 3 strings of green peppers on a large sub.
And the cheese….there is no other sandwich or fast food chain that puts less cheese on their foot long hoagies. Subway puts exactly 4 small 1/4 pieces of paper thin cheese on a foot-long sub. It’s not even equivalent to one piece of normal cheese when put side by side. How can a “veggies and cheese” foot-long have one piece of cheese on it?
The whole Subway marketing campaign, where Subway preaches about how you can lose weight by eating at Subway, is a farce. You’re not going to lose weight because Subway’s food is more nutritious- if it was more nutrition it would be LOADED with vegetables. No, you are going to lose weight because they have smaller subs than the other places. Jared, who probably made millions on those Subway commercials, lost weight because of Subway’s “portion control” (and the huge monetary incentive he had to do it). Subway has figured out that they can sell EVERYBODY (not just the people who want to lose weight) smaller subs than the competition and if they market it the right way people will associate their sandwiches as being healthier than the competition.
If you want to lose weight, try eating less food and exercising more, not by paying Subway more money to give you less food.
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Yes! A thousand times - Yes!
Subway is a ripoff. You said it, I live it.
I stopped in a Subway with Mrs. Bacca and the little Bacca’s to get a quick lunch and wound up spending 27.00 on lunch for a family of four. I could have gone across the parking lot and had fun at BK for half the price and a playzone. Sure, I would be consuming twice as much fat as Subway but the kids are young, they can handle it. Hell, burn it off in the playzone.
Yes, a billion times over.
Have you ever seen them working in the back of a subway. they wiegh out everything to the microscopic miligram. They even pull the peices of chicken apart to make the correct wieght.
Hell they are even so skimpy they dole out the napkins as if they are made of gold. Have you ever spilt something at a subway and had to ask for extra napkins? Its like goint to the gates of fort knox and asking for a gold brick.
One time after buying a sandwich for my wife and myself I went out to the car to get a soda since they didn’t sell my flavor in the cheap a$$ subway. They promptly asked me to leave….. I havn’t been back!!!!
yep one of the worst examples of a business plan I can think of but how do they succeed????
mark on January 7th, 2008 at 4:59 pm | Link
Ok I have 2 stores in tampa Florida and guys I know what you’re saying….THERE IS in fact a formula that ALL SUBWAYS are to foollow for meats and veggies….HOWEVER we are told by corporate that these are ony guidelines (the veggie formulae) - the meats are set unless u get double meat - BUT the CUSTOMER gets the final say on how much veggies go on the sub. Think about it…instead of complaining on here how about if the next time youre @ SUBWAY when the guy has not placed a satisfactory amount of toppings on your sandwich….you say “Can I have more ________ on there ?” YOU DON’T even have to pay more for however much be veggies you want…..I MAKE SANDWICHES every day and I have many people who ask for extra olives etc . It is never and SHOULD NEVER be an issue….trust me at the prices I have I DEFINITELY make money even if it’s loaded with veggies! As for the comment above about WEIGHING the meats (chicken/steak etc) that goes on sandwiches….WHAT DO YOU THINK other chains are doing???? THEY DO THE EXACT SAME THING! McDonald’s,Blimpie’s,QUIZNOS,they all portion their meat. Anybody who is in the restaurant business will agree with me that there HAS TO BE portion control in place to control food costs so the prices of the sandwiches don’t get too high out of hand….also so that ONE SUBWAY FRANCHISE does not have a competitive advantage over another as far as customers thinking they’re getting MORE FOR THEIR MONEY.
So I hope this clarifies things a little on here
Amin on January 28th, 2008 at 10:50 pm | Link
Nah not really, subway is just cheap a$$.I mean why dole out the napkins, just to piss off your customers? And I have never seen any other restaurant with a scale set up to weight bits of chicken. yes protion control, like 3 pieces not 3.68454394Grams. And believe me I have been in a lot of restaurants. Now don’t get me wrong I realize the retail food bus is very hard and thankless job. You get it from all sies when everything is not just perfect and never really get the praise when you do ok. It does not however take an expert to see what cheap a$$ practices subway implements. And if the veggies are free why not post a sign to such? Why you ask? Well don’t you know? I mean what are we talking about here? Yeah subway being cheapa$$! Yes that’s it and that’s why they don’t post the sign saying extra veggies no extra charge so people will not know and people will not ask for extra veggies, save 3 napkins and 3 olive slices = 4 cents savings…. times how many million served = how many 40 thousands of dollars saved? Don’t think we don’t understand the economics here. It really is all about the bottom line and as long as poor business practices can be overcome by some other facet such as the alleged good nutrition of the subway sandwich which subway sandwiches certainly are not.
