I had a bad experience with local Subway today–they’re unrolling some new subs on Tuesday called Deli Heros, and there’s TV ads and online that said on Tuesday from 10-12 am a free sub, but local site said she never heard of it (doubtful). This seems to be common with Subway. Local Subway shops always say they’re franchise, so they don’t have to honor promotions, coupons, etc. Why? All the other fast-food chains don’t seem to have a problem with national promotions so why Subway?
I know they are having a “Buy one footlong, get one of equal price free if ordered online” campaign going on, but I never heard anything about a free sub.
All the Subway ads include the small print “terms and conditions” that include the phrase “at participating locations”. Franchise owners have the option wether to participate or not and when running on the thin margins that they do I imagine many of them choose to pass on the increase in business if it means lower margins.
Not just Subway. Most of the franchised fast food chains include the “at participating locations” clause in their ads.
It’s also worth noting that unlike most chains, where there’s a mix of franchises and corporate-owned stores, all Subway locations are franchised. IIRC, their test restaurant near corporate HQ is the only location that’s directly operated by Subway.
Maybe try back on Tuesday.
Subway has a long history of acrimonious relationships with its franchisees. As noted, all of their stores are franchised. They’ve also favored small, single-store operators as franchisees because they’re easier to lean on.
Last decade, the $5 footlong campaign became an enormous point of contention between Subway corporate and the franchisees. It was a tremendous success when launched in 2008 as a value proposition during the Great Recession. But 10 years later, franchisees were actually losing money on each sub due to the increasing costs of food, rent, labor, etc. Franchisees can always opt out of a promotion, but that can kill their business when irate customers storm out over the discount they were “promised.”
About a year ago, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver had a lengthy story about Subway, including examples of its product placement in television shows (including Korean dramas) and its terrible treatment of its franchisees.
I just went to Subway the other day and was a little irked to discover that they don’t honor coupons there. Thankfully it was just a coupon to knock a buck or two off my regular order. If I had brought in a two-for-one coupon, I could have found myself at the register having to pay full price for a second sub I didn’t particularly need. There’s another Subway kind of near where I work that I’ve never actually gone to before. I’m think I’m going to have to finally give it a look. If it takes coupons, then I guess I’ve got a new Subway.
There’s a not-too-old thread about the Subway menu model, discussing how the company promotes Our New Fabulous Sandwich of some set variety, and it looks great in the poster, but when you go in, they start with “What kind of bread do you want? What kind of meat do you want? What kind of vegetables do you want? What sauce do you want?” If you point to the poster and say “I want that,” they never know what “that” is, but you and the sandwich maker can puzzle it out together by studying the photo, if you care that much.
Anyway, those new sandwiches sound great, so I tried one. I don’t know what the counter experience would have been like, but I was amazed that the website had the advertised sandwich ingredients selected as defaults, which I stuck with. The sandwich itself was meh, but at least I got to order from a set menu, which was amazing for Subway.
I recommend John Oliver’s video. One of the things Subway does is that they do not explain or provide evidence to potential owners about how much money they can expect to make. They reply, “Ask other franchisees and they can tell you.” They do more than play coy with their money. They deflect questions about it and refuse to answer.
They do a lot more, like encourage stores to open too close together…because this works?
I hope they covered this forbidden love.
My local Sonic has an issue with coupons.
They do honor app ordered things. Not that I can ever have the stuff the app offers. Much.
Yeah, I hate Subway and all the questions they ask. I want #3 oughta do it. But, Nooooo!
Pretty much, just recasting the roles with Korean actors.
But it really could have fit in as a bit on Community.
If you’ve never encountered a location of another chain that doesn’t participate in promotions, then you’ve just been lucky. There are certain places where I just assume that the location doesn’t participate in any promotions , no matter which chain it is - any location that is located in some larger entity , (baseball stadium, airport, highway rest area ,theme park or mall etc) in my experience will not participate in promotions. Manhattan locations also usually do not participate.
Yeah, it’s weird that they do have these set menu items as of like a year or two ago, and yet no franchise I’ve been in and ordered or overheard them being ordered at deviated from the usual “what bread? what toppings?” bit. So what’s the point of having this menu of set sandwiches that nobody follows?
On the other hand, asking what you want put on it is actually fairly normal deli behavior, I think. I remember my first time in a NY ma-and-pop deli ordering a turkey sandwich: “I’ll have a turkey sandwich.” “OK. [pause] what kind of bread”. “Oh, um … rye, I guess.” “OK. [pause] Ya wanna tell me what you want on it?” “Uh … what does it usually come with?” “Anything you want.” “Oh, uh, lettuce, tomato.” “You want some cheese?” “Sure. Swiss.” “Anything else? Mustard, mayo?” “Thanks. Yeah. Both.” I felt so awkward during this transaction as the guy stared at me like I was some kind of idiot for ordering a turkey sandwich and not specifying anything about it. In retrospect, that makes sense. I was just so used to working for Jimmy John’s at the time, where it’s “I’ll have a #5 and a Coke” and you’re good to go.
I read that Subway introduced those set menu items so they could set up drive-thru locations.
Up to a point, I think. If I ask for a reuben at a so-called “deli” and I get asked, “What kind of bread? What kind of meat? Cheese? With or without sauerkraut? Any condiments? Would you like to add bacon?” I just turn around and walk out.
But put yourself in the other guy’s shoes: imagine you’re working at a so-called deli, and a customer walks in and asks for a reuben, and you slap one together with no questions asked — at which point he recoils, as if in horror, and asks if you just put salad dressing and sauerkraut on it, what the hell is wrong with you, I’m not paying for this; I’m turning around and walking out in a minute and a huff!
Could that happen enough times for you to start asking questions, to make sure that you and the customer are on the same page?
I would say, “This is what we put in our reuben. Any changes?” What I would NOT do is stand behind the counter and act like I have no idea whatsoever what a reuben was.