Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
When the very first Subway restaurant opened in 1965, customers were overwhelmed by the huge "Super Submarine" sandwiches! More than forty years later, and Subway has grown into the largest fast-food franchise in the world, surpassing McDonald's in 2010 by over 1,000 stores! Coincidently, it was in 2010 when I started my 13-month employment at my local Subway store.
I thought it would be the perfect job whilst I finished my final semester at college; carefree, easy and all the free sandwiches I could eat! I couldn't have been more wrong (except for the free sandwiches). I learned a few secrets as a "Sandwich Artist", and I think it's time the customers knew exactly what went on behind the counter...
[post_page_title]The First Sandwich You Should Never Order[/post_page_title]
With the likes of KFC, McDonald's and Wendy's hogging so many of the headlines, Subway kind of gets forgotten about in discussions about great fast food, but there are nearly twice as many Subways as there are McDonald's branches in the United States. I like to think that's for a good reason. But when you next head to Subway, ladies, and gentlemen, there are four sandwiches you should really steer clear from.
So what's the first sandwich at Subway you should never order? In theory, the Meatball Marinara is Subway's greatest sandwich, with cheese, meatball, and sauce coming together in holy food matrimony, but...
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Credit: Getty[/caption]
If you want to avoid the dry, day-old meat and congealed sauce that comes with many a Meatball Marinara, then be sure to ask if the meatballs are fresh. But even then, there's no guarantee.
"You'll be told yes no matter what. But if they have to go check, it's actually a guaranteed no. They're checking to see if they can pass as fresh. Trust me, meatballs are annoying to prep, and we know damn well if they're fresh or not without needing to check."
[post_page_title]The Second Sandwich You Should Never Order[/post_page_title]
Another popular choice among the meat-loving population is, unfortunately, another Subway sandwich you should never order. Sadly, when it comes to the fast-food department, veggies are onto something...
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
The second sandwich you should never order is the Roast Beef, but that's mostly because that's the sandwich that goes bad the quickest. Be sure to ask your server if the beef is fresh, but don't expect them to be 100 percent truthful.
[post_page_title]The Other Sandwiches You Should Never Order[/post_page_title]
However, there's more. And yes, you guessed it! They are sandwiches which contain meat. Here are the final two sandwiches you should never order at Subway...
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
The Chipotle Chicken and Teriyaki Chicken subs should be avoided at all costs. Why?
"Chicken is given a two-day shelf life, once in the counter. However, these two bypass this and get four days, and can get a little stinky."
[post_page_title]The Not Nice Truth About Mice[/post_page_title]
With all that food wastage around, mice, rats, and other vermin are sadly a huge problem in Subway stores. Although traps are set discretely all over the store, tragic accidents have occurred in the past.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
For example, one customer in Oregan, Matt Jones, got a nasty surprise after he had his sandwich handed to him at a local Subway, as discovered the body of a dead mouse covered in spinach when he opened it up. Matt promptly shared the photo on his Facebook account. Subway claimed this was a very rare incident, but the truth is, I saw a mouse every other shift.
[post_page_title]You're Probably Eating More Calories Than You Think[/post_page_title]
When you walk into a Subway store, you'll see all of our menus have the calories listed with each sandwich, with eight sandwiches even listed as containing just "six grams of fat". What you can't read is the small print on the menu, which specifies that these values are only for a six-inch sub, on "standard recipe" (nobody knows what the hell that is) white bread, with no cheese or sauce.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
The truth is, about 99% of customers have either cheese, sauce or both. So that means your "Low Fat" six-inch Subway with chipotle sauce and Swiss cheese (the most popular choices), goes from six grams of fat to a whopping 19.7 grams!
[post_page_title]We Can't Get Rid Of The Smell[/post_page_title]
So many customers would walk into the store and say, "I love the smell of Subway". Well, I don't. Because no matter how hard you wash your uniform, you cannot get rid of that smell of bread!
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
Seriously, it got to the point where I had to keep my uniform in a separate drawer to all of my clothes. It's nice for five minutes, it's unbearably toxic after 13 months.
[post_page_title]Don't Eat The Chicken[/post_page_title]
Friends would always ask me, "Is there anything I shouldn't eat", and I'd always reply, "avoid the chicken". Subway chicken is given a two-to-five day shelf life depending on the variety.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
The chicken teriyaki SHOULD be thrown out by the fifth day, but a lot of employees just change the date to avoid throwing it out. This means, with shift changes, varying staff and other factors, five-day chicken could be out as long as nine days. The freshest meat in-store will always be the steak, so I'd always recommend that!
[post_page_title]Mayo Or Light Mayo?[/post_page_title]
Employees at Subway understand that some customers eat there because they think they're opting for the healthier fast-food option. One very common way this would present itself is seeing how many people opt for Light Mayo over regular Mayonnaise.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
However, most of the time, whenever the Light Mayo bottle ran out, my manager would just tell me to fill it with regular mayonnaise... And this is pretty common in a lot of stores.
