How Does Subway Stay in Business?

Question

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?

Answer

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.

Answer

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!

Answer

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.

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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.

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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. :-)

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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???

Answer

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

Answer

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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"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...

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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

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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.

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How does it? I ask the same thing ... http://www.chowhound.com/topics/317173

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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.

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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...

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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.

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The smell of Subway's so-called bread wafting out of their stores makes me feel positively ill. I can't imagine what induces people to go there.

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Subway succeeds where I live because it has the cheapest food that isn't fried. No other reason. I also agree that the odor of the bread is vile.

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because my boyfriend eats there everyday...the original Subway is in the town where I was born

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Subway and Quizno's both have pretty miserable food. The breads used at both places are particularly heinous for places that claim to be sub joints.

Most corner delis and even some of the better supermarkets make better sandwichs/subs than these places do.

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One word: Jared

Compared to other quick stops, Subway is generally the healthiest option (least amount of guilt) for the quick customer. There food isn't all that great, but it's certainly filling and a good bargain.

On the portions, they used to be much bigger, but became smaller around their $5 deals - The same goes for Quiznos.

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Oh God, my daughter and I went shopping at a very upscale mall today. To get from one half to the other, you have to go up an escalator and cross through a "bridge" over a road. The bridge is a food court, and they've recently added a Subway. Coming off the elevator, we were immediately overwhelmed by that Subway stench, which persisted into the nearbye Banana Republic. I don't know what ingredients Subway uses that produce such a disgusting smell, but I certainly would eat none of it.

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the smell outside of every single subway ive been near has made me naseous.

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on my side, i think the smell of bread cooking at subway mainly changed the day they introduced their cheese covered bread (italian herbs and cheese, parmesan and oregano) 

The cheese smell overwhelming the bread smell.

I admit i do like subway, but i'm more conventional in my choices (9 grains bread with different meats/toppings combo)

Answer

It seems that both Subway and Quizno stay in business as most, if not all, of their clients are not Chowhound type people. Thus people who fuel not enjoy. In the world there are far more people like 'them' than like 'us'. Been to each once, took a bite, threw the sandwich away, and have not been back.

Answer

A coworker of mine deemed Subway as "worthy" saying that he really enjoyed their sandwiches. All that I could conclude is that some people equate worthy with food that is utterly unoffensive and bland. From the bread to the meat to the toppings it's all unoffensive.

Answer

I worked at Subway for a little bit in my early high school years, shortly before they changed the way they cut the bread, and I can certainly sympathize with everyone that mentions the "Subway smell." I think I may have burned my work clothes when I finally quit. For years, I think the smell is what kept me away from going to Subway for a bite.

That said, now that I'm a working stiff I find that I patronize Subway around once a week for lunch, on average. A year or two ago I went a lot more often. The reason I go: health.

At Subway I can get a 6-inch sandwich, eat the whole thing, and still consume less than 350 calories. When I'm trying to have a healthy lunch Subway is one of my few and best options. It is easily one of the lightest (calorie-wise), most filling and fastest options available to me (and I have plenty of lunch options nearby). It's very much a cost-benefit analysis -- if I'm trying to watch my caloric intake, the benefit of fewer calories in Subway is greater than the benefit I would get from the added taste and calories in Quiznos, Jimmy John's, some other sandwich chain, or one of the local deli-type places.

Ultimately, I think they stay in business because they have good margins, are an affordable franchise option, and have excellent marketing. I would imagine a lot of people choose Subway over other options (and they certainly do where I live) because of the perceived healthiness of their sandwiches. They serve a sufficient product at a reasonable price and market well; therefore, Subway appeals to many demographics.

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quite an old post, but i still wonder this every week or so when i see one or dh eats there. the fact that they are spreading like wildfire across the globe is even more perplexing.

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Interestingly, I just read in the Wall Street Journal today that Subway now has more outlets than McDonald's.

From the Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703386704576186432177464052.html?mod=e2tw

"At the end of last year, Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide, compared to McDonald's 32,737."

