# The Unkindest (Subway) Cut **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 5, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168 "2005-01-05T06:51:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/61 "2005-01-06T22:56:45Z")
Look, I’ll grant you that Subway probably has a better variety of low-fat items on their menu than McDonald’s. I just think it’s wrong to compare one company’s worst thing with the other company’s best thing. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/62 "2005-01-06T23:00:45Z")
> [@Stonebow](#): > > I’ve also been pretty pissed off by the Subway ad campaigns too…the comparisons are just not equal in any way. Hmmm…a 20 piece chicken McNugget or a 6" cold turkey sandwich? Whatever shall I do? :rolleyes: [nitpick] I just looked up the Subway vs McDonald’s ads, and I see them comparing a Big Mac to their 6" (but still larger) Philly Steak and Cheese sub. The new-ish one I’ve seen recently is comparing their Chicken Selects (which is four breaded chicken strips) to whatever sandwich - I don’t remember the sandwich, but whatever it is, you’re still getting more food for less fat. [/nitpick] And now I sound like I just adore Subway. I don’t. I lost weight by going there instead of McDonald’s - you think I _like_ them now? :dubious: 😉 I prefer Quizno’s. And, so as not to highjack the whole damn thread, **KFL** , I’ll take my sammich any way you feel like cutting it - but if I ask for it cut a certain way, I want it that way, and if it’s messed up that’s on my head - don’t be giving me the evil eye for it! Take my money and let me have my mess! 😉 (and much respect for taking pride in your work, my dear, that’s refreshing). ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/63 "2005-01-06T23:03:03Z")
> [@Jayn\_Newell](#): > > I also preferred the old cut. Not because my toppings are now falling out, or for any other reason, but because my favorite sub–the cold-cut trio–doesn’t taste the same anymore. With the new cut, the meat always gets folded over at the crease and part of my sub has too much meat and not enough toppings. That never happened with the ‘v’ cut. (When the new cut first came out, I did ask for it the old way, but then decided not to bother. Still miss it though) Actually, the V was the new way, before it was the old way. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/64 "2005-01-06T23:05:02Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > Look, I’ll grant you that Subway probably has a better variety of low-fat items on their menu than McDonald’s. I just think it’s wrong to compare one company’s worst thing with the other company’s best thing. I agree, I agree. I don’t like it either, but that may be a whole other Pit thread - so many big companies do it. I think it was the Pepsi ads, when they came out with Edge, who proclaimed, basically: “We are better than Coke, we have less carbs than regular Coke!” When… uh… they’re comparing _regular_ Coke to their Edge… when they _should_ be comparing Edge to C2. Argh. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/65 "2005-01-06T23:42:25Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > Exactly my point. You can do that at _any_ fast-food place. So Subway’s constant claims that they are healthier are bullshit. > > In my experience, Subway’s stuff ain’t that fresh, unless you like brown lettuce and war-surplus cold-cuts. Quizno’s kicks ass over Subway. And I haven’t tried McDonald’s salads, to tell you the truth, but Jack In the Box has some pretty awesome salads. YMMV. I have to agree with what someone else posted here. Quizno’s sandwiches are too hard, they hurt my mouth. I guess I don’t like toasted subs. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/66 "2005-01-06T23:52:16Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > But that’s not the comparison being made in the commercials. The current comparison, I believe, is between a six inch chicken breast sub and a Big Mac. That’s ridiculous. McDonald’s sells a grilled chicken breast sandwich, so why compare _your_ chicken with _their_ beef? You might as well compare cheesecake to a salad. IIRC the big mac has something like 65 grams of fat. If you get the MOST decadent sandwich at Subway, it’s half that. And Subway has a ton of choices from their 6 gram menu, which in our neck of the woods is up to 8 sandwich choices, all they way up to their fattiest sandwich. McDonalds has one, yay, the grilled chicken. It’s pretty flavorless really. No choices in veggies and toppings except shredded lettuce onion and tasteless tomatoes since they use the cheapest produce possible, whereas subway has everything from olives to garden peppers and several fat free dressings. And all of their sandwiches can be ordered as salads. The salads at Micky Ds are just dull and tasteless, since again, they use the cheapest produce (again, at least in our neck of the woods), and pretty expensive for all that. I can get a 12 inch sweet onion sandwich at Subway (which will last me for two meals) for the price of a McDonalds chicken salad which has only lettuce tomato, onion and a tiny package of croutons and a choice of one fat free dressing. I’m not saying that Subway doesn’t have things they need to fix, but comparing McDs to Subway? All the way around no matter WHAT the choice, Subway is the way healthier and more extensive menu choice. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/67 "2005-01-07T00:00:28Z")
