Board 8 > Today I learned something about Subway

(+) Yeah! (+)

I occasionally see people her talk about how trash Subway is, and I was always kind of confused. Subway isn't amazing or anything, but it's pretty solid and is the single cheapest fast food option around here. But I live in Canada, and was talking to a friend of mine who just came back from the states. Apparently it's an entirely different beast south of the border, worse meat, limp vegetables, significantly less of each topping, bread isn't baked fresh in store, and it's even the one fast food place that's more expensive in the states than it is in Canada.

I'm sure this isn't interesting to most of you, but it explains a bit to me. Anyone else out there that's been to Canadian and American Subways that can confirm this?
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I personally would like this topic A LOT more if you could post side-by-side picture comparisons of what Subway sandwiches look like in Canada and in the U.S.

I came in expecting this to be about the olives.
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Really just depends on the store about that stuff you speak of.
There are over 25000 stores here, not all are going to be top quality.
Even if their top quality is mediocre.
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I mean, if I ask for olives here I get enough to have olive in nearly every bite without asking for extra. I've definitely heard stories about laughable olive quantities, but that's not a problem up here.
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stp
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I don't think it's more expensive in the states, don't they have like $5 footlongs long after we stopped?

But yeah, Subway is great at the ones I go to.
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I actually worked at a Subway for one paycheck

I had to cut all of the veggies myself and they weren't "limp", we bake the bread at the store, and we have a certain amount of toppings we put on the sandwiches

now whether or not its more expensive or if the preset amount of food is more or less than Canada, I can't say

but I will say it just sounds like your friend is being a food snob
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I mean, I haven't been to a Canadian Subway, but I can confirm that here in the US they are near the top end of the price range when it comes to fast food. And their quality has dropped over time, though I think people exaggerate how bad they are in that respect, or their local shops are just bad. I will also say they used to be significantly better 10+ years ago.
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I'm mostly just working off hearsay, but 5$ US is 6.42$ Canadian, so that's still more expensive than the 6$ subs.
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$5 footlongs are long gone now.
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Depending on the store they still do $5 sub of the day.
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Yeah. In the past 7-10 years they've become significantly more expensive and the quality seems to have dropped a lot. I used to eat a lot of subway when I was at school because one was on campus, but it's actually just worse and worse value now so I hardly ever do it anymore.
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There are a few subs on sale where I'm at that are basically $5 footlongs. Cold cut, meatball, and some other one
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We don't have $6 subs here anymore :(

But when we did, I'm pretty sure the exchange rate was a lot better back then
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Reg posted...

Yeah. In the past 7-10 years they've become significantly more expensive and the quality seems to have dropped a lot. I used to eat a lot of subway when I was at school because one was on campus, but it's actually just worse and worse value now so I hardly ever do it anymore.

Yeah, I think that objectively, they are still "ok."

But they've dropped off so much from what I was used to that it's hard for me to go there anymore.
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i thought this would be about how you found a subway that actually redeemed your old sub card

i miss sub cards =(
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Yeah 5 dollar footlongs are only on a select group of sandwiches these days. It was kind of a bummer when the subway melt turned into a 7 dollar sub. Been a while since I have been there but I never had a problem with the amount of veggies they put on my subs and they were still baking the bread in store. Possible your friend ended up in a shit store or had a lazy employee making his food.
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I miss the flatizza
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I'm not sure if the quality has degraded since I rarely go these days, but prices have definitely gone up (the Subway in my old university used to do select $2 6-inch subs; I haven't seen that anywhere else.

Last time I went was several months ago to try their new Reuben, and it wasn't good at all.
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redrocket posted...

$5 footlongs are long gone now.

No they aren't. Some franchises don't honor them now though.

My local subways have 4 always $5 footlongs and one sub of the day $5 footlong.
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I've had Subway in both Canada and the US and I haven't noticed a staggering difference. I imagine the quality can differ greatly based on locality though.

Yeah none of that is true about Subway in the US

It's just so basic and bland and takes soooo long if there's any kind of line
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I like subway.

It's definitely the fast food of sub places but sometimes that's what I waaaaant
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I think part of the problem with *any* restaurant review can be summed up as "My experiences with local Subway has tainted my opinion of the franchise."

Individual stores can have bad vegetables and such due to bad management, and I imagine where they get their produce can contribute to that (especially distance-wise).

As for not baking in-store, I doubt that. Every single Subway I've been into has ovens where they bake their bread. The only difference is, the dough comes in from the outside, ready-to-bake they don't make the dough there themselves.

