Subway is getting rid of the $5 footlong for the second time since 2016. The Subway franchise is allowing individual establishments to determine whether to continue the deal.
The iconic jingle will be a thing of the past for locations that faced slim profit margins when the $5 footlong came back this past January, as reported by USA Today. The cost of ham, roast beef and other meats is priced higher than the sub itself, creating a slim profit margin.
As a solution, the chain encourages franchises to explore deals that benefit its demographics according to USA Today. San Francisco locations now offer a $3.99 six-inch sub, and locations in California started serving paninis.
Subway began its $5 footlong campaign back in 2008 by promising consumers a healthy form of losing weight. The idea stemmed from Jared Fogle, an overweight college student who became the face of the franchise.
Fogle told Men’s Health that with the help of two Subway sandwiches a day and exercise, he lost over 240 pounds within 11 months. The chain retained the promotion since terminating its relationship with Fogle due his conviction for distribution of child pornography and having sex with minors.
The executive decision to eliminate the value deal introduced the idea of modernizing and upgrading locations. In Plattsburgh alone, there are five locations including the one on campus.
On-campus Subway employees doubt the school will eliminate the daily $5 footlong option for students. They were unable to speak more on the subject. The on-campus Subway location offers a different sandwich everyday of the week as part of the deal.
“The $5 footlong options are very limited,” said Adonys Temple, senior multimedia journalism major. “Everytime I go it’s either meatball marinara or BLT and I don’t eat those types of sandwiches.”
A common concern among consumers is that the sandwich was never $5.
Freshman psychology major Sierra Sochocky recalls entering Subway for the first time with a crisp $5 bill in the pursuit of a sub.
“I had to turn back and find more money,” Sochocky said.
Students end up paying more for their sandwiches whether the deal is available or not. Guac is extra, so is bacon and extra cheese.
As freshmen, Brianna Fitzgerald and Kristin Cariello see no point in spending dining dollars on the value deal when “[they] can go to Little Al’s and eat using a ‘free’ meal.”
Affordable, filling meals for less than $5 are mostly found at fast food restaurants. At the Sundowner, only snacks and sides are available for less than $5 dining dollars.
Temple doesn’t call this a filling meal.
“The burger and fries is the one thing that feels filling from there,” Temple said.
Email Carla Pimentel at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
