Will Subway restaurants be around in 10 years?

[fdcg27]

Subway used to be pretty good. It was also the value choice for grabbing a bite in many airports.
The tuna salad is still pretty good, but prices have risen and topping have shrunken.
Jimmy Johns is okay as is Jersey Mike's but I would get tired of either pretty quickly.

 

[Rick in PA]

I like the Subway meatball sandwich, and that says something, I'm fussy about meatballs. They'll probably be around for a while.

We have Wawa's in our area. They started as a convenience store, out of Wawa PA, a native American word for "goose". They've done sandwiches and coffee for a while, and recently added gasoline sales. They do a pretty good job of sandwiches.

7-11's gone downhill. I still occasionally get a hankering for their chili dog. I know, I shouldn't, they're nasty, but I can't resist.

We had a Royal Farms open here recently. I tried their "World Famous Chicken", was not impressed.

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
I like the Subway meatball sandwich, and that says something, I'm fussy about meatballs. They'll probably be around for a while.

We have Wawa's in our area. They started as a convenience store, out of Wawa PA, a native American word for "goose". They've done sandwiches and coffee for a while, and recently added gasoline sales. They do a pretty good job of sandwiches.

7-11's gone downhill. I still occasionally get a hankering for their chili dog. I know, I shouldn't, they're nasty, but I can't resist.

We had a Royal Farms open here recently. I tried their "World Famous Chicken", was not impressed.


I love going out to the Philly area because of all the WaWa's there. They can make a really good sandwich in a pinch and their coffee is pretty good. There's a Royal Farms near the hotel we stay at near Tinicum Township (near the airport in South Philly) that is decent. I do like their chicken, but it isn't as good as a mom and pop place. Always get disappointed when I get home, all we have is Sheetz. Their coffee has gone downhill, but on the bright side they can make a good hoagie.

 

[Kira]

Back in the '80's and/or '90's Subway was touted as being "the #1 franchise" and "If you only have 3 feet of counter space, Subway will cut the lumber and yellow Formica counter tops and make your franchise fit."

It was all about selling the franchises. I have 2 or 3 sandwiches on their "Buy X get one free card". If anyone wants it just PM me and I'll mail it to you.

 

[skyactiv]

The problem with Subway is that the price of ingredients the franchises buy have gone up faster than wage growth and leasing a location to have a Subway location has shot up faster than return profit. Plus you don't go in a Subway wanting to spend the same as you would at a better sub shop.
The franchises are the victims. Some Subway franchises have responded by thinning out the meats and toppings. If it drives customers away to the competition, fine.
Competition is good.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Started getting sick from them, from when I lived in FL then moved up to WI and tried it again, still got sick. They have a TON of locations in my town, can hardly swing a dead cat without hitting one. I prefer Jimmy John's.

 

[Trav]

Why wouldn't they be around in 10 years? They may not make the best subs but the small sub for lunch is okay for the money, I much prefer it over greasy hamburgers and fries.
I had a small Reuben the other day on rye and it wasn't half bad.

 

[SeaJay]

We as a group are probably less worried about the cost of our food and more worried about taste, quality as well as quantity.

By me, Subway foot longs are a few dollars less expensive than the competing locally owned delis. And yes, the taste, quality as well as quantity is better at those more expensive places.

There will always be hungry folks who can't afford to own boats with very little in their pockets that find subway sandwiches quite acceptable. I suspect there still will be those folks in ten years time, and there will still be subway stores (though not as many as there are now) around at that time.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: HoosierJeeper
Started getting sick from them, from when I lived in FL then moved up to WI and tried it again, still got sick. They have a TON of locations in my town, can hardly swing a dead cat without hitting one. I prefer Jimmy John's.


I'm not sure that's really saying much. Jimmy John's isn't bad if there's nothing else in the area, but they don't give you much food either, pretty much any mom and pop store gives you a lot more. I don't understand how these sandwich places stay in business, pretty much any mom and pop place gives you more for less money. On the other hand, local burger joints are usually a lot more than McDonalds and much slower so at least the burger chains make sense.

 

[tig1]

I like Subway.

 

[Rand]

Subway is going downhill. Last few times I ate there with big coupon specials.. food was filling but nowhere close to good.... was edible though.

I usually have to ask them for fresh lettuce half the time its frozen and see through.. ugh.

And they give you the stupid look.

 

[SevenBizzos]

Yes. Subway will probably be around forever. I would guess that they won't be as saturated, but they'll be around. There are people that like the place and enough twice a year people to keep things going.

 

[Al]

Clean and a good value. I like them.

 

[jeepman3071]

It's not bad. I find it interesting how the bread all tastes the same no matter what kind it is.

There is a local general store that has a sandwich deli in the back though, and that place is the BEST. Home made everything and cheaper than Subway.

 

[bubbatime]

I'll eat Subway perhaps every other month or so. My local stores are always packed, with 5-10 folks in line. I used to work with a guy that owned a few of them and he said they were pretty profitable. They will DEFINITELY be around in 10 years time.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Originally Posted By: CT8
Fast food isn't really food.


I appreciate your participation CT8, but if you don't like or eat fast food (and judge others who do) then why do you always throw in your 2 cents? You made a very similar remark in the "worst food you've eaten recently" thread.


He's always sticking his nose up at any food that doesn't match up to his Birkenstock wearing criteria.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: HoosierJeeper
Started getting sick from them, from when I lived in FL then moved up to WI and tried it again, still got sick. They have a TON of locations in my town, can hardly swing a dead cat without hitting one. I prefer Jimmy John's.


I'm not sure that's really saying much. Jimmy John's isn't bad if there's nothing else in the area, but they don't give you much food either, pretty much any mom and pop store gives you a lot more. I don't understand how these sandwich places stay in business, pretty much any mom and pop place gives you more for less money. On the other hand, local burger joints are usually a lot more than McDonalds and much slower so at least the burger chains make sense.


A sandwich and a pickle from JJ's fills me up just fine, I don't need/want more food than that.

 

[69GTX]

My local supermarket chain is probably helping to drive local Subways out of business. Why spend $6.50 for a foot long Subway when I can get a 30 inch MONSTER sub with all the toppings for $7.50 when using their $4 discount? We typically get those once or twice each month. And they use better bread than Subway. The subway bread is sort of tasteless and without body. Haven't been to a Subway in 3 years....and we used to go at least a few times each month.

 

[gman2304]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
I'll eat Subway perhaps every other month or so. My local stores are always packed, with 5-10 folks in line. I used to work with a guy that owned a few of them and he said they were pretty profitable. They will DEFINITELY be around in 10 years time.


x2.....A couple of years ago Subway had more outlets than any other fast food chain. My small town has probably 8 Subway stores. Several are free standing and they're lined up for lunch and dinner.

 

[Black_Thunder]

I don't often eat at Subway but once in awhile i will go get a foot long cold cut, and honestly i haven't noticed much of a difference, i guess the bread is a bit different then it used to be. not many sandwich places in the area so I don't have much to compare them to.

I do miss the taco sub which they've done away with years ago and because of that they stopped carrying the sour-cream packets which made me mad cause i used to put it on any sub regardless of what it was.


A friend of mine told me awhile back that he gets a sub every day before he goes to work, same thing every day. So often that the subway he goes to generally has it halfway done seconds after he walks through the door, maybe his sandwich palette is more qualified then mine, I'll have to ask him if he's noticed a difference in their quality

I think they get enough business that they'll be around for awhile yet.

People still do the party platters etc for occasions