Count me in as a Subway defender. Frankly, I _like_ the regular cut they do now. I never cared for them much when they did the v-cut. I’ve never had a bad sandwich at Subway, especially the one I frequent. My workday is one hour ahead of everyone else’s, so I wind up going in for lunch around 11:00 instead of noon. The place is just gearing up for the lunch rush, and that means fresh food and as-yet-unharried workers. I like that they stop at each sandwich item to ask me what I want instead of assuming the default. I like to try out different stuff, and saying ‘roast beef, provolone, tomato, spinach, and Southwest sauce’ is much easier than going through a litany of ‘can I get Southwest instead of mayo? And no lettuce please, I’d prefer spinach leaves’. (Incidentally, I’ve found an excellent sandwich is turkey, spinach, tomatoes, and sweet onion sauce, with or without cheese.) I also have to (somewhat embarrassingly) step up for the sausage and egg breakfast sandwich. Yeah, it’s just nuked meat and egg, but add on some cheese, pepper, and honey mustard, and that’s tasty. The bagel shop on the same corner doesn’t do half so well. I could probably just make the sandwiches at home and save $5 a sandwich, but Subway’s got me nice and hooked with their sauces, which I’d have to scour the markets for, and I’m usually too lazy. 🙂 Subway could make some pretty good money selling bottles of their sauces on the side, I think. Quizno’s just doesn’t do it for me. The stuff’s usually _too_ toasted for me to enjoy; I usually wind up with a cut mouth. McDonald’s? Yech. I never thought I’d see the day when McD’s makes me sick, but it came pretty quick. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/68 "2005-01-07T00:17:31Z")
> [@kung fu lola](#): > > I don’t know the science behind how they do it, but Subway has things set up so that if you cut the bread properly, you “maximise” the space inside of it. To know how to do it properly, takes training. I have seen co-workers make a steak sub with crap hanging all out of it, sauce running down the front, and green pepper flying in all direction when they wrap it. I can make a steak sub that is easy to hold and eat, because I have practice and skill. Tell me that isn’t something worth appreciating, especially when you’re ravenously hungry and wearing a business suit. My issue was with your being called an artist, not your skills. Some focus-tested buzzword to make the employees feel better about not getting raises and a means to inspire “loyalty” in the workers through bullshit contests. I’ve ranted before (tho’ not on this board) regarding the necessity of knowing how to put a sandwich together and how that makes the difference between a great sandwich and someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing [despite the fact that they could be using the same ingredients]. I’ve gotten into no small amount of domestic trouble over this, so please don’t think I don’t notice/appreciate the skill. Artist, no. Craftsman, yes. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/69 "2005-01-07T00:27:00Z")
Are you for real? Is the distinction really important? “Subway Artist” was what was embroidered on my shirt. I didn’t ask or decide to have it put there. If it really keeps you up at night, write a letter to Doctor’s Associates, instead of snarking about it to someone who has no control over the situation. Excuuuse me for using Subway’s own (albeit misguided) terminology for its employees. > [@blowero](#): > > Subway 6" Chicken Bacon Ranch: 34 g of fat But only has 11 grams of _carbs_, and that’s the important part. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/70 "2005-01-07T03:19:27Z")
Ok, I’ll admit that I eat at Subway at least 3 or 4 times a week, and I never noticed this. I did notice the new toasters. Thanks, Subway. As for standardization of condiments, my local Sandwich Artist noticed that I get my sandwiches with onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato, black olive, and bell peppers. They pointed out that I could simply say “All the regular toppings.” Hooray, Subway slang! And no matter which Sandwich Artist is there when I come in, that phrase always bags me the right condiments. Regarding healthiness of McDonald’s food, I will vouch for the fact that McDonald’s is almost always worse for you than Subway. I will sometimes get the 3 foot-longs for 10.99 special at Subway, and eat them over the course of a couple of days. 6 inches of sub is a pretty decent meal for me. Then again, so is a double cheeseburger or a sandwich by itself at McDonald’s. I must not be much of a salad connosieur, because I like McDonald’s salads. I would probably not pay the 4 bucks for them, though. One of the few employee perks. If you’re getting nasty brown lettuce, something is wrong at the restaurant. They are probably recycling salads from the day before