That being said, they might be letting the bread get a bit more stale than they should, and that might be what people are thinking about.

Anecdote here, slightly off the subject - I used to love going to pizza hut. Their pizzas were flavorful, crusts were fantastic, selections were amazing, and the dine-in experience was fantastic.
Then Applebees moved to a new location, and Pizza Hut got dragged along with them... and ended up with a much smaller location with much less staff. The pizza turned flavorless, the dine-in experience was practically non-existent... the food went to shit.

Apparently, Applebee's went to shit after they moved, too. We haven't been to the new location, just going by hearsay.

So basically - your dining experience at any franchise is likely dependent on the restaurant itself. Subway can be shit in one place, and a dining delight in another location.
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A decade ago there were two local Subways for me and both were great.
Now there are five and not one can make a good sandwich.

However, Subway pizza is amazing and is only beaten by Dominos pizza.
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There is no reason to go to Subway if you have a Jimmy John's by you.
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PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

There is no reason to go to Subway if you have a Jimmy John's by you.

Seconded.
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Jimmy John's is alright but their bread is kinda tough
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Never liked jimmy John's.

Also anyone with a publix in their state doesn't need anything else anyway
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PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

There is no reason to go to Subway if you have a Jimmy John's by you.

Subway toasts their crap at least
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all the Subways I've ever been to in the US bake their bread in the store, and the vegetables are generally fine. I think they're very solid for a healthy-ish fast food option.
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Now Jimmy Johns

THERES a bland ass place
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Jersey Mike's is probably my favorite sandwich chain. That pepper/relish spread is better than anything they have at subway.
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I've had good sandwiches from Jimmy John's, but it's not good enough to justify visiting them, especially since their policies are shitty to their employees. As in, stuff that's universal to *all* Jimmy Johns.
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Way too much hate for JJ's in this topic.
That California Sub (Beach Club w/e) they have is top tier anywhere....it's just a shame that they never have sprouts anymore.

Jersey Mike's is more like what a real Hoagie should taste like, but there are plenty of other less expensive local places to get one of those near me.

Yeah Hoagies are like pizza
Local > Chain
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My main local pizza place has really good subs. I just rarely get them because if I'm going there, I usually want pizza.
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I've never had a problem with or at a Subway before. Maybe it's a regional thing
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Penn Station > Quiznos > Subway => Jimmy Johns = Jersey Mikes
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I only go to Subway for the Meatball Marinara or some other kind of melt when my preferred food cart (a grilled cheese/melts place) isn't there. I go to a small regional chain for cold-cut subs that's basically a superior Jimmy John's.

Why anyone would go to Subway for a non-toasted sub is beyond me.
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BlueCrystalTear posted...

I only go to Subway for the Meatball Marinara or some other kind of melt when my preferred food cart (a grilled cheese/melts place) isn't there. I go to a small regional chain for cold-cut subs that's basically a superior Jimmy John's.

Why anyone would go to Subway for a non-toasted sub is beyond me.

Not everyone has regional sub restaurants.
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Punnyz posted...

Now Jimmy Johns

THERES a bland ass place

I take it home and bake it and add salt and spices and it's actually really good cuz the ingredients are nice. Can't believe people like it as is though.
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Blimpie is the best sub chain, but it's expensive and there aren't that many around anymore.
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foolm0r0n posted...

Punnyz posted...

Now Jimmy Johns

THERES a bland ass place

I take it home and bake it and add salt and spices and it's actually really good cuz the ingredients are nice. Can't believe people like it as is though.

I think they make pretty good sandwiches, I just don't think the quality is worth the price and the non-compete clause they make their employees agree to.

I'm aware Subway likely dicks over their employees, too, but a non-compete agreement is one of those things that is especially evil when the majority of work that a young person can get falls within the competition.
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All of the "good sub chains" are priced at dine in restaurant levels. If that's what you want to pay for a sandwich go ahead, but they can't really be compared to fast food because they are totally out of that price bracket.
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Non compete for sandwiches? Either way, non competes are basically unenforceable anywhere in the US
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foolm0r0n posted...

Non compete for sandwiches? Either way, non competes are basically unenforceable anywhere in the US

They don't have to be as long as people believe they are.
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Yeah but that's still so dumb. It's like saying the ghost of Jimmy himself will haunt you if you dare make a $5 footlong.
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foolm0r0n posted...

Non compete for sandwiches? Either way, non competes are basically unenforceable anywhere in the US

For any occupation?
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pjbasis posted...

anyone with a publix in their state doesn't need anything else anyway

Vouch so hard.
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