mark on January 29th, 2008 at 2:28 pm | Link
I SO AGREE with everyone. I don’t eat out much, but remembered recently how great a Subway sub used to taste, so went to get one. Well, knock me over, but the sandwiches today are NOT what they were a few years ago. I remember, as a teen, going into Subway and getting a sub that was so packed with filling that you couldn’t even keep it in the sandwich, it would just be falling out everywhere. Tons of meat, cheese and vegetables. And for way cheaper, too! The sandwich I recently had was laughable. As someone already mentioned, there was barely any cheese or meat at all, and as for vegies- HA! The bread actually sunk in when you grabbed the sandwich because there was NOTHING INSIDE. Okay, so not wanting to be too judgemental, I thought, hey, maybe it was just a fluke. A new worker or something. Tried it again today- same or worse. So that is it for me with Subway. I have heard pretty good things about Quizno’s, so from now on, I’ll give them my business.
Joni on February 11th, 2008 at 7:35 pm | Link
wow you guys are a bunch of complainers with no life. i work at subway and we do follow formulas because it is a standard. if you guys want subway to give out more veggies, all the chains across the world will have to give out more veggies. if you are complaining about gettin 6 olives, maybe you should just ask nicely for EXTRA olvies for free, they will double it for you. So maybe you should stop complaning
J.R on February 20th, 2008 at 9:50 pm | Link
Do you know how much money your franchise owner is making off your counting the olives? Maybe you should think about just why you are working at subway before suggesting others have no life!!!
And Ye know why I don’t ask for extra olives at subway its cuz I don’t eat at subway cuz I have to beg for napkins to wipe the slop of my face oh yeah but I forgot they wont put enough of it on your sandwich for you to get it on your face!!!! Hence no need for napkins now is there?
mark on February 25th, 2008 at 7:50 pm | Link
Oh yeah and JR did yo by chance stop to look at the title of this forum? It Called my biggest complaint. Of course your going to find complainers on here.
mark on February 25th, 2008 at 7:52 pm | Link
Subway like all other restaurants have portion control. Just ask for more veggies, they don’t cost extra. If you want more meat, just say double meat and pay it. It’s still comes out cheaper than quiznos.
Napkins are made of natural resources, and should be conserved to be environmentally friendly and aware. Yes, the franchisee will make more money if you use less napkins. This is not a non-profit business, these franchisees have put in their own money, commitment and time. They deserve to make money off you. Most people tend to waste if you put all you can eat or all you can use. You can always ask for more or just get over it.
Subway on April 9th, 2008 at 11:02 am | Link
Has anyone noticed that their meat has no taste. I just ate there today, and I got a BMT. I pulled a piece of salami off the sandwich to eat it separately, and it tasted like nothing. It had zero flavor. I doubt the sandwich would have tasted much different if all I got were the bread, veges, and oil/vinegar with no meat.
The napkin comment above made me laugh. I didn’t realize until now that they don’t have any napkin dispensers. They give you 2 napkins in the sandwich bag. You guys are right about measuring everything to the milligram. I suggest trying Firehouse subs. Their meat is tasty and they put a lot of meat on their sandwiches. They have napkin dispensers, cut lemons for iced tea, and other things that make them seem less stingy.
Ralph on April 13th, 2008 at 9:19 am | Link
@subway if you truly are a rep of subway then wow suck to be you hey? Not by any means saying you have no right to make money from your customers I’m just saying if you don’t start treating your customers as the reason your I’m business then you will no longer have customers and will no longer have a privilege to dole out the napkins. So you say your doing this for the environment well quit serving beef if thats your goal after all they are the #1 contributor to global warming so say some.
Ok as for asking for more I once spilled my soda in a subway and proceeded to the checkout to ask for napkins to clean up and was greeted with a very rude your napkins are in your bag! The clerk literally had to pull the cork out of her ass to release a few extra napkins.
