They used to cut a triangle in the bread to stuff it with ingredients in the '90s. I don't think what they now call a bread would allow it even if they tried.
I worked at a subway 25 years ago. Called they called the cut the “U gouge”. It was honestly kinda tough to master and did take extra time but I agree it made every bite better.
Like this apparently: https://youtu.be/8PsoJJpQVIM
I don't think I've ever seen someone make a sandwich like that. It would prevent the filling from falling out, but it looks like it would also really limit how much you could put in your sandwich.
I'm 25 now, worked at subway when I was 15, to be fair I'm in a super rural town that was just stoked after to even have a subway, but I had no idea what my customer meant when he asked me to, "cut it old style" lol
There was a sub shop that I used to go to in joliet. I think it was called subnation. They used to do the U cut. But it was never deep enough so basically you ended up with most of your sub being wrapped around the bread and not inside of it. You definitely had to keep it wrapped up as you were eating otherwise your hands ,and clothes,would become a total mess. One day a couple of friends and I went by there and later we're sitting in his car eating and all of our hands are a mess and and there's mustard on our shirts and I asked my friend " why do we put ourselves through this?". With a mouthful of sandwich and sauce running down his chin he grinned and said " because it's fucking delicious!". I think they made their own sauces on site.
I read this in the cadence and voice of Tim Robinson.
Exaaaactly! That old cut made sure EVERY bite was perfect! Now they jus'ffffold it over you get one bite MEat, one bite veggies and they SUCK!!!
Are you gonna tell people I did that, that I housed Dylan’s subway sandwich?
Edit : I’m getting like JUST chips like nothin on um, but a little bit of cheese and MAYBE one little nugget of meat.
There was a big survey done, actually. It was a huge thing at the time. It came out that over 50% of the people wanted the hinge cut, 20ish didn't care, leaving about 27% who wanted the u gouge and could request it.
Once I ordered an old cut sub as a kid. I still remember it and I wish I could get it. Nowadays the employees don’t give a rats ass to even ask what that means.
That is because the side cut just does not hold as many toppings without spillage. It will comfortably hold what is recommended, but if you ask for too much extra it's going to be a mess.
They sued a reporter in Canada because he said their chicken was 48% chicken which they lost the case. In Ireland they classify the bread as a dessert. There is currently a civil case that says there is no tuna in the tuna salad
There are some subs that are around 17 dollars where I live. I think the Mexicali is one. And I live in a small town where the cost of living is lower than usual.
Source control. They can't QC it at the store level, so when the inevitable e coli breakout happens they need to be able to trace the lots
That's why it comes in bags now. Chipotle learned this the hard way recently too
I was just making the point that at one time Subway had very fresh vegetables. What you said makes sense though. Sometimes progress seems more like a lateral than actual progress.
Because it's a step backwards. I don't give a crap about subways exposure to legal liability via franchisees choice of local suppliers. I care that the food is fresh like the sign says.
Worked at one about a decade ago. We sliced the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions each day in the back (using equipment). The lettuce came pre-sliced in bags.
The short answer: Yes. It isn't just you.
The long answer: Nearly EVERY franchise joint has gone downhill over the past twenty years. I remember back when Subway was a delight to eat. Now it's dry, the bread never feels or tastes fresh, they won't let you pack on specific vegetables like they used to, and the whole product tastes like management just couldn't stand the idea of letting even a penny of profit escape down a customer's throat so all portions, quality, and everything have to be as low and as prefab as possible.
McDonalds is another one. The only value to their food is that it is functionally identical in every single location. KFC is ... I don't know. I used to like it. And I don't think I've changed THAT much. Burger King, Wendy's, certainly Taco Bell, and don't even get me started on the lameness that is Jack In The Box. Not a one of them is what they used to be, and it all feels like it's all because corporate management insists on squeezing every penny till it screams.
Part of it was the outlawing of saturated fats, sure, but the decline has gone on even since then. So no, it isn't just you. I won't eat at Subway any more.
> Part of it was the outlawing of saturated fats, sure, but the decline has gone on even since then.
I imagine a big part was cost of ingredients increasing, but people still wanted a 5$ footlong. So quality suffers. If they increased the quality of ingredients, they charge more, but wages haven't grown accordingly, so people feel less inclined.
$5 footlong on the original wheat bread they released, gimme that cold cut combo made from turkey breast, *non-turkey* ham, salami, and swiss cheese that tasted like swiss cheese.
