425689 Sat Jul 28 15:39:19 -0700 2007 54 32 Chains 0 2792303 I went to Subway today for a quick bite expecting nothing specatacular. So I order a 6 inch Roasted Turkey Sub with Swiss chesse. The guy working there then proceeds to place just two round slices of turkey (at about 4 inches in diameter) and two half slices of Swiss (cut into triangles) onto a roll and asks me "anything else?" What the? How do they stay in business? Sat Jul 28 15:39:19 -0700 2007 26180 Chinon00 1 2792470 That's exactly how they stay in business ~ quanitity control! I presume when people drop by Subway's it's for a quick, "healthy" bite. [i]Personally[/i] don't like their dry bread even with the variations of loaves ya get to choose from. On rare occasions that I've eaten there (either with a coupon or some sort of sub deal) their toppings are pretty fresh and that's about it. Once I tried their steak sub w/c was better than I thought it would be. I'm not sure if all franchises serve the same amount of ingredients but most likely they do. I was wondering the same thing about a Quizno's that opened up here last year. I ordered their combo with a soup and when I got home it was only filled up 60% to the top. I checked the bag to see if any soup had spilled over but the plastic bag was bone dry. Now a days if I buy a submarine it's the ones I order in from restaurants and not some skimpy sub coming out of a "toaster oven", Sat Jul 28 17:11:21 -0700 2007 2792303 29875 Yummy Stuff 2 2793405 I remember reading an article about the Quizno's in my area having trouble staying in business- much more so than Subway. I worked at one place that was adjacent to a subway and a grocery store that served superior sandwiches, but it always took much longer to get through the line at the grocery store so I think a lot of people ended up opting for Subway instead just to save time. Sun Jul 29 08:16:42 -0700 2007 2792470 107671 queencru 1 2793418 Yummy hit it. I noticed them weighing every ingredient of my sandwich except the bread. Final result was almost like the ingredients had been printed onto the bread, which was not very good. The ingredients were fine, and no doubt exactly the correct weight. I think they have an "extra ingredient" option now, probably a way of raising the real price of a decent sandwich while offering the base sandwich at a ridiculously low cost. After all, bread is cheap - deli meats are not. I wondered whether I should post this, since with current technology, they probably can print flavored edible inks onto the bread and cut the meat, lettuce, tomato altogether - and now I've given them the idea if they didn't already have it. The really strange thing isn't how they stay in business - it's how they're expanding rapidly. Are they busy at lunch time? They do advertise a lot on TV - this seems to draw people to lousy fast food better than anything. Sun Jul 29 08:24:52 -0700 2007 2792303 113375 salutlemonde 2 2793757 Part of the reason why Subway expands like crazy because they promote franchising like nobody's business - literally. Look on their napkins. If you ever look into franchising expos or mags, Subway is everywhere. Also I think there is an ethnic component to it, at least in LA. It seems that most Subways are owned and operated by South Asians. The familiarity with this particular franchise and franchising in general amongst this ethnic community seems to have become a part of their business culture. Sun Jul 29 11:33:44 -0700 2007 2793418 64003 bulavinaka 3 2796536 subway is the cheapest franchise to open and operate; often the reason it is the choice of large immigrant families of every nationality, trying to get into business for themselves. it's marketed to them as a safer bet than trying to establish their own ethnic restaurants. subway sucks the life out of a neighborhood like nobody's business. Mon Jul 30 10:58:28 -0700 2007 2793757 46030 soupkitten 4 2798428 Yup - again, it's all about being pragmatic. Many immigrants don't worry about "ooh - I'm going to open my own restaurant and make the best fill-in-the-blanks. They want something that is secure, safe, and something that they will hopefully be able to eventually use as collateral to grab another franchise. It's done alot in LA, as I am sure it is done alot elsewhere... Mon Jul 30 19:55:00 -0700 2007 2796536 64003 bulavinaka 2 2794426 The few times I eat at Subway, I order to vegetarian---just "cheese," lettuce, tomatoe, black olives, SP and vinegar. Its frustrating, for as much as they charge for this, they will only