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Subway review: bait and switch false advertising 19

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11:34 pm EDT
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I think everyone has heard Subway's advertised $5 Footlong Sub deal either on TV or the radio, or has seen it in print somewhere. A few weeks back, I thought I'd take advantage of this deal and try the Philly Steak and Cheese footlong sub, but before I ordered the lady said it was not on the $5 footlong sub list. I thought, OK, it is a promotion. No problem. Today, I ordered a regular footlong plain steak and cheese sub. At the register I learned that my sub came to $7.86 - over 1-1/2 times what I was expecting to pay thinking I was getting the $5 deal. I then learned that there were THREE subs excluded from the footlong subs list even though they were foot long subs. I asked why they didn't have a sign up as to avoid surprises like mine, and she said they used to have one somewhere, but didn't know where it was. As I handed over my card because I didn't have enough cash, the jingle I had heard on the radio moments before ran through my head "$5, $5 footlong - ANY footlong". Is this a classic example of Bait and Switch? Maybe a few dollars here and there doesn't seem like much, but with over 30, 000 franchise stores in operation, a few dollars here and there can go a long way. I'm thinking that's a pretty good return on false advertising. Why not have the consumer pay for it, right? Not in this economy.

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19 comments
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roy headley
, US
Sep 07, 2022 5:00 pm EDT

I received coupons in mail for buy 3 for 17. 99 got to store in Adamsville al told we don't take coupon had to pay 8.99 each. Feel taking advantage of. Checked other Subways no one takes your coupon. No more subway for my family.

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mary sharp
, US
Nov 17, 2017 9:55 pm EST
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menu panels specify the sub status at that time...classic and premium... read? $5.00 ft long commecials DO NOT SAY ANY SUB

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mary sharp
, US
Nov 17, 2017 9:52 pm EST
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BECAUSE when the philly was on menu it was a double meat sub .. so therefore it was a premium not a classic sub...not we have steak with choice of deluxe or double meat...its a simple solution, read the menu.

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Mary Grover
,
Apr 29, 2008 12:09 am EDT

I was watching TV with my grandchildren, ages 12, 8, and 6. We saw your new steak sandwich commercial and they all commented about the car crash and how that was not what you do to other people just to get a sandwich. Your commercial is really objectionable, besides being against the law to hit someone's car who is in front of you, no matter where it is. We have recently experienced a car accident and all three of the children were very upset by it, besides being hurt. I don't think I have ever seen a company use such advertising to sell a product. You should be ashamed of yourselves for thinking this was cool or good for business. We will go somewhere else from now on.

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Joe Schmoe is Here
washinton, US
Jan 03, 2014 2:01 pm EST

I think you set out to cheat me. You advertised on TV and on signs that during January any foot long sub was $5. I told the store person I wanted a $5 footlong roast beef. They made it and then they charged $7.50 for it. I pointed out that the TV and sign said $5 footlong. They said it said only regular. I don't know regular from a hole in the ground. I finally figured out that the sign actually says in print smaller than I can see that any actually means REGULAR.
I hope you are happy. I have been going to Subway ever since there has been a subway chain. Now I will be very slow to ever go again and I will tell everyone I talk about your bait and switch tactics. Shame on your company which has sunk in my estimation from one of the best chains to one like all the others who try to trick and cheat customers.
I hope the extra $2.50 was worth ruining my day!

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NoisyCicada
Louisville, US
Jan 09, 2012 5:10 am EST

I have worked at a Subway store and can tell you the print advertising states in small print, "offer excludes premium subs". A 'premium sub" varies by location but at my store is only the Big Philly Cheesesteak which is the larger version of the Steak & Cheese. Misleading? Yes, but not more than any other modern advertisements.

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Subwayninja
Oklahoma city, US
Jun 23, 2011 10:02 pm EDT
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Ok lets say you sell pizza you have three kinds pepperoni chickin and supream the pepperoni is five bucks the chicken eight the supream ten you advertise come on in get yourself a five dollar pizza some one comes in
And expects to get a supream for five bucks but you cant do that right because the amount of money your company spent to make that supream pizza is far more than five bucks thats why ita a ten dollar pizza and to expect to get that for half the price is selfish and to treat the employee like ### because you dont get your way is unfair at subway youre already getting your veggies for free all that you want and dressinga free too all that you want and guess what they cost the store money as well you costumers are soooo selfish and only think of yourself and expect fast food workers to cater to you for seven bucks an hour well stop and think about it we make ### money deal with ###s all day work under ### bosses for ### comanies and most likley live in a ### hole and have hardly anything to our names besides what ### things we can get with out ### checks and I go to school then go to work at subway so ive been up since six am and usually dont get off untill eleven and dont get to bed unti one maybe two so excuse me if I dont give a flying ### that youre not happy with a GD ham sandwich you could have just as easily made yourself lazy ###

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D. Pennycuff
Jamestown, US
Apr 15, 2011 9:43 pm EDT

My local subway advertises $5.00 footlongs, but when I went to payfor it; charged me 5.50 plus tax $6.02 total. They have no subs for the advertised $5.00 price. To me that is false advertising and illegal.I do not care if each store is separately owned. It is still wrong to have signs and ads for a price that does not exist. When I questioned the price ; I was told the price had increased, but all the signs still said $5.00 for a footlong .