So my comment to you Mr. subway (who by the way continues on here to show the rude pompous attitude your chain displays). Let us have our napkins and extra olives or go out of business. (you have already lost mine!!!!)
mark on April 13th, 2008 at 7:12 pm | Link
i am a subway employee. yes, we weigh everything out. it’s subway policy to follow the formula. “how much does lettuce cost? how much does a more olives cost? etc, etc” with as many sandwiches that are made, if each person has lots of extras, food cost sky-rockets. many workers’ jobs hang on the line if they do not follow protocol. so stop complaining about the workers and how much they are putting on your sanwiches. complain to corprate. every restaurant weighs their food, you just don’t usually see it.
alicia on April 18th, 2008 at 1:22 am | Link
My complaint was not about Subway workers. The Subway employees that have chimed in here all have supported my original post.
Of course all restaurants weigh food, and of course putting more on decreases profit margins. Subway trains their sandwich artists according to what corporate wants. My complaint was about the quantity of food that Subway provides and how they market it so that it seems like not getting enough food on the normal sandwich is a benefit to the consumer. Subway has made a choice about their business model and I was pointing out how this affects the consumer.
I have no beef with Subway employees. My recommendation is to chose another sandwich provider if you want real nutrition and real value for you money.
Sorry Subway–my nephew was an “artist”….
Other restaurants may measure, too, but no one skimps on sandwiches like Subway. I refuse to go there anymore. All you get is bread.
Is it true that they’re refusing to let elementary-aged Homeschoolers enter a writing contest? How lame is that?
Wibbing on May 27th, 2008 at 8:37 am | Link
Although I can’t argue on the cheese, I do have to speak up for my place of employment.
In case you intelligent folk haven’t noticed, you can pile on the veggies as much as you like. We ARE trained on how many to start with, but if you ask for more we’ll keep piling them on until you say to stop. We’ve had people put entire containers of pickles on their subs, and they’re more than allowed. Although I do agree that stuff like cheese and bacon could be piled more (without the extra cost), those ingredients are costly to the franchise. And look at a Subway Club… there’s 18 pieces of meat on a footlong! And that’s just in Canada, I hear the states have higher portions.
I get what you’re saying for sure, and can’t argue that they could be healthier in their portions. But if your subs are really that “skimpy” it’s really not entirely Subway to blame. If you want the extra pickle, all you have to do is ask…
Katie on May 31st, 2008 at 10:23 am | Link
Katie,
Its not the portion size so much as it is the general attitude of the shop that bothers me. I think the subway business model is one which drives people away and they will ultimately suffer their demise as a result.
mark on June 2nd, 2008 at 5:39 pm | Link
SUBWAY SANDWICHES ARE A TOTAL JOKE.Have you ever seen one that looks like the comercials? NOT.No meat at all.My buisness goes to a local family run buisness where one sub can feed two people there is so much meat in them and they apprieciate the buisness.Ive been going there for 10 years.When will the american people realize big chain store no matter what type are a total rip off!!!They give you nothing and we pay a ton
RAY on June 7th, 2008 at 11:05 am | Link
I have to agree, a couple tiny triangles of cheese is not enought for a 6-inch sandwich. I didn’t know I could ask for more.
If you REALLY want to go to a great sandwich shop. A relative of mine owns GENEROUS JOE’S in Greenbelt, Maryland (near Washington, D.C.) It is a family run business - Dad’s name is Joe and son’s name is Joe. They are Italians and Italians like to EAT. Hence the name Generous Joe’s. The restaurant is not much to look at (it needs a major renovation) however, when it comes to good, large sandwiches and TONS of good food - they are very good!!! My favorite is the steak and cheese sandwhich - melts in my mouth!
My Two Cents on June 9th, 2008 at 2:19 pm | Link
“I swear Subway trains their “sandwich artists” on exactly how many veggies to put on them.”
That is correct. I currently work at Subway and we are trained to put a certain amount of vegetables on a sandwich unless directed otherwise by the customer. Sometimes I can barely tell if two slices of cheese are stuck together because of how thin the slices are.. If a customer says something about the amount I’ll throw on extra cheese/meat at no charge.. the manager frequently gets upset that I’m throwing on an extra piece of ham on the club.. (Two slices of roast beef that are even thinner than the cheese, two slices of turkey, and one piece of ham) just doesn’t seem right. Subways alter the amounts from store to store, though..
I get a free 6 inch sub at the end of my shift, but rarely take it. Why? I see how the food is prepared. Enough said.