place 5 olives on the sandwich! Sun Jul 29 16:44:34 -0700 2007 2793418 11044 Moonpie 3 2798716 This is why I can't stand going there any more. Their veggie sandwiches aren't much cheaper than ones with meat, yet on a six-inch you get three pickle slices and 4 olives pieces? Mon Jul 30 22:22:03 -0700 2007 2794426 12268 mollyomormon 1 2794319 Not defending Subway here, but why is it many Americans think that every sandwich should be overstuffed? Subway has always had portion control on meats and cheese while using the wide variety of veggie toppings to market health and individuality. I'd think the reasoned argument with Subway would be more about the relative tastelessness of their meats and cheeses than the amounts used. In Italy much of what you'll encounter in panini shops is simply one or two slices of a meat and maybe some cheese and/or vegetable. That's it. It's rare there are more than three ingredients on a panini. It's much the same throughout continental Europe. Unless you go to Subway, of course. A point could be made that if you truly have quality ingredients, you would logically let them shine in harmony instead of overkill on any one ingredient or burying them with other stuff. As Subway - and for that matter, virtually every other sandwich chain in existence - uses inferior ingredients, they have to sell the other stuff. So load up on the cukes and banana peppers - that's the whole point of eating there! Sun Jul 29 15:54:59 -0700 2007 2792303 24421 Panini Guy 2 2794387 For me, it's more a matter of the ratio between bread and fillings. A panino works with less fillings because the bread is thinner, almost just a crust. Sun Jul 29 16:27:03 -0700 2007 2794319 113375 salutlemonde 2 2795669 Which is exactly why I prefer Potbelly sandwiches: smaller sub, better ingredients, lower pricetag. And none of that wierd Subway odor either. Mon Jul 30 07:34:37 -0700 2007 2794319 12359 monkeyrotica 3 2811579 Exactly why I prefer Potbelly as well! I seriously hate Subway!! Fri Aug 03 13:22:37 -0700 2007 2795669 69457 Gelato_in_Roma 2 2795909 I don't mind not having a lot of meat or cheese on a sandwich, but my local subway skimps on the veggies quite a bit, too. that bread is just too big and too dry without a lot of veggies. i was bummed when they switched to the big bread a few years ago; the old small bread was a better match for the amount of stuff they put on a sandwich. my theory is that subway stays in business by being unoffensive; its not that anyone particularly likes it, but very few people hate it, making it a sort of "default" when shopping around for lunch. the one near my office has a line out the door every day. Mon Jul 30 08:36:55 -0700 2007 2794319 82797 itsrob 2 2801021 It's like the Woody Allen quote "The food here is aweful...and such small portions!" Tue Jul 31 14:45:19 -0700 2007 2794319 101164 PlatypusJ 2 2807333 In Europe your 'sandwiches' tend to have very little meat. But oh, what tasty and flavorful smoked meats you get, not the bland "pressed loaf" of Subway In Germany before a plane ride I pointed to the "sandwichen" at a bakery. Smallish crusty hard bread, 1 thin slice of highly smoked salami, butter, 1 thin lettuce, and a thin slice of hardboiled egg. Delicious! I think it only cost 1 EUR as well. Thu Aug 02 10:50:00 -0700 2007 2794319 12193 JugglerDave 3 2807755 A real Italian porchetta sandwich doesn't have that much meat, but the meat that is there is amazing. And the bread as well. But we're talking about real meats cured and prepared by real people, not injection-molded flavorless food "product." I don't think anyone would mind Subway skimping on the meats if the meats actually tasted like... well.... ANYTHING. If you can't have quality, at least maybe some quantity? Thu Aug 02 12:12:24 -0700 2007 2807333 12359 monkeyrotica 4 2837128 monkeyerotica and JugglerDave hit it on the head. Most Americans equate big flavor with more "stuff" while other cultures understand big flavors doesn't necessarily mean big ole lumps o' ingredients. Which kind of hits at the root of all this American gluttony/big servings. Sat Aug 11 20:30:51 -0700 2007 2807755 11826 Phaedrus 1 2795269 It sounds like you got shorted. They don't exactly load their sandwiches, but they have a standard amount of lunchmeat they are to use and two pieces is not it. As far as the others who complain of too few toppings, all you have to do is ask for more and they ar accomodating almost always. I personally more often have issues with things being overdressed so I appreciate when they