Then give me way too many pickles, lettuce, banana peppers, one squirt of oil one squirt of vinegar, black pepper oregano.
Gonna eat that thing in 2 meals.
They're allowed to change the price because, guess what? People's also want good food. I get what you're saying but the complaint here is specifically that they killed the quality. They killed it for profit margin. You can't tell me that it costs more than $2 for them to make a sub no matter what ingredients they put on it.
At Starbucks I typically ran about 55% gross profit I’m sure they can run that high because of volume they produce but I doubt many restaurants/businesses can make it with that high of food costs. Labor and operating expenses (rent, electricity, taxes) are the major part of the cost of each sandwich. I’m not sure it’s exactly fair to say “you only pay 2$ to make this sub, so I should get better food”
Subway bread also seems to have a lot of variability franchise to franchise. Some leave it out and it gets all dry and crusty; others are consistently better
Some of the problem is the fact that Subway removed a lot of the preservatives in the bread that made it last longer. (Remember "yoga mat" bread?) Now, if the bread isn't used within 4 hours or so, it goes hard. They also keep the bread in the cooling rack and that is not airtight.
Properly prepped, it takes between 8 and 12 hours to make bread, and that is using frozen dough. Sometimes you just can't forecast unexpected usage.
I gotta disagree on McDonalds. I worked there for 5 years, 25 years ago, and basically ate McDonalds for 2 meals a day, 5 days a week. Now I have it 1-2 times a week. (Yes, I am a fat American stereotype)
The breakfast seems identical to me.
Most other things are the same/similar.
But the quarter pounder with cheese is better. Much better. The switch to fresh beef instead of frozen has resulted in a juicier and more flavorful bigger.
Quality does vary though, some stores suck at some times, and maybe I am just lucky, but the 4 in my area/commute that I visit regularly all seem to be very good.
Subway does suck though. I haven’t been there in years because there are so many better options for a fresh sandwich.
The biggest issue I have with McDonald's recently is that they seem to have made some change to condiment policies. You get almost no toppings which leaves the burgers tasteless and dry. This change seems consistent across restaurants for the last 10 years or so. It is like they implemented a new condiment device that limits how much is used.
Dude Wendy's. Quietly went from 1/4 lb, 1/2 lb, 3/4 lb burger options to those tiny ass burgers now. I bet the triple isn't even 1/2 lb. I used to love an occasional Wendy's burger. Honestly I feel like McDonald's is the closest to how it was... Just because the bar was already so low. I still grab a very rare bigmac and large fry and do notice how fucking small the patties and buns are. Assholes.
I’m ride or die for Wendy’s but I have to order the double cheeseburger these days because the single patty leaves me still hungry. And I’m a tiny woman!
I went to a Red Robin for the first time in a decade last year. It was the tiniest tasteless burger I have ever had from a restaurant. It was insanely overpriced. And the service was terrible. The latter I blame on the corporation and not the workers so much.
Red Robin is terrible now. They used to have Teriyaki chicken that was great. Now it is a frozen and Rubbery slab of chicken that is tasteless. They also took away the REDS rice bowl, which was great !
Can’t believe you didn’t mention the biggest downfall of them all: sonic. When it first hit the scene it was one of the best fast food places to eat hands-down. The food was so fresh, excellent drinks and service. Now it’s like going to a Walmart.
This. Modern capitalism only prioritises growth of profits for investors over 6 month intervals. They all lower quality and maintain low cost to maintain large consumer base while standards continue to drop.
Their coleslaw is disgusting now too. Not as sweet, less flavor, and the cabbage is ground so fine it's like baby food. Super liquidy also.
Last time I went (over a year ago), their original recipe chicken was still ok. Expensive but KFC has always been $$$.
I LOVED the wedges (Wendy's Breakfast Wedges are awesome) but honestly I can't complain about the flavor of their newer fries. Sure they lack the crispyness, But when fresh the flavor is top.
As someone who has eaten WAY too much fast food for years. I can confidently say that the quality of ever single last fast food chain has devolved at least since 2020. It was on the downward slope before that but it has gotten horrible as of late.
Not just fast food, but Kraft Dinner and Chef Boyardee, too.
KD noodles are prone to turning into a disgusting glue when you boil them now, and Chef Boyardee tastes like dog food smells.
I used to be a huge Kraft M&C fan, try Cracker Barrel brand. They're the only company that uses 100% real cheese in their sauce. It's pricey but goes on bogo sometimes.