or something. If they’re not cheating by replacing the hold times on the salads, check the bottom of your bowl. There should be a date and time when the salads were to be thrown away. Not to mention the fact that the salad makers should check the lettuce as they’re making the salads to prevent yucky lettuce ending up in there to begin with. “Sandwich Artist” may sound a bit pretentious, but I understand the idea. After working at McDonald’s for as long as I have, my drinks don’t flow over, I know where each button is in relation to the sides of the screen, so even if I can’t read the button (glare happens in the drive-through at certain times when the sun’s in the wrong place), I still am fairly sure I’m hitting the right thing, and any movements I make in the kitchen are fairly fast and fluid. Including making sandwiches, as in no sauce/toppings (except the damn McRib…) is on the wrapper, and the condiments are nicely oriented on the bun. There is some skill involved, and I guarantee you that if you took a guy off the street and showed him how to do things in the kitchen, and gave him a week, I could still do it much faster and more accurately than him. Mainly has to do with experience, and he could probably achieve the same results, were he there long enough. (I’ll assume he wouldn’t, since it is McDonald’s. :p) And I’m not trying to be cocky or anything there… I’m just the kind of person that tries to do everything I do well. Whoa, that took forever. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/71 "2005-01-07T04:09:43Z")
> [@kung fu lola](#): > > Are you for real? Is the distinction really important? “Subway Artist” was what was embroidered on my shirt. I didn’t ask or decide to have it put there. > If it really keeps you up at night, write a letter to Doctor’s Associates, instead of snarking about it to someone who has no control over the situation. > Excuuuse me for using Subway’s own (albeit misguided) terminology for its employees. Sigh. Dude, don’t take it personally. You have a silly job title. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/72 "2005-01-07T04:31:00Z")
'nother “sandwich artist” checking in. 1. I fucking HATE that job title. Actually, I pretty much hate absolutely everything about the job, including the fact that my manager is the biggest fucking asschunk who hasn’t ever committed genocide. If you call me at 9 at night and tell me you’re changing my schedule and DON’T need me to work tomorrow, fine. Don’t fucking call me at noon the next fucking day, when you ‘don’t need me’ and ask if I can work one til close. I’m going to say fucking NO, dipshit. _ahem_ 2. If you ask, we’ll cut your bread anyway you want. We’ve got a regular who likes us to cut the bread the normal way, then rip the bread out. She wants essentially hollow crust. Weird as hell, but as long as you pay and it doesn’t get my manager too pissed off, I’ll do it. 1. The number of veggies/amount of sauce/etc. We’re told how many cucumber, how much lettuce, how many slices of cheese, how many pieces of green pepper, how many passes of sauce, etc, to put on. I tend to ignore this unless my manger is standing right there, because he is an anal-retentive jackass who doesn’t give half a shit about customer service and, well, is a jackass. 2. Our ingredients are sort-of fresh. Sort-of because nearly everything comes prepackaged and pre-sliced, other than the bread and tomatos. The bread comes in pre-made uncooked loaves of dough. We get big ass boxes of fresh tomatoes. The lettuce comes pre-shredded in bags. I’m sorry if it doesn’t seem fresh enough, and yes it has been sitting out, but I can’t do anything about it. Sorry. Also? IT’s not my fault. I open the bags of lettuce, fill the pans, and keep a full one in the cold table. I, surprisingly enough, don’t have mystical powers to re-freshen produce. Neither does my manager. He’s a jackass, though, and he’s good at getting people mad. 3. This is a plea from me to the customer. Please, please, please, _please_, for the love of all that is tasty and delicious, don’t rattle off an entire order of three different sandwiches, toppings and all, when I ask you what you’d like. In fact, since you obviously start with the bread, tell me what type and size of bread you want. I’ll lead you from there. But if you give me an order for three sandwiches at once, I’m not going to remember it. If you then go back to your cell phone conversation, I’m going to stand there and wait until your done, and you’re going to wait. Unless it’s really busy and there are six people in line behind you, then I’m going to snap, “Sir, if you don’t get off the phone, I cannot serve you,” and if you don’t get off the phone, I’ll take the next customer. SO there. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/73 "2005-01-07T04:47:17Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > As for standardization of condiments, my local Sandwich Artist noticed that I get my sandwiches with onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato, black olive, and bell peppers. They pointed out that I could simply say “All the regular toppings.” Hooray, Subway slang! And no matter which Sandwich Artist is there when I come in, that phrase always bags me the right condiments. Be wary on this if you go to DIFFERENT stores, though. I have about 3 regular stores I frequent, and depending on who’s working where, the questions they ask me are different. Sometimes they include pepperoncinis in the default, so I end up having to quickly cut in and say NO PEPPERONCINIS! Typically they specifically ask for those. Of course, that all goes back to “training” or perhaps I should say “lack thereof.” ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/74 "2005-01-07T06:01:23Z")