don't immediately assume I want the typical American overstuffed sandwich. Mon Jul 30 00:17:18 -0700 2007 2792303 82243 ArikaDawn 1 2795725 I wonder how all the chain sandwich places stay in business(subway, quiznos, potbellys, etc). They are all pretty bad. If I want a sandwich I go to a local deli. Mon Jul 30 07:49:48 -0700 2007 2792303 26725 swsidejim 2 2795873 Being a local deli is no guarantee of quality, any more than being a chain is a guarantee of consistency. In some places, a chain is the only options, so we all need our own checklist of suckitude to determine which chain sucks the least and what you're willing to put up with. If I REALLY want a sandwich, I make it myself. And if I do a particularly good job, I leave myself a generous tip. Mon Jul 30 08:27:35 -0700 2007 2795725 12359 monkeyrotica 3 2795910 I guess living in the Chicago area I am lucky to have dozens of good local mom & pop delis to choose from that are better than anything I had at a chain shop before I gave up on them. Typically if I want a good deli sandwich while sitting home watching a game on t.v., I plan ahead, and go to an Italian market, and have them slice up the meats and cheeses for me to make my own sandwich at home Mon Jul 30 08:36:56 -0700 2007 2795873 26725 swsidejim 4 2796214 Wow, thats rough. I know its not a daily option, but arn't the cities up there near D.C. pretty "easy" to get to( couple of hours by car, or even by a trian?) say for a quick weekend roadtrip(like Philadelphia, Baltimore, NYC)? Mon Jul 30 09:53:27 -0700 2007 2796200 26725 swsidejim 5 2796476 Bmore is about an hour, Philly closer to 3, NYC about 4.5 on the weekend. There are plenty of ethnicy places to eat in and around DC, just not downtown or near the usual tourist sites. The inner suburbs are where the good and cheap eats are, because that's where the owners can afford to locate. Mon Jul 30 10:47:16 -0700 2007 2796214 12359 monkeyrotica 6 2796493 Thanks, I thought NYC, and Philly were a little closer. Sometimes a small road trip is part of the fun of finding a great place for meal. Mon Jul 30 10:50:56 -0700 2007 2796476 26725 swsidejim 3 2798421 I second that. I used to work at Von's in my teen years. The deli next door used to come in and stock up on the "Slim Price" generic white bread. Eeee-gaaads! Mon Jul 30 19:52:00 -0700 2007 2795873 64003 bulavinaka 1 2795747 I live in a very small, English town. Subway opened here about two years ago - on the main street and they do a huge business. Being an American, I decided to try it one day - just to compare sandwiches here vs there. The bread wasn't as tasty but the choices are pretty interesting - thai chili chicken etc. Portions here are usually smaller so no one thinks twice about the size of the meal. There are a lot of business people working in this town and it's a quick, fast and healthy lunch - and cheaper than most other spots in town despite an average sandwich costing about $6.00. Yes, $6.00. You in the States have it so good. :-) Mon Jul 30 07:54:27 -0700 2007 2792303 11939 zuriga1 2 2796010 Hi zuriga Subway is clearly undertaking a major "attack" on the UK market. Two branches have opened in the suburbs near me (north west England). They don't seem to be doing that well - but I think the intent is drive out of business the existing sandwich outlets. I occasionally eat in the branch in our town centre and find it less satisfactory than when I've eaten there on trips to the US. If it was not for the chili, the sandwiches would be pretty tasteless - obviously even lower quality product is being used than in the US. My teenage nephew went to his nearby branch at first but has now stopped - poor quality sandwiches and high prices. I foresee a cut back in branches in due course. You'll have gathered I'm not a great fan of Subway on either side of the pond. Give me a small family-run sandwich shop any day. John Mon Jul 30 09:04:45 -0700 2007 2795747 78808 Brit on a Trip 2 2797463 I have to admit that when I lived in Japan, going to Subway was kind of exciting. I didn't have one in my city, but the lunch meat choices in the grocery store were limited to ham and sometimes pastrami, so Subway was the only place I could get meats that weren't those two varieties. Mon Jul 30 14:44:56 -0700 2007 2795747 107671 queencru 1 2798663 I have no problems with the quantity of meat/fillings in a Subway sandwich. My gripe with Subway is that their sandwiches don't taste like normal sandwiches. It's not that their sandwiches necessarily taste bad (although some certainly