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atlanta_boy
Atlanta, US
Dec 30, 2010 1:46 am EST

People should read the signs. It's amazing that people come up and read all the signs and go mentally blank. It's as if they can't process what they are reading. It is plainly written that only a select few (5-8 sandwiches) are on the 5 dollar footlong deal. If you are expecting a philly cheese steak or steak and cheese for 5 dollars, then you probably have to go back in time about 10-15 years. Turkey is not on the 5 dollar deal and people have a hard time understanding that. Some sandwich prices are decided on by the local DA/Franchisee. If you can't afford it, then don't go. Spend your money elsewhere. No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to eat Subway. If you want to have it your way, go to burger king...or so they say.

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Brian50
Murphys, US
Nov 25, 2010 11:39 pm EST

Everything about Subways is fraudulent.
It's not only the bait and switch foot-longs, it's the advertising in general.
When was the last time anyone got a sandwich that had anywhere near the meat they show in their commercials. It would be like McDonald's showing their Big Mac with 4 beef patties but when you get it it only has 2. The only way to make it look like the picture is to order 3 or 4 sandwiches and combine the ingredients.
The only way to protest is just stop buying their crap!

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Lindsayp
Downers Grove, US
Dec 11, 2009 12:04 pm EST

First off Kat & Jeffff no one is stupid here. Even when the promotion was going on certain subways still overcharged. & now all commericals still say "ANY" but whatever. I personally am disgruntled with the fact that I order a footlong with turkey, cheese, lettuce, cucumber, onion, black olives, light mayo, mustard, vinegar, and the spices. Now when they ring me up it comes to about $7.25 which I find ### because I dont have double meat or anything extra just a simple turkey sub and its that expensive. I dont think anyone should be complaining about the "meat" situation because every food commerical is MEANT to look amazing. There is no fast food joint that makes their food look identical to commericals. If you have a problem with that then dont go to fast food places and complain. Make your own sandwich. I have stopped going to subway because it's a lot easier and cheaper to buy groceries and make my own sandwich then worry about feeling dissatisfied.

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Katandstuff
Evansville, US
Aug 06, 2009 11:12 pm EDT

I work at a Subway and it is clear up on every sign that only certain subs cost $5... All of the commercials (at least in my area) only said "ANY footlong" for the one-two month period that we had all of the subs $5. Then when it was cut down to the "Eight Original Five Dollar Footlongs" the commercials changed to the announcer saying "we still have many great subs for five dollars... ". Subway was extremely awesome in having the one-two month promotion during the March-April time, but when we had to stop customers were downright RUDE to all of the employees for no reason. I thought it was awesome for Subway to make all regular subs $5 for that long... then when they all got back to their regular prices Subway decided to leave 8 of them for $5... still a deal if you ask me. If customers would READ the menu when they came in and READ the prices before they got to the register then there shouldn't be a problem. Get off your high horses, Subway isn't required to make these deals and promotions. And the amount of meat we put on a sandwich has never changed, so whoever is ### about meat amounts just needs to stop going to subway all together.

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Joshua Embrey
Cape Coral, US
Aug 02, 2009 3:11 am EDT

I despise Subway. I ordered a plain steak sub (and at the time, peppers and onions were mixed in... unbeknown to me). I checked the sub to see if it was plain. Much to my chagrin, I found the peppers and onions... and a 3 cm bone shard similar to a dog's incisor in my sub. They offered me a free sub and reimbursement for this one.

I digress.

The "Any Foot-long" commercial (audio) has a quick disclaimer at the end. The televised commercial has fine print. Technically, it's not bait-and-switch.

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Angela Miller
Dublin, US
Aug 01, 2009 1:49 am EDT

July 2009 the current TV advertisement by Subway is for their "piled high" pastrami sandwich. On the commercial you see a sandwich that appears to have a pound of meat, indeed it is "piled high" with meat. However, if you purchase the sandwich it has about 3 ounces of meat on a 12" sandwich. Definitely false advertising, bait & switch = bad business. I am done with Subway.

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Fred Mosher
Crowley, US
Jun 17, 2009 6:56 pm EDT

Tobay, June 15, 2009, Ivisited Subway No. 3740. I ordered A foot long Tuna sandwich and was charged $6.25, also I ordered a Tuscan one foot long sandwich and was charged $6.00., I thought that I should have been charged $5.00 each for each. Can you give me a reason?

Fred Mosher, 4125 St. Francis Village Rd., Apt. 109F, Crowley, Tx 76036.
Internet- fwmk@att.net

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John
, US
May 21, 2009 2:28 pm EDT

The 2 subs excluded from that deal are the Philly Steak and Cheese, and the "Feast", simply because they are double and triple meat sandwiches, and would cost way too much in food to drop the price down.

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mrsquigles
North Platte, US
May 07, 2009 11:56 am EDT
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Most commercials have some small print that says something like, "where applicable" and an equally semi-subliminal message on their radio ads. It's stupid, but not uncommon.

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ladebonis
New Haven, US
May 07, 2009 11:49 am EDT

The exact same thing happened to me and my husband. We actually heard the jingle on the radio as we were pulling in to Subway. The sub that I wanted wasn't on their list of $5 Subs. I explained I had just heard the advertisement on the radio and the employee would not give me the $5 price. Needless to say, we did NOT eat at Subway that day!

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Writeaway
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Oct 27, 2008 2:14 pm EDT

Who was the advertiser?