Also, the new double stacker peppered crusted turkey is also a rip off. It’s the regular turkey you would normally be served except the edges are rolled in a peppered spice. You get charged the full amount whether you want the 6 pieces or not. It’s not pepper crusted, it’s pepper rolled. Watch the bread as well.. I’m always pulling out a piece of bread that has a little mold or questionable specs. I would not recommend eating at Subway. Though I’m only 17, I’m not oblivious to the way they’re running the store..
If you want convicts making your sandwich, Subway is the place to go!
Avada on June 18th, 2008 at 12:22 pm | Link
I have worked at Subway for three years, and I have heard people complain about the lack of vegetables for…three years. But most people (the ones with common sense) politely (or sometimes impolitely) ask for more veggies. And guess what! We don’t charge for extra veggies. If you don’t like veggies on your sandwich, it’s not a good deal, but if you do, I highly recommend Subway. The store I work at is much cleaner than what seems to be described in the above post…We don’t serve moldy bread or anything. And we are trained to put a certain about of veggies on a sandwich (three of everything on a six inch, doubled on a footlong). But you can always ask for more! Yay for being assertive!
Sandwich Artist on June 18th, 2008 at 9:34 pm | Link
The corporation is the one making the $$$$ not the franchise owner. The mom and pop stores can give you more because they dont have to pay for expensive advertising. If you want something better and cheaper, pack your lunch. I am a little ticked because they wouldnt take my last card that I put all those stamps on.
Vickie on June 26th, 2008 at 8:13 am | Link
Vickie, im not sure what you are talking about its the copr not the franchise owner making the money? The franchise owner simply buys from the corp. The more stuff they put on the sandwich the more they have to buy and therefore the corp makes more money. Owell, subway sucks that all that can really be said and is the entire point of the post.
mark on June 26th, 2008 at 12:57 pm | Link
How fat are you!? A foot long sandwich and you’re still hungry! I’m an active 180 pound man, and a six inch plus a small carton of milk is plenty when I have subway for lunch.
Hobart on June 29th, 2008 at 8:14 pm | Link
Hobart,
6′1″ 178lbs. I don’t really eat that much, either, which is a testament to how skimpy subway Sandwiches are. When I eat at any of the other restaurants I mentioned, I am stuffed.
Mark,
I am saying as with any corporation that is franchised out, the corporation is making the lions share most of the money. I looked into buying into a Subway francise in the 1990’s. A mom and pop store doesnt have to buy the subway brand meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and specially marked salt packets, napkins, etc from the corporation. So, the mom and pop can get their inventory much cheaper and give you more to eat for the same price.
Everytime I go to subway I feel like I have been ripped off and don’t even get me started about their employees.
Vickie on June 30th, 2008 at 7:43 am | Link
@ vickie, Ok sorry i totally misunderstood your post. However I would question wheather franchise pdts are not cheaper than the typical sysco pdt as they produce and buy in great voumes. At least they would be cheaper to corp even further screwing the franchise owner.
mark on July 1st, 2008 at 2:09 pm | Link
I agree about the undesirables who work at Subway. I got a job there between semester breaks and was humiliated for the customers to see me in the line with those women. They didn’t care who heard them speak of their children being arrested or their husbands being on parole. One woman talked constantly about a coworker who was over weight. If I ever went into a business and heard that sort of vile filth I would leave. I worked one day and politely told them it wasn’t for me. I’m still waiting for my pay which they said was in the mail six weeks ago. Isn’t that illegal?
Chiming In on July 12th, 2008 at 4:57 pm | Link
I work at a Subway and totally agree except would have to say my store is much worse thanks to my boss. He is so cheap he rips people off. You think the meat portion is bad elsewhere, well he knocks off more weight than required by Subway. He also cuts back how many slices of meat you are supposed to get trying to pinch pennies. He won’t accept all coupons and only allows you to pick from a small list of subs when using coupons(i.e. the cheapest subs!). If you ask for extra veggies he gets pissed and without customers knowing he adds a $0.30 extra cheese charge to your bill to make up for his losses. He uses meats that are out of date, rotten veggies, and food that has fallen on the floor, all to avoid wasting money!
He totally disgusts me and should not own a business. However he is very clever and avoids being caught because he is the bggest liar I have ever met. He is also not even paying most of his employees minimum wage. As of 7/08 min. wage went up to $6.55 and he’s still paying some of them $6.15. Which I thought is illegal???