Our famous cookies are delivered at the store frozen, and we have to cook them at 160 degrees for 11 minutes. However, I'd always take them out two minutes early because I like them gooey.
The point is; we've got frozen cookie dough back there! Consider it a "Secret Menu" item of sorts, but if you ask for frozen cookie dough, a lot of employees will be happy to give you some!
[post_page_title]The Truth About Turkey[/post_page_title]
There's always been a debate about whether or not we actually sell pork, or whether or not it's actually flavored turkey. The truth is, it depends where you live.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
Under the famous business mantra of "supply and demand", Subway stores located in areas with a high Muslim population have removed all pork products and all the meat is halal. "What about the salami and ham?", I hear you cry. Well, these are actually just flavored turkey meat made to look like pork products. You may not like it, but as I say, supply and demand.
[post_page_title]The Most Common Sandwich Is...[/post_page_title]
For a bit of Subway trivia; the most common sandwich ordered is a 6-inch meatball sauce with Swiss cheese on hearty Italian bread, toasted with a lot of salad and southwest sauce.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
A close second is the Italian B.M.T, which originally stood for "Brooklyn Manhattan Transit", but now stands for "Bigger, Meatier, Tastier".
[post_page_title]Footlong Subway Sandwiches Are 12 Inches Long (Now)[/post_page_title]
The term, "Subway Footlong" is actually a registered trademark, so for years, they could get away with selling you sandwiches UNDER 12 inches long.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
However, after an internet campaign and lawsuit earlier this year, judges ruled that all Footlong sandwiches MUST be at least a foot long! Nowadays, a Subway Footlong will be 12.1 inches in length, with the possibility of shrinkage if toasted.
[post_page_title]I've Heard Chipotle Pronounched A Million Ways[/post_page_title]
It's one of the most popular sauce options in Subway, but unfortunately, a lot of people can't pronounce it right, which drives us serves crazy! Some variations I've heard include chip-ottal. Ship-oat-lay. Chip-o-lata. Ship-ottle.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
I don't know what it is about this popular sauce, but most people really don't know how to pronounce it. For the record, it's "chi-poat-lay". In a close second is the word, "marinara", followed by "chorizo". Subway should really introduce a "If you can't say it, you can't order it."
[post_page_title]Why You Should Order Flatbread Instead[/post_page_title]
Flatbread isn't most people's first choice when they enter Subway, but if your stomach is rumbling for as much food as possible, it really is the smartest, most efficient option.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
Fancy getting more bang for your buck? Then order flatbread! The way flatbread is made and prepared means it actually measures 14 inches in length. This does result in more calories, but if you're just after a monster meal, go flat!
[post_page_title]Subway University Is A Thing[/post_page_title]
When Subway advertises itself as turning the act of making sandwiches into an art, it's not kidding. Seriously. The chain even has its own university.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
The University of Subway really does exist, but no, it's not an actual educational institute. It's basically a free online app that's supposed to help stores train their employees through quizzes and tests. What's my honest opinion on it? It's mindless bulls***.
Like most fast-food places, late-night weekend shifts are always the worst, because this is when we have the drunk revelers and stoners come in.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
And yes, of course, we know when you're stoned - mainly because I once watched a guy eat three footlong meatball marinaras and a pack of twelve cookies after getting a SERIOUS case of the munchies. But the main issue is just having to clean up the endless mess.
[post_page_title]Subway Stores Are Privately Owned[/post_page_title]
Like most franchises, Subway stores are privately owned by people who must follow a strict set of rules to ensure all of Subway's product have that unique taste. However, this does mean that the employee rules differ from store to store.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
For example, I worked at a store with lovely owners who were happy for the workers to have any footlong for lunch. However, I had a friend who worked across town who has nightmare bosses! They weren't allowed any lunch, were forced to buy their uniforms from them and were constantly watched on CCTV. It's simply the luck of the draw...
[post_page_title]More Than Two Sauces? Seriously?[/post_page_title]
You may think you're being cool and inventive opting for four different sauces on your sandwich, but we honestly judge you for being such a moron.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
Two sauces? Fine. Any more than that and it just becomes overly sweet gloop that destroys and overpowers the sandwich.
[post_page_title]Microwave Your Cookies[/post_page_title]
It's no secret that Subway cookies are one of the best sweet treats around, and it turns out that there's an ingenious way of making them taste even better.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
You want to taste pure heaven? Simply ask the person behind the counter to microwave your cookie for five-to-ten seconds so it goes lusciously gooey. Seriously, thank for me later...
Okay, the right Subway sandwiches are certainly a much healthier alternative to a McDonald's Big Mac or a KFC Double Down, but that won't protect you from the weight gain.
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
Sure, employees could have a salad bowl, but most of the time we're competing with the other members of staff to see who can create the very best sandwich - and most of the time they end up looking like something out of a Scooby-Doo cartoon.
[post_page_title]Know What You Want![/post_page_title]
There's nothing worse than dealing with a customer who has no idea what they want, and dealing with a Subway virgin is a painstaking process. The most annoying thing is that the instructions are clearly written on the counter!