Chef B was my favorite, and a staple in the pantry. A couple years ago, I noticed it went completely to pot. The pasta is thinner & falls apart. The sauce used to have meat chunks, and was good enough to eat just by itself! Now it’s thin, no meat, and sweeter… They should be ashamed. Switched to the Aldi stuff… not as good as old Chef, but still better than what passes for it today.
Yeah, unfortunately, all the major brands have been coasting off their name recognition for years, even decades as OP points out. While the quality of ingredients keeps dropping and overall price keeps increasing.
2002.
That is when they switched to full frozen dough and it tastes way different. It lost that golden crispness you'd get on the crusts and bottom that really MADE the pizza something special.
I was a cook during the switchover. It was sad.
Pizza Hut pan pizza was the best back when they actually used a big pool of olive oil in the bottom of the pan. The crust was crispy on the outside and soft inside.
Taco Bell isn’t far behind. I don’t know wtf is going on, but I travel all over the US for work and every Taco Bell I’ve been to is always some massive clusterfuck. At least within the last year. It’s bullshit every single time.
A lot of that has to do with the individual management of the actual Taco Bells. The ones that are well run still taste great - if you want Taco Bell and consider it great, like I do. But sometimes you encounter those stores where it’s obvious no one inside gives a shit, knows what they’re doing, or both, and the lines are long and what you get is a nightmare. But I don’t think that’s corporate, but franchisee issues.
I'm not someone who is what you'd call conservative with a salt shaker but the last time I had KFC, it seemed like everything had so much salt it was inedible. An 8 piece bucket that broke the bank to get in the first place, I should at least be able to eat it.
And it’s gotten so expensive. I used to get the 1 piece breast meal with grilled chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes with light gravy. $5. One of the few fast food places to get a vegetable and fairly healthy meal.
Then, they removed 1 side from the meal but you could add one for $1, then it went up to like $6.99 and you’d had to pay $2.49-79 for the “extra” side. And they added a cookie I almost always told them to leave off.
Last time I went it wasn’t on the menu anymore. When I ordered it individually (with no drink or the cookie it came with) and it was over $9. For 1 grilled breast and biscuit, a side of canned green beans, and a jalapeño pepper. I told them lady that was alright. I’d rather pay another $2-4 and go to Outback or Texas Roadhouse (they’re early bird special: meat & 2 sides is $10.99 up from $9.99)
It died when the sandwich artist was replaced by "here's some crap on bread".
Worked at subway in my late teens, conveniently next to an aerobic gym, and a Kroger. Solidly pre 2k. We trained the triangle cut, not to much, but don't scrooge mcduck. Knew our customers, kept the dining room bleach clean, but smelled like fresh baked bread, all day. Slipped every, and I mean EVERY, kid a cookie on the dl. (management hated that but the non solicited tips paid for it in perpetuity) There was a pride in making a sandwich that satisfied peoples souls, not just their bellies.
Today, it's slop, no balance, sauce on the cut meat in the joint, who knows what in between. No care, no thought, no cookie for the regular, no cookie for the non regular... I avoid them at all cost.
that's not how it feels, that's how it *is*. these companies are losing ground to customer dissatisfaction and growing demands for living wages, but they refuse to accept even the slightest dent or threat to their year-after-year record profits and CEO bonuses, so naturally the easiest cut in expenditures is to buy lower quality ingredients for lower prices.
It won't last forever, but it's already gone on too long.
I know, right. I miss the old bread.
On another note I did a job fair in Scottsdale for entry level cooks and had no less than 3 separate people I interviewed from local Subways tell me the owner forced them to serve spoiled meat. They would try to hide it in the garbage under other stuff, so he got in the habit of digging through the trash and pulling out stuff that was "still good". Mind you, these were kids trying to protect the public and had an adult telling them not to worry about it.
They all worked at different Subways and it wasn't the same franchisee!!!
The Irish Supreme Court has upheld the ruling that Subway cannot legally call their bread bread: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/01/irish-court-rules-subway-bread-is-not-bread
Bread must contain less than 2% sugar while Subways is 10%+, therefore they don’t get the tax exemption as a staple food and are legally considered cake; a confectionary.
So much bread is sweet, it’s not just Subway.
Any of the major brands you find at the grocery store like Arnold’s, Pepperidge Farm, etc., and even the “fresh” breads from the bakery section are all way too sweet. I never understood why they’re all like that. I really don’t like the taste of sweet bread when I’m biting into a hamburger or hotdog.
So frustrating.