I would not recommend anyone to go to Subway it is a huge rip off. They charge way too much for nothing! They are obviously not a good company anyway because they let people like my boss run a franchise and screw people out of their hard earned cash!
Lynn on July 18th, 2008 at 9:13 pm | Link
subway (where the beef) ??? waste of money and time
helcope on August 15th, 2008 at 1:14 pm | Link
I agree that Subway is way to cheap with toppings for the money paid. Heres a good story: One time I went into a subway that had only been open a couple of weeks. The “sandwich artist” making a sandwich for the guy ahead of me realized he put an extra piece of meat on the sandwich so he actually picked it off and put it back in the meat bin for the next sandwich! That really spoiled me on the subway experience. I quit going there to eat. The staff is either scurvy or gangster with their asscracks hanging out. One sandwich artist was making a sandwich and actually yelled at her kids while they stood in line fighting. They do very nicely put extra veggies on their sandwich if you ask them. I always ask for extra pickles and they are generous when asking for extra. But the staff is horribly nasty, there is never a clean table,and I would feed a family of four for the cost of one of their skimpy sandwiches so now I give my money to Jimmy John’s. If you want a good sandwich and napkins that flow freely go to Jimmy John’s!
new-wife on August 19th, 2008 at 9:21 am | Link
Im 14 years old and my favourite place WAS subway. Now that i’ve grown up into a young lady i need more food to fufill my hunger.
Im not one to eat alot, im like 7 stone. But whenever i go into a Subway store i just get like 2 strips of bacon and some cheese. When i eat subway all i can taste is the bread as its got so little inside.
And, some people saying they work from subway say you just have to ask for a bit more and they’ll give it to you. Well… I asked for some more in a polite manor, and what do they do? They start screaming at me, eventually they gave me two bits of extra cheese and charged me £1!!!! Long gone those days i eat from subway!
Danni on August 26th, 2008 at 10:58 am | Link
Hi all.
im from australia. and yes the same as every other country we weigh the portions. yet no one that has ever complained about our portions, and we done need signs to say we can ask for more. and in regards to tem not looking the same as the ads, i have never had a perfect big mac! get over it or dont eat it. i had a subway diet and exercised and i lost 11kg in 2 weeks. you guys are more pathetic and ridiculous then what your complaining about!
Stuffie on September 1st, 2008 at 4:43 am | Link
yeah they do train their employees to do that I work @ a subway and their stuff is expensive and plus they already add up the calories on each sandwich do you really think you would lose weight if you’re piling on so much stuff ? but thats besides the fact my complaint is that subway over works their employees and they are under payed with no breaks half of the time you can’t even fit in time to eat cuz so many customers come in and I’m 7months pregnant!!!!!!!
Cierra on September 10th, 2008 at 9:05 am | Link
Hello! I actually am a manager of a Subway Store in Washington State. I agree with some of the things you say. But I can tell you for a fact, our Subway is one of the best in Vancouver. We have regular customers from 3 years ago still coming in. And I just had a guy yesterday come in and say he will never go to another Subway again. So I think we’re doing something right. Yeah Subway Corporate inspects every Subway store ATLEAST once a month. So when there is a Subway inspector there, you HAVE to do all the formulas right, or you will get marked down. You have to say “HI WELCOME TO SUBWAY” every time a customer walks in! And we can’t wrap the sandwich in the white deli papers; have to ask if people want “The Works” on their sandwich. Ahh the things Subway Corporation does. I can’t lie though, when we train people, we tell him to try to stick to the formula which is 6 of each veggie on the footlong and 3 of each of a 6″. But If I got 3 pickles or 3 olives on a 6′ I would **** a brick! But I know for a fact, our Subway is not like it. Our food cast is a little high because of it..but it brings the customers back and it makes them happy, and that is the mission of the day (At least at my store). Always make the customer happy.