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Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
On the other hand, we will lose our patience with you if are way too specific - like the one guy I had who specifically wanted 29 pieces of sweetcorn on his six-inch Sub.
[post_page_title]Always Ask For More Vegetables[/post_page_title]
Have you ever stood at a Subway counter and been a little disappointed by the number of veggies on your sub? Then ask for more. Seriously.
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"I worked at a Subway for about a year and a half. Our store rule was 6 of each veggie on a footlong and 3 on a 6-inch. Our manager was a stickler for this because keeping the food cost down meant she got a bigger bonus at the end of the year. Needless to say, when the boss was away, the subs I made got loaded with veg,"
Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
"I worked at a Subway for about a year and a half. Our store rule was 6 of each veggie on a footlong and 3 on a 6-inch. Our manager was a stickler for this because keeping the food cost down meant she got a bigger bonus at the end of the year. Needless to say, when the boss was away, the subs I made got loaded with veg,"
[post_page_title]You're Not Eating As Fresh As You Think[/post_page_title]
Subway's famous tagline might be "Eat Fresh", but this is far from a reality, and to be honest, makes us surprised that the chain hasn't come under fire for false advertising!
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When we order a Subway sandwich, most of us assume that we're eating a lovely sandwich will of fresh veggies. The reality, however, is very different.
"Nothing was fresh, everything was frozen, even the lettuce was precut in a big in the freezer."
[post_page_title]The Truth About The Grilled Chicken[/post_page_title]
When you buy grilled chicken, it's only natural to assume that what you've purchased has, y'know, been grilled, but apparently, this isn't the case at Subway.
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What you're about to learn is the reason why unless you make food yourself, you'll never really know what it is that you're putting in your mouth.
"Those grill marks on the chicken? Food coloring."
[post_page_title]The Cheese Isn't Cheese[/post_page_title]
But if you thought that the truth about Subway's chicken was bad, the truth about its cheese is even worse. In fact, it's enough to put you off Subway for life!
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"Subway cheese is not actually cheese! It is a solidified cheese 'spread' which, if left in water for a period of time, loses all of its artificial yellow coloring and turns a pallid gray."
Credit: Instagram / Subway[/caption]
"Subway cheese is not actually cheese! It is a solidified cheese 'spread' which, if left in water for a period of time, loses all of its artificial yellow coloring and turns a pallid gray."
[post_page_title]The Subway Pizza[/post_page_title]
Putting disgusting Subway secrets to the side for a moment, here's one that might just get your mouth watering. Subway pizza is a thing!
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"1. You ask for a flat bread, tell them to put the meatball sauce on top (smeared). 2. Then ask for pepperonis (preferably sliced), and your preferred cheese (cheddar works best). 3. Before they toast it, put on all the vegetables you want (I make mine with bell-peppers, and purple-onions 4. Toast it and I swear to you it will smell exactly like a supreme pizza from Sbarro’s, Dominoes, or Pizza Hut."
[post_page_title]The Unhealthiest Thing On The Menu[/post_page_title]
When you step into Subway on a diet, you probably think to yourself, "What's the unhealthiest thing on the menu?" The meatballs? The steak? Well, the real answer will surprise you.
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"Your Subway tuna sandwich is 90% mayonnaise. How did we prepare the tuna? Take one can of tuna the size of your fist and empty it into a vat. Take a big 2ltr bag of mayonnaise and splosh it in the vat. Mix it haphazardly for 2 minutes until it’s a semi-consistent mush. Cringe when customers ask for ‘just a little bit’ of light mayo on their tuna sandwich because they’re on a diet."
[post_page_title]If You Must Have Chicken, Order The Strips[/post_page_title]
Right, now that we know you should steer clear of Subway's chicken, is there ever an instance where you should order it? Not really, but if you have to order chicken, get it in this form.
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"At the beginning of the day, we are told to get them out of the freezer and put them into hot water where they remain ALL DAY. Then at the end of the day, you have to take them out and SQUEEZE the gross ass chicken water out of them, which by now has made the meat soggy. Then we put them in a plastic container where they await the same treatment the next day. You may think this is a good way of keeping it fresh, but I assure you it's not, after a while [that] breast starts getting really mushy and smelling like ass, yet we are told to just keep on serving it."
[post_page_title]How To Make A Hot Sandwich Even Tastier[/post_page_title]
The vast majority of Subway partons have their sandwiches toasted, and if you fall into this category, there's way that you can make your sub even tastier...
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"Ask them to put the onions on the sandwich BEFORE toasting, and ask them to pour a little olive oil over them first. Doesn’t save you money, but YUM. This also works good for peppers."
[post_page_title]The Bread You Should Never Order[/post_page_title]
Oh, and while we are at it. If you're looking to not only chose a healthy filling for your sub, but a healthy bread. This is the bread you should avoid at all costs!
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"I don't know if this has been mentioned, but don't buy any variety of wheat bread at Subway. It's actually worse for you than getting the Italian. It's dyed with plenty of added shit to make it look and taste different."