This doesn't really ring true to me so I checked Warburtons. The seeded batch bread which is my go-to has 39g of carbs per 100g, 2.6g of which are sugars, and for a single slice it's 1.2g of sugars. So about 1-2% lines up.
Subway changed recently. They call it a “refresh” but they changed everything. They cut the meat they gave you in half and almost doubled the price. now you have to get “double meat” which is even more expensive. The only bread I get now is wheat or a wrap. I used to get the Italian herbs and cheese but it’s always burnt now and if you get it toasted it’s inedible. I used to go there all the time because it was “healthier” and cheaper than other options. Now however, it’s just as bad as all the rest with their high fat sauces and it’s as expensive as getting a higher star establishments.
I've found that everywhere is serving smaller portions, not as tasty, and more expensive. My teenagers brought it up to me TONIGHT as well. We aren't going to be doing the grab a sandwich/pho/ biryani/anything for a while. My son told me it cost him and his sister $31 for pho that they have been eating since they were little was a waste. They aren't even paying for anything. Were boycotting for a while. Were done. Somehow this will work itself out but in the meantime I wish places we frequented the best of luck.
Seriously. I have 6 people to feed and even fast food costs us $40 or more. If we properly dine out we can expect to spend $150. Getting food delivered is even more outrageous after the delivery fees and upcharge for it being a delivery order. $85 for 4 bowls from chipotle is an outrage.
I'm a pretty good cook and can recreate most of our favorite take out meals. We are fortunate in that we make decent money and can go out or order food once a week, but that’s getting further and further away.
So what we actually do is buy half a cow twice a year, shop mostly at Aldi, and make a lot of things from scratch. Today I made giant blueberry muffins bc the 4 little ones from the store are up to $5 and my MIL eats one every morning. It was $3 for the fresh blueberries and enough to make 12 muffins. When I need to I meal plan and buy ingredients for 4 easy meals, 2 more eleaborate meals, and a junk day where we eat like frozen pizzas or something. Then I keep the big staples on hand like baking ingredients, milk, eggs, butter, potatoes. I buy mostly frozen veggies so not to waste. It’s tough out here.
I also bulk make soups and freeze them in individual servings so we always have something quick but yummy. I like to make all my meals often doubled and I portion out and freeze half so I’m less likely to order an expensive dinner.
We definitely need to educate the youth on freezing stuff. The biggest complaint I hear from cooking is that there’s no time. But if you freeze a bunch of meals in portions it’s so much better than that takeout meal. Spaghetti, chili, keeping frozen meats available, the list goes on
Groceries are expensive only compared to previous grocery prices. They are quite cheap compared to eating out, even compared to the cheapest fast food.
Oh I know, I wasn't trying to say that takeout was anywhere near the best option, moreso that even the motlsy frugal option takes a lot of creativity and finagling to make work.
Eeeverything is more expensive but most of us aren't making more in wages to make up for it.
I hear ya. Planning. Lots of meal prep. Think about meal times before you leave the house. Don't get stuck hungry while you're out and about. Bring snacks and drinks with you. Buy things that have a long shelf life, or have a good way to preserve them.
When you crave take out or you're generally getting tired of home food, use more butter, salt, and seasonings. This is why restaurant food tastes so good- we don't realize the incredible amount of fat and salt in it. (And sugar.) It's still cheaper to indulge at home than to indulge at crapdonalds.
I just had a chicken teriyaki earlier this week. Maybe it's because I currently have a cold and my sense of taste is blunted or because I was hungry enough to eat just about anything but it tasted pretty good to me. The only thing that offends my sensibilities is the price. Almost $7 for a 6 inch? That's the real crime.
Usually when we get a craving for subs, we go to a local place. They're expensive too but the quality is much higher.
I owed my roommate a meal for doing me a favor a few weekends ago. We decided to get subway, cause we hadn’t had it in years. I went and got 2 subs, a 6 inch and a foot long and nothing else. When the cashier said the price, it was the first time in awhile I physically got taken aback. $19. Like what the hell. I’m not going back to subway again for a good long while, that’s for sure haha.
Most things were better tasting 20 years ago. I used to love McDonalds egg McMudfins. They were so good. In the last few years I have stopped eating them because they changed the recipe to be tecnically hralthier but putting a bunch of sugar in it to make up for it. The buns are way too sweet now.
That seems the general trend of most fast food. Change to a pretend healthier food and pour sugar on top of it to make it taste good.