We always try to start with the Subway Formula..but of course people always ask for more…so we give it to them. I don’t see nothing wrong in that. And another thing, as a customer. you don’t even pay for veggies. That is NOT included in the price of your sandwich. so you can tell all those other Subways to screw off lol. And I read about your comments about losing weight from Subway. We have over 8 different sandwiches that are 6 grams of fat or less. so that is how people lose weight. And what makes those subs 6 grams of fat or less is the bread (Wheat or Honey Oat) the meat (which has a menu board that has them listed), no cheese, no olives, no mayo, or no olive oil. So that is how you lose weight from Subway Sandwiches! I know people who eat 3 meals of Subway a day and lose weight. You have to eat the healthier sandwiches by those guidelines! But I know what you’re talking about. I am not really a sandwich eater..I like making mine at home. But when I do go to other Subway Stores..it feels like I am standing in line forever even though there is only 2 people in front of me and I am just looking and watching the employees and they don’t wash their hands half the time, and they seriously do count of the veggies. I NEVER have once done that, and I have worked at Subway for over 3 years now. It is just crazy how so many Subway shops are different. .Anyway..haha I am done! Have a nice day!
Lynnsey on September 10th, 2008 at 3:25 pm | Link
You idiots the weight on meats have to be around 2.5oz(chicken) 4 oz(steak), you dont want less do you, no? And do we want to lose money by giving more. 4oz is a guidline we approximate on it, not weigh it out to the miligram. Stop ****ing complaining about BS like this, and pay more attention than sitting on your couch and watching FOX for an hour, and calling it the ‘NEWS’
subway on October 3rd, 2008 at 7:35 pm | Link
I work at a Subway store and I think it is very dishonest to say that the store that I work at is not ridiculously chintsy.
True enough, customers are allowed to have as much veggies as they like on a sub. But I have noticed more than a few things about Subway that should convince everyone of its ridiculously chintsy attitude. For one thing, the ham slices are much thinner than they were a year ago (probably about half as thick). So are the white processed cheddar cheese slices, not too surprisingly, since the processed white cheddar is the cheese that we employees are trained to grab before the customer notices and requests either the natural cheddar, the swiss, or the grated cheese.
Also, you can’t imagine how frustrating it is for me to attempt separating those almost paper-thin slices and placing them on a sandwich. I am probably taking twice as long to take them apart as I used to when they were thcker. I am sure that whatever Subway is making on the thinner slices is being lost in labour.
Do the people at headquarters have a brain cell in their heads? I wonder!
Also, it would seem as if Subway headquarters, with regards to its prescribed methods for operating a store, are the methods of some of the most wasteful & inefficient minds on earth. One of many cases in point: McDonald’s keeps its sauces in disposable containers and this alone eliminates the time it takes to do what Subway’s method of sauce containment demands (i.e., cut a bag of sauce open, unscrew the lid of the emptied sauce container, pour some of the bag’s sauce into that container, screw the lid back on, find a container for the remaing sauce in the bag, put the bag in that container, seal that container with seran wrap, find a lid for that container, and take that container to the walk-in fridge to be stored for next use). But Subway still manages to make money.
Another case in point, the store that I work in puts one person on the closing shift alone. That person is responsible for doing all of the following and more and doing a good job everyday and not getting paid for any work done beyond the time that person was scheduled to work for on that day:
serving the customers whenever they come in and being nice to them, no matter how rude and mean they might be;
giving only two napkins per footlong or 1 per six-inch sub, providing them with paper towels only if they as for more;
telling customers that they can’t bring outside food into the store;
dealing with drug pushers and hoodlums and drunks, etc.;
calling cabs for people and deciding whether or not to let them use the store phone;
making quick wise judgements when people say or do things that can take the employee by surprise;
keeping an eye on everything at the same time to make sure no one steals cookies, chips or pop (items that are all within the customer’s easy reach);
panning the bread;
proofing the bread;
baking the bread;
baking the cookies;
restocking the bread and cookie cabinet and display;
restocking the huge drink fridge & chip rack;
slicing the different vegetables, putting them in bins and covering them with seran wrap and a lid;
measuring the meat in grams (to the exact gram);
sweeping the entire floor (including the hallway and both restrooms) with a ridiculously tiny broom
scrubbing the entire floor, including the washrooms, especially the grout in between the tiles with a long-handled scrub brush (built with bristles that are too ridiculously stiff to make any noticeable difference on the largest surface, which is obviously smoother than the grout);
mopping the entire floor;
srubbing the toilets and sinks in both washrooms;
wiping all used equipment;
washing all dishes by hand;
counting every loaf of bread,every wrap, every salad bowl, every Subway card that is still in use, and counting the cash and putting all the figures in the computer;
cleaning out the entire cold-table display, the sneeze guard, etc.
In other words, Subway has made sure that every twenty-first century employee works as hard as or harder than everyone who had the privilege of working in a restaurant 5,000 years ago.