do), but they just don't taste like sandwiches. Oh, and did I say they don't taste like sandwiches??? Mon Jul 30 21:52:26 -0700 2007 2792303 11583 ipsedixit 2 2799237 It's kinda fascinating how, regardless of what sandwich you order at Subway, they all taste alike. When I first noticed this phenomena, I was afraid I'd had a stroke and somehow burned out the flavor centers of my brain. Then I read that stroke victims usually taste copper when they're stroking out and these sandwiches didn't taste like copper. The didn't taste like anything. It's a sort of "negative flavor" that draws taste OUT of your mouth like a black hole that nothing, not even light or flavor, can escape. Tue Jul 31 07:20:30 -0700 2007 2798663 12359 monkeyrotica 3 2799831 That's a great point that I forgot to mention. All their sandwiches do taste eerily alike for some odd reason (at least the cold ones anyway). Tue Jul 31 10:10:26 -0700 2007 2799237 11583 ipsedixit 1 2801422 How does Subway stay in business?? Easy. Overpromise & underdeliver. Here's a prime example in regards to their supposed 3 foot subs: http://www.abc15.com/content/news/investigators/story.aspx?content_id=cf4c217c-1910-4040-9a33-0102fdd135c7 Tue Jul 31 16:47:41 -0700 2007 2792303 11011 Eugene Park 1 2801505 I think it's because many Americans feel they are getting a quality sandwich in the same way that they think they will get a quality hamburger at McDonalds. Tue Jul 31 17:15:08 -0700 2007 2792303 115828 hotteacher1976 1 2801557 Along similar lines, I used to patronize a Blimpie's near work every so often. The same staff members used to serve a decent sandwich for the price under the watchful eye of the owner. One day I went in and noticed a new owner and completely different staff. They proceeded to serve the absolute minimal amount of paper thin toppings possible that still could be called a sandwich. I never returned. Tue Jul 31 17:32:17 -0700 2007 2792303 13204 curiousgeo 2 2801715 Is that Blimpie's still in business? Tue Jul 31 18:26:26 -0700 2007 2801557 113375 salutlemonde 3 2803620 This was several years ago and the place is still in business although I don't know if the same people are there since I've never been back. Coincidentally, a Subway opened up even closer to my office which I have been to several times when needing a quick bite. It's ok in a pinch but nothing like a really good deli sandwich. Wed Aug 01 10:53:32 -0700 2007 2801715 13204 curiousgeo 1 2801776 BECAUSE THEY ROCK! They do it day in and day out. I don't know how they could go wrong. They cut everything daily and everything is just so fresh! Consistency is hard to find and one place to find it is Subway. Tue Jul 31 18:46:17 -0700 2007 2792303 65871 scout909 2 2801897 What is (in your opinion) their "ROCK[ingest]" sandwich? I'd like to give it a try. I didn't want to suggest that what I had was bad but that it was just not really present. It was like eating a lettuce sandwich (which is cool if lettuce sandwiches are your thing). And to be fair I've had worse bread by the way. It's just that I could understand two slices of meat and one slice of cheese on a sandwich if the meat and cheese were incredibly flavorful but this was not. Tue Jul 31 19:26:09 -0700 2007 2801776 26180 Chinon00 2 2802575 what exactly does Subway cut fresh each day? I know its not the meat, and I doubt it is many of the veggies. The places that I go have a row of meat slicers, and the people you order the sandwich from slice the meat to order for your sandwich. Wed Aug 01 05:51:30 -0700 2007 2801776 26725 swsidejim 1 2802567 I often wonder the EXACT same thing. There is a subway in my town and NO ONE is ever in there. I find their food to be just OKAY, nothing that I would go out of my way for. Wed Aug 01 05:48:17 -0700 2007 2792303 50537 NiKoLe1625 1 2806726 "How do they stay in business?" Good question! The only sandwiches I've ever had that were worse, were in school cafeterias, namely, cut-rate bologna or some sort of processed ham/turkey/chicken food product, with government cheese on off-brand Wonderbread or pasty white, sort of raw-doughy "rolls", the best part of which was generally the mustard.) I've always thought it was too bad that Subway didn't survive the 90s, since while far from amazing, is basically Subway done properly, which is saying something anyway. But presumably they survive because they're ubiquitous and when you come down to it, well, the majority of the Americans basically eat whatever's closest to hand and apparently have their tastebuds on their