Subway - The Topic

[PopsicleToze]

I can't stand them either, and I don't understand how I can eat a 6" po-boy and still not be full. It's very strange.

Rhonda

[LuckyGirl]

The only time I eat Subway is when we're on the road travelling (car trips) and we need something fast in a pinch. In those situations I will get a Subway sandwhich- wheat bread with spinach, peppers (green and pickled), olives, cheese, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil. That's it. I don't do deli meat.

If you're in a pinch, ss far as fast food options go, Subway is the least egregious to me.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

Subway is a food of desperation for me... I only get it when I'm desperate and there are no other viable options.

Back in the 80's, Subway was actually pretty good. Nowadays I can get a better sandwich at the grocery store deli, so guess where I go?

As far as big chain sandwich shops go, I prefer Quiznos, but in general I prefer to patronize local "Mom and Pop" kind of establishments, or small local chains.

[Holly Moore]

It tried Subway once, in Royston GA, the home of Ty Cobb. Been back to Royston, never to Subway.

[Mr Pie]

I can't stand them either, and I don't understand how I can eat a 6" po-boy and still not be full. It's very strange.

Rhonda

Agreed. I believe it is possible to starve to death inside Subway.

A documentry on fast food a while ago highlighted that a foot long meatball sandwich from Subway had as much salt as 17 packets of crisps.

[pastameshugana]

In the states we never ate subway, but her in B'Lore we do quite a bit, only because it's 'american' - It's something from home, the stores are decorated like the states, and it's a nice change for the kids.

Back home, however, my favorite chain sandwich is Schlotzky's Deli. It's been a few years, but all my memories are good.

[Beebs]

Awful bread, awful meats: I can't for the life of me figure out why Subways are so successful, esp in cities with great indigenous sandwich traditions (New Orleans, Philly, etc). I'd rather have a banh mi any day!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if one day we woke up and discovered all Subways had magically turned into local mom & pop banh mi joints overnight?

I think I've been to Subways all of two times in my lifetime...and only because the other option was McDonalds. The bread is stale, lettuce wilted, and there is something very strange about the tomatoes.

Actually, make that three times. I think I ordered only a soda there once.

[jesteinf]

Gee, I don't know. It's so hard to decide between the turkey-ham, the turkey-roast beef, or the turkey salami. Definitely avoid the turkey though. I don't think there's any turkey in it.

[Chris Hennes]

Those of you in Philadelphia and New Orleans are in the highly-enviable position of actually having an indigenous sandwich culture. In particular I fail to understand how Subway manages to maintain ANY locations in Philly, where there are excellent sandwiches available on nearly every block! That said, here in the lower Midwest no such culture exists, and if you want a hoagie, Subway and Quiznos are basically the only game in town. The "mom and pop" joints are unlikely to serve anything any better, following the "90% of everything is crap" rule. And man, you better avoid the "Philly-style Cheesesteak" at all costs! While I prefer Quiznos, I do eat at Subway about once a year: I prefer the meatball sub with all the fixings, probably because of the massive quantities of salt (lucky for me I'm not hypertensive). I find deli meats questionable at even the best of places and tend to avoid them when possible.

[Pierogi]

What are currently your 2 or 3 favorite Subway sandwich fillings

and please separately say why, for each fave one named.

Not. And never.

Answer your question?

Awful stuff, simply awful. I started to say awful "food", but that's a gross mis-statement. Subway does not sell food. Subway sells *stuff*.

[Blether]

I don't especially agree; I think Subway is a valid choice here in Japan, if fast foods must: it's bread of a sort, and there is a non-white-plastic option; and the balance of vegetables is good for the genre. There are a couple of fillings I've ordered more than others, and I got into Subway because it was an easy lunch to pick up when I'd spent most of lunchtime swimming up and down. Then that branch closed.

Why do you ask, GBaxter ?

Edited November 3, 2009 by Blether (log)

[prasantrin]

I don't especially agree; I think Subway is a valid choice here in Japan, if fast foods must: it's bread of a sort, and there is a non-white-plastic option; and the balance of vegetables is good for the genre. There are a couple of fillings I've ordered more than others, and I got into Subway because it was an easy lunch to pick up when I'd spent most of lunchtime swimming up and down. Then that branch closed.

Why do you ask, GBaxter ?

I'd rather get a McD's hamburger with a side salad and small orange juice than a subway sandwich. Equally fast, and generally more accessible (I don't see subway around much anymore--are they closing up shop in Japan?).

I stand by my original claim which I can't quite remember word-for-word, but it was something like:

I prefer none--subway's fillings are full of substandard flavourless ingredients.

Although if I were really starving and in the middle of nowhere with the only option a Subway, I'd probably get the veggie with cheese. It's generally the least evil choice.