Dawn on October 6th, 2008 at 2:44 pm | Link
you should complain they can’t make you work more hours than scheduled and not pay you for it. They can not only get in trouble but you can get your money they owe you and probably more as damages.
mark on October 6th, 2008 at 5:16 pm | Link
I can never get all the work done on my shift, without staying past my shift, unless I make fewer than10 sandwiches per hour. But the manager and everyone else tells me that I should be able to do it. I can’t do it, no matter how hard I try and no matter how fast I go, even though I never sit down or take breaks. They tell me that they all sit down and take breaks and still get everything done, although I am never with them, especially throughout their entire shifts, to see what they do or do not do to prove it to myself.
I have seen things online that confirm my suspicion that human multitasking is actually self defeating or counterproductive. If multitasking is what Subway work is all about, then I guess I need to develop my multitasking skills if I am going to be any good at it. If it’s all about time management, then I need to develop my time management skills to get all the work done on time and still make 10 to 60 subs an hour.
Dawn on October 7th, 2008 at 10:50 am | Link
I worked at a subway for 2 years and all of the comments on here about them being cheap are very true. I up until today liked subway but am not getting too frustrated with the way they treat their customers. Here is a letter I sent to their corporate about the problem. If you would like to change the way subway does business copy my letter change the minor details and send it via their online customer service page.
I have been a loyal customer of your store for many years.’ I enjoy the sandwiches that subway makes and have tried over a dozen locations in Rhode Island. The price is the lowest of all the sandwich shops and the quality and customer service is usually good.
I understand that locations that deal with a high volume of people are usually less customer oriented and attempt to keep the line moving. Unfortunately this location is one of the most unprofessional and disrespectful places I have ever had lunch. I have eaten here before and it seems that the location gets worst every time I go. Some of the most common deviation from the rules I have notices are the lack of a full uniform, rarely do the employees wear a hat or apron or pants instead of shorts. I have personally seen an employee wear their gloves, push down the trash, then come to the counter and use the same gloves to handle a person’s sandwich. The employees are very impatient and rude; they never smile or say may I help you. At one point I was the only one in line and I had the employee shout “NEXT PERSON!!!” before looking up and seeing that I was the only one there. The worst part of the whole process is that no one on the staff knows how to make a neat sandwich with the correct portions and heat it properly. The majority of the time the sandwich will be falling apart before I even eat it, there will be 4 tomatoes on one half and none on the other, the sauce is always dripping, due to the unnecessary amount that they put on there. Over all there is nothing good about this location. Granted it is set on a college campus, it does not give the location the right to behave in this manner.
I would like to continue to eat at this location and subway in general, but things need to change first. I have much expertise in this matter since I not only have been eating subway for over eight years I also worked at one for two. Please take this matter seriously I speak for the whole Bryant community in saying that this location needs to adjust the way it does business. I am confident that this matter will be looked in to further and the problems mentions will be professionally dealt with. Thank you for your time and hope to see changes in the near future.
andre malyuta on October 7th, 2008 at 2:45 pm | Link
I just went to subway for lunch and came back here to look up info on google to see if anyone else had the same problems as I do.
Did you know they are limited to three thin slices of meat on a 6 inch sub? WOW! Three thin slices, or you have to pay extra. Since I do not get lettuce (the miracle sandwhich filler) my sandwhich looks like it was ran over by a truck and all I taste is bread. Yuck. I will never eat there again. =(
Kelli on October 8th, 2008 at 3:17 pm | Link
just to add to the above. I did get 6 napkins. =) Maybe I should have put them in my sandwhich to make it bigger?
Kelli on October 8th, 2008 at 3:24 pm | Link
i work at subway and its called FOOD COST there is a STANDARD amount of veggies meet and cheese we put on a sandwhich… if you want more than standard veggies its called asking…. and if you worked there you would probably know why they only put three slices of meat on a sandwich… because subway is trying to have less fat on their sandwiches. The more meet and cheese the more fat in the sandwich.
art on October 9th, 2008 at 10:03 pm | Link
Art - if you want more, its called “paying” not asking. And last time I checked, bread was just as fattening as meat. And next time, you post on a public web site, use spellcheck.