collective ass, judging by the "foods" and "restaurants" that are the mainstay outside of major urban areas (or relatively unique niche areas and the occasional "find".) Chowhound is all about the "other" stuff, but it's certainly not the way "America" seems to be eating these days judging by what you actually see people buying and eating in suburban and rural supermarkets and restaurants, where the majority of Americans do live, albeit not quite so visibly as in other spots. Use carpet-bomb-advertising methods, throw a little "chipotle mayo" in there somewhere and the crowds will usually flock. As to sandich size, with the amount of money they must spend on advertising, it's no wonder they put so little food on their sandwiches making them so-called healthy. Overstuffed is one thing, Subway, quite another at the other end of the spectrum, unless you're used to British tea sandwiches, maybe!! As for health claims, I suppose less bad food is "healthier" than more, but that's about as far as I'm willing to go with that... Thu Aug 02 08:24:48 -0700 2007 2792303 11980 MikeG 1 2814917 On the occasional visit, It's their BMT Sub loaded with veggies(Lettuce,tomatoes,pickles,olives,cukes,onions,green peppers, banana peppers,,oregano,oil and plenty o' vinegar)..its filling and saisfying Sun Aug 05 03:14:55 -0700 2007 2792303 11562 Hue 2 2814968 The problem with posting a question like this on Chowhound is that we CHer's do NOT represent the majority view on food preferences andquality in this country yet, not by a longshot. Why is Subway still open? Well, because there are millions upon millions of people in this country that are perfectly fine with ingredients that may be inferior becaue these tastes and atmospheres are comfortable to them. Is this right? I would say no, as would most of you, but again, we are the minority here. People keep patronizing Subways because they know exactly what to expect. Dieters know that they are going to get X number of calories from a processed turkey sub with fat free chips made from Olestra. Sure, the local sandwich shop may taste better, but they can't tell us exactly how many calories they are putting into each sandwich, and unfortunately that scares many of the "health conscious" eaters out there.There are chains around here (Nashville) that put out a fresh tasting product, Jersey Mike's being one that delivers well enough that I will sometimes stop in when the situation demands it. And you know what? It is a good sandwich. Subway does not, in my opinion, make a good sandwich. But it sure is familiar, and familiar sells. That is why Subways don't, and won't close. Sun Aug 05 05:36:35 -0700 2007 2814917 69116 notgreg 1 2814990 Everyone here has made some excellent points about Subway. I don't like Subway very much. I think their meats are gross (their roast beef is scary). As I live in the NYC area, I have a gazillion wonderful Italian delis to choose from if I want a sandwich. I do like the fact that at Subway I can load a sandwich up with veggies. I suspect a lot of people like that. I makes us all feel virtuous. Why do we need to overstuff a sandwich with "meat" and "cheese" anyway? A couple of slices is all we need for nutrition purposes and filling up on veggies is a good thing. I think that's one reason they stay in business. It makes people feel virtuous to eat there. They are also cheap and quick. You can have a filling meal for less than you would at a real deli. Here is an example. Two weeks ago my DH and I were on vacation in Chincoteague Island in VA. There are three take-out sandwich places on the island. One is called Not Just Salads, which is overpriced and the people who work there are obnoxious and rude, so we never go. There is Sea Star, which has expensive but awesome sandwiches, and is pricey. Then there is Subway. One day my DH and I decided to go to Sea STar. We ordered a couple of their specialty sandwiches. We had to wait 20 minutes to get them and our bill came to $16. Subway OTOH, is about $10 for the two of us and we can be out of there in under 10 minutes. The day we ate at Sea Star we were starving and it was a very hot day (there is no indoor seating area there), so we had to wait out in the heat hungry. An air-conditioned Subway seems like a better alternative sometimes, even if the food is inferior. Sun Aug 05 05:59:53 -0700 2007 2792303 116495 Avalondaughter 2 2828913 Never mind "wonderful" Italian delis - of which there aren't that many in NYC these days - even the average corner deli run by whoever generally makes