> [@Chairman Pow](#): > > Sigh. > > Dude, don’t take it personally. You have a silly job title. Why shouldn’t she? How would you like it if someone came along and pissed on your parade? Listen, there’s not a lot of glory in making sandwiches, pushing lattes, or grilling burgers. But if a fast food chain (or any company, FTM) is successful at inspiring in their employees a sense of accomplishment, pride in their work, and self-esteem by giving them a special job title, what’s the harm? Seems to me, it’s good for the staff, good for customers, and good for the company. Don’t be such a jerk. Seriously, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/75 "2005-01-07T06:12:39Z")
Loves me some Subway. “Pile on the banana peppers. More. No…more. Yeah, that’s right. Moooooore.” ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/76 "2005-01-07T07:48:38Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > I’m not saying that Subway doesn’t have things they need to fix, but comparing McDs to Subway? All the way around no matter WHAT the choice, Subway is the way healthier and more extensive menu choice. Uh, what part of “Look, I’ll grant you that Subway probably has a better variety of low-fat items on their menu than McDonald’s” didn’t you understand? ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/77 "2005-01-07T07:54:58Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > The salads at Micky Ds are just dull and tasteless, since again, they use the cheapest produce (again, at least in our neck of the woods), and pretty expensive for all that. And another thing. I’m sorry, but Subway is NOT the last word in good, fresh produce. I’ve gotten some pretty haggard-looking veggies on my sandwiches there. They’re o.k. in a pinch, but I’d rank pretty much every other sandwich place I can think of above Subway. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/78 "2005-01-07T08:47:49Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > And another thing. I’m sorry, but Subway is NOT the last word in good, fresh produce. I’ve gotten some pretty haggard-looking veggies on my sandwiches there. They’re o.k. in a pinch, but I’d rank pretty much every other sandwich place I can think of above Subway. Huh. Well, I’ve not had Subway where you live, but where fast food is concerned, they are the best where freshness and variety is desired. Now, if you’re comparing them to high end deli’s, then no. But IME they’re the best and cheapest for the fast food circuit and with the most variety of the healthful stuff. And I’m DAMN picky about my produce, considering that we alaskans frequently get shafted where fruit and vegetables are concerned. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/79 "2005-01-07T08:50:41Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > Uh, what part of “Look, I’ll grant you that Subway probably has a better variety of low-fat items on their menu than McDonald’s” didn’t you understand? Yeah, I forgot to make sure I was clear enough on the comparison of the two chicken sandwiches. The mcD one, and the subway one. Even if you compare chicken to chicken, they’re better. And even if you compare worst to worst as in the 32 grams of fat Subway beef one to the big mac, big mac still comes out a loser in all areas. imho ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168/80 "2005-01-07T09:53:50Z")
My beef with Subway hasn’t been mentioned yet. I’ve only been going there six months or so, and I wasn’t impressed with the food at first (bread tasted like plastic), but I’ve grown to like it. The problem is, _I just want to buy a fucking sandwich_, and I don’t want something which seems like a fucking job interview. I _know_ it’s part of the service, and many customers may well prefer it, but going to Subway means being asked about twenty rapid-fire questions at a time when I’m just on lunch break and want to relax, not think. **McDonalds** _“I’d like a Quarter Pounder please.”_ “Sure, here you go.” (okay, they might try to upsell once, but I just say “no”) **Subway** _"I’d like an_ x, y, and z\* sub please".\* “What bread? Toasted or plain? Which type of meat? Sauce? Hot or mild chilli? Why do you think you would be suited to this sandwich? Plain or toasted? what would you describe as your biggest fault? Type of cheese? why did you leave your old sandwich provider?” FAAAAAAARK! I’ve even said to them, “Look i’m game. Just make me something tasty. Whatever you think”, but they get all nervous at that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unkindest-subway-cut/283168.md?page=5)