Kelli on October 10th, 2008 at 9:29 am | Link
Hmm I’m in Australia and there’s always heaps of salad and enough meat on the subs I get, and I asked for extra napkins once and no trouble at all! And subs are pretty cheap, heaps cheaper than the McDonalds ones. Anyway that’s all =)
Kimmi on October 13th, 2008 at 8:35 pm | Link
I aint complaining about the quality or quantity of food at my local Subway cos it was lovely, its just a shame that the staffs attitude had to let it down. I visited on three occassions and it seems that they just dont want to be there so why not just try to find another job rather than being rude to your customers. On a more positive note I found a nice friendly sandwich bar nearby which is just as good but with a friendly atmosphere.
Mich on October 16th, 2008 at 5:37 pm | Link
I had bought a party sub for my daughter Birthday. I Did’nt want the veggies on the sub I wanted them on the side.Subway told me all I Can get is to sides you should of seen the dinky bowls they were going to give me. It was a joke. So that gave me no choice i had to buy a veggie platter. I think thats a bunch of crap if you ask me . So never go to Subway in holly michigan
Caren on October 22nd, 2008 at 5:50 am | Link
Wow is,nt everyone in this world trying to make a buck. the reason you get less at the way is the food they order is more than what the other places so they can give more crap meat for the same price. so if you like dog food on a bun go eat at there stores.
Steve on October 22nd, 2008 at 10:30 am | Link
I went to Subway for lunch today, ready to eat a
” Feast” but instead of having it on a 6 inch sub i wanted mine on a wrap….The woman taking my order refused to make me a “Feast” on a wrap…Her argument there is too much meat,….too much meat… I was furious and told her that a few days ago I ate at this particular store and had a “Feast” on a wrap…she looked disturbed and almost accused me of lying….In my defense the guy that made my wrap was there today…when she asked him if he had he didn’t even answer…. What’s the big deal I want a
” Feast ” on a wrap….it’s not Brain surgery! VERY BAD SERVICE
Stephanie on October 24th, 2008 at 3:41 pm | Link
well, sorry for you americans
theres loads of subways in london
they pile the bacon , lettuce and cheese like more tomorrow
they just get a handful and sprinkle it all on
Infact,they ask you for the number of olives, jalpenos etc you want
but, everything in london maybe expensive in america
half of a foot sub is £2.70 about 5.50dollars
eliane p on October 25th, 2008 at 12:39 pm | Link
I work at a subway restaurant in morden, manitoba, canada. and i must say its the ****tiest place to work ever! i usually have to work completely on my own for about three hours. last time, i was also making bread cause we were almost out. it got really busy with customers and i only got a ten minute break spread over forty five minutes for a six hour shift. about an hour and a half after i got off work, my boss called me bitching about how i didn’t get everything done. and told me she was taking time off what i worked because of it. she can’t do that. its illegal. and there should never be only one person working either. what if the employee got injured or something? nobody there to help. and they just have to take my word for it that it was really busy and it just wasn’t possible to do bread, customers, veggie prep, AND dishes in that time. bread and customers are obviously first priority. also, you have absolutely no change of a raise unless you become an assistant manager or manager. also, im the only person at my subway location who doesn’t smoke. so everybody else will go out for ten minute smoke breaks and end up with a half hour break altogether withing three hours whereas i get ten minutes within six hours. needless to say, im looking for a new job. id even go back to one of my past employers cause ANYTHING would be better than subway. also, im out of school and can work days, and i end up with 2-4 shifts a week, all of them at the most six hours but usually only two or three hours. DON’T EVER WORK AT SUBWAY!!!!
Aly Marie on November 20th, 2008 at 6:39 pm | Link
to all the people who agree with this blogg no subway is not cheap one bit. they use this formula so people are limited to how much fat they are taking in and how many calories they are eating. they go by a formula that the corps. set and its for a good cause. if youd rather go to bk and eat for half the price but quadruple the fat be my guest it just means you get to die faster than everyone else
seriously for all the fat asses out there putting down subway for being skimpy on the meats cheese and veggies should really get a life. where else can you get a fresh healthy sub for about 5 bucks?
i hope all the fatass people who put down subway die slowly as their fat ass bodies keeps them from moving.
dont worry about it on November 23rd, 2008 at 1:29 pm | Link
Its not only the fat asses its us skinny ones too. Subway just has a very bad business model and thats really what we are talking about. How many people died from using and extra napkin or even god forbid wasted one!
mark on November 23rd, 2008 at 7:56 pm | Link