a better sandwich and honestly, in your example, I'd much sooner pay $3 more bucks for a good sandwich with a wait than suffer through Subway. (What can I say, I feel the same way about fast food; I can stand McD's but would sooner go hungry for 6 hours than eat Burger King.) And I have to say, "inferior" barely begins to describe Subway to my tastebuds. I'd much rather have a couple of bags of Doritos, just for the calories, for lunch if those were my options... And for what it's worth, I see I mis-typed in my original post, I was bemoaning the almost-demise of Blimpie's compared to Subway, but apparently typed "Subway" instead... Thu Aug 09 09:04:29 -0700 2007 2814990 11980 MikeG 1 2837116 How does it? I ask the same thing ... http://www.chowhound.com/topics/317173 Sat Aug 11 20:24:52 -0700 2007 2792303 10609 Cheese Boy 2 2838891 I nearly retch from the smell when i pass by a Subway. It's worse than the garbage smell on the streets. I think it's the smell of the bread which definitely isn't good bread but it doesn't taste half as bad as it smells. Blimpie is probably worse but there's no stench. I agree they've done a great job advertising especially by using that thin guy who lost the weight. Sun Aug 12 18:01:31 -0700 2007 2837116 57300 nativeNYer 1 2850385 I have no idea. I have no problem with and understand the principle of portion control, but the portion has to be a decent size. If I want a mouthful of bread, I will go to a bakery and buy a loaf. Thu Aug 16 00:12:53 -0700 2007 2792303 117292 Shayna Madel 1 2856501 I don't get it either, but my son would rather eat a Subway than just about anything else...A lot of people love the "fresh" bread... Fri Aug 17 16:43:30 -0700 2007 2792303 71851 jinet12 2 2856615 When I played volleyball Subway was the only reasonable option when surrounded by Mickey Dees, BK, and Wendy's. This was before the salads at those places became edible. I got sick of it pretty quick but if I ate any of the other options I would puke on the court. I transfered that option to my players when I started coaching. Its quick and its relatively healthy. And no, packing a healthy lunch is not an option these days for the spoiled brats I coach. Fri Aug 17 17:32:18 -0700 2007 2856501 11826 Phaedrus 3 2861370 It is reasonably healthy, if you hold the mayo/cheese/fatty meats and dressings. Problem is, people order ALL that on their sub at Subway and manage to convince themselves they're still eating healthy. They'd probably be better off with a broiled chicken sandwich from any of the chains. Mon Aug 20 06:25:52 -0700 2007 2856615 12359 monkeyrotica 1 2861444 We flew recently, and before the outbound flight had a sit-down meal at terminal E in Boston. The bread was so stale it was inedible, and the fillings were virtually non-existant, We left half despite our hunger, and with two beers it came to $30.00. Upon returning, Subway was the only decent to-go option, so we got a 12" veggie pattie on parmesan bread with spicy mustard, provolone and a pile of all the fresh veggies except onions. We had it cut and wrapped in two pieces, and we shared it on our otherwise foodless flight. The cost was $7.00. I don't eat at Subway very often, but to me it is a "situational" option, and it has been in the right place at the right time. Mon Aug 20 06:55:35 -0700 2007 2792303 51746 chowfamily 2 2862469 I clicked onto this thread because I just had basically the same experience. I had a flight at Dulles last weekend and went to eat at one of the sit-down joints in the terminal. The food proved awful and I knew I needed something for the flight to San Francisco. So I grabbed a BMT at Subway to take on the plane. It wasn't the greatest sandwich I've ever had, but it was tastier than I'd expected it would be, the produce on it was fresh and overall I was very pleased. It's definitely a situational thing. Mon Aug 20 11:25:10 -0700 2007 2861444 80141 ccbweb 3 2862553 Ditto--flew a few weeks ago from Detroit and had a pre flight meal at a "taqueria" in the old terminal that was overpriced and AWFUL (Detroit has a fantastic new terminal with lots of good choices, and a shabby old terminal which will be demolished next year, so they aren't putting any effort into it). In Denver we had a 50 min layover--my son was famished so we got him a Subway and he was very happy. I must say it smelled pretty good! To top it off, when we got off the plane in Seattle my mom wanted to eat at Denny's. Not a good chowhound day. Mon Aug 20 11:44:15 -0700 2007 2862469 109573 coney with everything