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uggghhh went in to buy a bottle of soda (in a huge rush), and the smell made me want to vomit.

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This morning Yahoo had on their front page something about "Subway Spaghetti" as a popular trending story. I didn't bother with it when I first saw it, then it dawned on me after a bit that Subway was entering a whole new area in their culinary offerings.
Fortunately, it was a false alarm on my part as there was a pasta-throwing incident in a NYC subway car or something like that and not the franchise's retraining of their "sandwich artists".

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I feel sorry for you, my dear American friends. Obviously Subway in the States is different than in Canada. I love the smell of their fresh bread. It smells like my Grandma's kitchen, not some sick smell like you are talking about. The meat, granted is not "fresh", but it is like the local deli meat. The veggies are always fresh as far as I can see and taste. Great taste too! Having said that, I might be one of the lucky ones that has a few Subways in my area that care. There may be others, even in my city that are not that great, but for me, I could eat there once a week with NO problem.

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"two half slices of Swiss (cut into triangles) onto a roll and asks me "anything else?" What the?"

Lol, weirdos have to eat too! If subways is your only fast food option other than for example a Panera bread you need to throw yourself in front of a moving vehicle

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Every once in awhile, I see posts on CH about the "Subway smell", and it always baffles me. I have to assume that some Subways are badly maintained and others aren't; the one near me just smells like fresh-baked bread. Maybe people don't like the smell of yeast and dough?

As to how they stay open... there's plenty of sub/sandwich places in my area, but I often wind up at Subway. They're cleaner, friendlier, cheaper, and faster than the majority of the "sub shops", and they post their nutrition info. And they make a very decent sandwich.

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Subway is a love/hate place for me. On one hand that "portion control" your seeing is a legit way to actually keep calories at bay, but the massive amount of carbs via bread consumed with that scant amount of meat and cheese is rather counter productive. 

Id much rather they use smaller bread sizes, and larger servings of meat. But that would cost them more money.. so in the end, we lose.

Although I give them props for now offering avocado in Canada! Although I wonder how they keep it so fresh and green, as the stuff I've tried so far lacked any acidity.. I wonder.. 

Anyways, Maybe if they went out of business we would see more people taking the 3 minutes it takes to make their own healthier home made subs at home.. saving both time and money! Because remember, it takes time to drive to subway and wait in line.. probably more time than it takes to prepare a sub at home with more lean meat and less carby bread, for probably 50% the cost!

Cheers!

Oh, P.S. 
A good friend of mine used to work back shift at subway in my younger years. I used to swing by there to pick up a majorly loaded sub well after midnight a couple times a week. And I will tell you this.. After being "behind the counter" a few times and seeing the cases that their meat comes in.. seeing the ingredients, the frozen states, etc.. and knowing what I know about food and nutrition now.. Lets just say I try to steer clean of subway the way I steer clear of McDonald's. Decent once in a while, but god forbid I eat there daily.

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That is shitty, Subway has always been my absolute favorite food ever!! i could EAT it everyday.. I live in ottawa ontario canada and i have always had the freshest best subs!!!!!!!

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Now they are charging you for "extra meat and cheese" on your subs - translation: they're putting less of both on your subs than they used to, and asking if you want to pay even more for "extra" of both. Their employees always seem jaded and annoyed whenever I've been to one in recent years. Their lunch meats are all very low quality - in fact I've been told most of them are all turkey based. Their veggies are all usually limp and rotting too. Then when it comes time to put some dressing on your sub, they squirt like half a bottle of mayo on it, no matter how many times I tell them "just a little bit" - I might as well just ate a whole jar of Hellman's, screw the sandwich. Then for some reason, they can't manage to cut a sandwich in half without leaning on it with all their body weight and smashing it until it's flat as a pancake first.

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I remember from living in Italy, getting a mozzarella and prosciutto sandwich; that amount of money you had determined how much meat and cheese you got on your sandwich. This is the way to go.

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