[GBaxter]

I ask as a Subway store has opened near my house and I'm curious

to know if there's any specialised fillings people request,

instead of just ordering what's on their menu.

[thayes1c]

The Spicy Italian is remarkably edible. But the Subway sandwich tends to move through me like, I don't know, some sort of underground train that's in a hurry. *SHIVERS* I think it's the "vegetables".

[OliverB]

I still remember my only time there years ago. Wondering how something that looked pretty good could have no flavor what so ever. None. Cardboard with rubber toy food inside. Never again. A total waste of money and appetite IMO.

[heidih]

I was stuck somewhere with few alternatives and ended up getting their breakfast sandwich a few times. Toasted english muffin, slice of deli ham, egg white "patty", cheese of choice, red onion, and baby spinach leaves. Toasted, it was very filling and I enjoyed it. Of course I matched it bit for bite with superb home grown tomatoes I did manage to get to the room and each bit also got a drop of hot sauce.

[gfweb]

Subway is like a Porta-Potty. When forced...and nothing else is available...and you just have to....

[TAPrice]

Why does that bread (I'm assuming it's parbaked) smell so bad in the oven? That foul odor can stink up an airport terminal quickly. Even worse than the scent of Cinnabun.

[snowangel]

Why does that bread (I'm assuming it's parbaked) smell so bad in the oven? That foul odor can stink up an airport terminal quickly. Even worse than the scent of Cinnabun.

I've wondered the same thing. There are many gas stations here (Super America) that have Subways inside them. I avoid these stations like the plague.

On the odd occasion that we've had to stop at Subway (they are everywhere, even in very small towns that have no other food outlets than slim jim's at the gas station, I send someone in for me, and opt for the chix breast with a ton of jalapeno's. The sodium content of most of their meat is gasp choke -- buy me a gallon of water, please.

[devour]

The answer for me is to usually avoid Subway at all costs, however, if one must go to Subway, the most edible sandwiches are as follows:

Veggies w/ Cheese (NOT the Vegimax patty, which is like a deep fried maxi pad)

Italian BMT loaded(for some reason, these fattier meats can take being stored sliced, unlike the other Subway Frankenmeats)

Both with plenty of oil & vinegar, oreg, s&p.

My wife likes the Meatball, but these make me feel like I'm eating frozen meatball-flavored bread.

And don't toast your sandwich unless you like to microwave your lunchmeat at home.

[torakris]

I eat Subway once a year. During my summer trips to Cleveland I always spend one day at the Premium Outlets and Subway is the only edible option in their extremely limited food court.

I have always ordered the same thing, a spicy Italian with no mayo, only mustard and oil and vinegar and double up on the jalapenos. It tastes pretty damn good to me.

As to Subway in Japan, they really are disappearing. All the ones in my area have been closed for quite some time now.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

I ask as a Subway store has opened near my house and I'm curious

to know if there's any specialised fillings people request,

instead of just ordering what's on their menu.

Some Subways will NOT take special requests. One of the ones in my area will not make something if it's not on the menu, even if you're just asking for a salami sandwich.

[Toliver]

It turns out Subway may have a secret Rainy Day menu...

Subway’s secret rainy day menu special

It's nothing official...just a post on a blog.

The chain, including all sub shops in Southern California, offer this special on rainy days: “When raining, buy any sub and a 32-oz. or larger drink, and get a free regular 6” sub or a hot soup.”

Has anyone gotten this special? I've never heard of it being offered (which makes sense since it's supposed to be a secret )

[dividend]

We used to get Subway when I was a kid. It shared a building with a Blockbuster, so we'd rent some movies and get sandwiches. I remember liking the cold cut combos, since our normal sandwiches made at home were just turkey or ham. As a teenager, we stopped there a lot on debate road trips since that made it easy to accommodate vegetarians. Now, we stop there sometimes on the way to our lake house in the summer. It serves its purpose, since no one in my family cares enough for me to go to the trouble of packing a nice lunch for everyone.

I generally order either a cold cut combo with all the veggies, mayo/mustard/oil/vinegar/s&p, or meatballs dressed the exact same way. I enjoy it, in a salt/fat/junk/throwback to how I used to eat kind of way. I wouldn't pick it as a place to have lunch around town, but it's fine road trip food.

[PopsicleToze]

While not a Subway fan, it was a welcome sight last week when we had to stay in the hospital overnight with my father. The cafeteria was closed, and SURPRISE! there was an open Subway on the hospital's first floor. It beat a canned soda and chips from the vending machine, and I was glad to have it. Ordered a 6" turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat. I must have been a little out of my head, because I enjoyed it.

Rhonda