Subway in Decline

[Foreigner]

Fast food chain suffers from declining sales and increasing competition (as does McDonalds):

The rise and fall of Subway, the world

 

[Mal]

Not surprising. The subs are average at best, the meat way too over processed, they over franchised, even the bread is par baked and imported frozen/chilled and reheated.

 

[Revolio]

subway to hell

 

[anat0l]

Bit of a clickbait title - the damn chain isn't dead yet. The "Fall of Rome", I believe, refers to the era when Rome was finally overrun and the empire of influence was no more, not the first days when fractures started to appear.

I would think that most of the fast food chains as we know it are finding it difficult to maintain their edges in today's changing climate; it may not surprise me that Subway is likely doing it the hardest out of the lot.

Not surprising. The subs are average at best, the meat way too over processed, they over franchised, even the bread is par baked and imported frozen/chilled and reheated.

I don't see how the meat could be any more processed. It's the same stuff bought from the supermarket, except put onto heaps of wax paper sheets pre-cut, instead of vac-sealed in 100g packets. The ones used for the hot subs are basically the same as that you would get in a box and put on an oven tray. Cooking those by putting them in the microwave is likely a bit cheesy, but so there.

I could definitely believe the situation on the bread. As if they have someone making dough or even handling it on site at the back all day long. My uncle had a bakery once - even if it was running only regular business hours, it took at least him to wake up at 3am each day to prepare the bread. Even a French bakery which only sells baguettes (which were designed for time economy) would need a good few hours before opening time to get the production line up and running. I'm sure Subway franchises don't have the time or money to do that, so how else were they going to go about it. The only claim to fame they have is the bread is at least finalised at the branch, rather than brought in already baked or baked-and-frozen like several other chains - a dubious claim at best.

Deciding between fast food seems hardly an art, although the article would seem to imply that people are willing to pay more these days in order to actually select a better quality product. Who would have thought!

 

[wooley]

On the note of frozen dough... That came to rise due to a co-op of South Australian farmers who started growing an older variety of wheat called Kukri.

One of farmers wives found that even after freezing, the dough still had good elasticity due to the protein and gluten profile of the variety.

They marketed it to subway who started using it in India, the subway bakery in Taranaki picked it up to supply NZ and Aus and I think they're even supplying other parts of the world now.

All because a little group of farmers decided to grow an older variety of wheat for its drought and disease resistance.

 

[serfty]

Subway? Care factor is minimal ... I had a 6" once - it was free - but never again.

I have to repress the urge to retch every time I encounter that horrible smell that seems to be present outside of every store ...

 

[ALH]

I would happily walk past a subway to buy sandwich making ingredients, rather than get one of their sandwiches. Have tried twice when I've been with friends. I thought they tasted of chemicals.

 

[drron]

Subway aren't the only ones using frozen dough.Coles got caught out.
Then at Easter Woollies had Jamie Oliver hot cross buns advertised.Asked about them at Woollies Upper Burnie-"Oh they come in frozen.Only cook them up if someone asks."

 

[Pushka]

Subway? Care factor is minimal ... I had a 6" once - it was free - but never again.

I have to repress the urge to retch every time I encounter that horrible smell that seems to be present outside of every store ...

Totally agree. It permeates the air. There is a car park in Adelaide where you smell it the instant you get out the lift. I also dislike Kenards chicken franchise shops because of the smell. I was going to post this last night.

 

[Foreigner]

And the sushi shops. Every instance I walk past one I need to hold my breath.

 

[Pushka]

And the sushi shops. Every instance I walk past one I need to hold my breath.

I don't like seafood much but I find the smell from Subway is worse than Sushi shops. Maybe there is a chemical that irritates me more? Baked bread = warmth = smell?

 

[drron]

But I love sushi places!

 

[Ansett]

Not keen on Subway as a lot of the meats are imported I understand from China by the container. As for sushi been a lot of people poisoned due to poor care of raw ingredients and handling with dire consequences, people reported to have gotten worms as a result of sushi.

 

[whatmeworry]

Personally I think Subway is a ripoff for price and not really that filling.

However they do give you a free sub and drink on your birthday.

 

[Pushka]

But I love sushi places!

I hate that green stuff they are wrapped in. And the prawns, salmon etc. The chicken and rice is ok but they fall apart without the wrapper!

Anything that is manufactured has risk of contamination. Our food labelling laws don't really work. And maybe restaurants need to start detailing their source of foods.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh, that's a shame

I had the best subway ever last year at LAX. We arrived late and and were staying at an airport hotel. Needed food... Subway was next door. They made the biggest and best sarnie ever! Store looked a bit grotty on the outside, but was clean inside, business was brisk, ingredients fresh (better than Melbourne.)

 

[dajop]

Going to add a different perspective ... until I started working outside Australia I went to Subway perhaps once or twice a year. Or not at all. I didn't really see the point in it when there are heaps of good quality sandwich placed offering loads of choice and much better variety and quality of breads and fillings.

However where I work in Singapore whilst there are some what I call not-quite-right sandwich options in the vicinity I actually find Subway a reasonable (in terms of price and quality) compromise., so I do go there more often than I would have.

 

[dk4]

Then at Easter Woollies had Jamie Oliver hot cross buns advertised.Asked about them at Woollies Upper Burnie-"Oh they come in frozen.Only cook them up if someone asks."

When I ordered some hot cross buns online - there was a cut-off time to order of noon the day before. When they were delivered with my name on the product sticker, i.e. "Hot Cross Buns for dk4", I thought - wow, they have been "fresh" baked especially for me :shock: Not so impressed now, knowing that they were merely thawed out "fresh" especially for me.

 

[Pushka]

Oh, that's a shame

I had the best subway ever last year at LAX. We arrived late and and were staying at an airport hotel. Needed food... Subway was next door. They made the biggest and best sarnie ever! Store looked a bit grotty on the outside, but was clean inside, business was brisk, ingredients fresh (better than Melbourne.)

I remember saying the same thing about a macca's at midnight after a long flight and drive from Adelaide to Brisbane to Noosa when we missed the last pit stop on the Motorway and all else was closed.

 

[Warks]

I was never a fan until a few years ago when there was a lack of options - I never eat Maccas, HJs or KFC so Subway was a much lesser of those evils I thought. When you could get $7 'foot-longs' (actually 10-11 inches I think) it was good to split one with a kid for a very cheap lunch. At least they have salad on them vs the brown food of the others. I have them very irregularly but if with someone I would go there over the other greasy places. That said, I'd support a good sandwich place any day although they can be very expensive in Sydney for average fare. Once you know a good place you stick to it.

What amazes me is how Subway appears to be everywhere - even in country towns too small for Maccas. There's one in every suburb in my part of Sydney.

I must say the smell used to nauseate me though but I got used to it.

Feel for me: I can't stand the smell of coffee!