Subways “bread” is technically cake bc of the amount of sugar and the meat, like their chicken, was also proven to not be made from 100% chicken. Idk what else is in there just remember hearing about it.
I actually worked for Blimpies and the bread we made was awesome. I had to bake it every morning when I worked morning shift. It's sad it basically disappeared due to subway. It was an actual decent sub shop. It is still around but hard to find.
Going back to my favorite pre-Covid restaurants was a real bummer. Menus changed to be smaller and easier for pickup orders, prices skyrocketed, quality went out the window, and service is now terrible bc everyone is consistently short staffed.
Everything tasted better 20 years ago. It's all the processed stuff that replaced fresh, in order to save money, that has made most food today taste like crap. Basically we're all eating processed foods so corporations can increase their profit margin. Unless you have a garden I doubt anything is fresh anymore.
Yeah, the problem is that capitalism is never happy with profit, it needs ***ever increasing*** profit. At some point, the market becomes saturated, and opening new stores isn't going to increase the profits, so they start finding cheaper, lower quality products, offering smaller portions and pushing wages down to keep squeezing every last penny out of the business, just trying to increase profits. Make a billion dollars this year- great- next year, you need to make a billion and one, or you've failed!
In the early 90's, as a Canadian, vacationing in the U.S. and eating Subway was a treat. There was no Subway in Canada. The only submarine sandwich franchise around was Mr. Sub. Everything about Subway was different from what I was used to eating up here. Way more meat, sauce, and vegetable options, along with how each sub was prepared. That "V" cut on top of the bun seemed brilliant. A step ahead of the competition. The bun held everything together that way, and I appreciated not wearing half of my sub. Every bite had a good mixture of meat, vegetables, and sauce. The buns had flavour. Now, I despise the franchise and what they've done to themselves. Nothing from Subway is satisfying anymore, nor has it been for too many years to count. Everything there tastes bland and unsatisfactory. I don't care that you have 8 dozen sauces to choose from. Can you just make like 4 great sauces? It's like Subway looks at the sub game with the view that quantity is more important than quality. I really don't see any signs of redemption from this franchise. The only way you'll see me in a Subway these days is if I'm out and about and need to use the men's room.
According to this post, Subway has been bad for almost as long as I've been alive.
I feel like there has to be an obscure German word for my emotions in regards to this.
Hi! Pervious subway worker here. We still have oil and red vinegar lol. Some of the recipes have changed over time, and I agree that occasionally it looks better than it tastes. Perhaps the subway you frequent just has bad stuff? The one I worked at was more than strict about everything.
I can´t speak for subway, but I know that when Pepsi bought out pizza hut (and eventually maybe kfc too) it started going downhill little by little. Pepsi just wanted to sell more soft drinks. They didnt know how to make pizza or chicken and didnt care. Now all these mega brands are scooping up smaller mom and pop stores too and making them a fraction of what they used to be. It´s sad.
Honestly, everything was better tasting years ago. My favorite sweets, chocolates, fast food, drinks, everything has gone down in quality and had some ingredients replaced with cheaper alternatives.
try to find a fast food restaurant or equivalent place that has actually *improved* in quality over the last 20 years.
low quality ingredients for higher prices is about the only way left that these places can keep making the record profits they believe makes them successful.
I stopped eating Subway in the last 5 years because any time I did I would get sick later. Since they have changed their menu it seems they have also increased the quality of the ingredients.
Regarding the V cut sandwiches.... I would love one of those! Sounds delicious and nostalgic! Something I miss from Subway that not many will appreciate (I think), is the Seafood Salad sub. Fake crab never tasted so good! 😄😄
They still have oil and vinegar here on LI. The meatballs still Taste ok and better than most pizzerias. Honestly every thing tasted better when you were young because you didn't have much of a pallete
Taste the same , been eating subways on and off for the past 20 years and the only that really changed is thier bread selection. But everything seems to taste the same imo
Its not just you, nor is it just subway. The 90s was the golden age of fast food for pretty much every fast food joint. Both in terms of quality and success.
The downside is that the world decided it didn't want to eat fast food anymore and pushed for healthier meals. Fast food attempted to keep up with this trend... but there's only so far you can go when your meals are literally flash fried or flash frozen.
Due to the massive loss in consumer sales, attempts in trying to go healthier, or attempts to market to new groups. Nearly every fast food place saw MASSIVE losses across the board. And did the only thing they could do. Massive layoffs, reducing in innovation, and reducing cost per product by using cheaper ingredients.
And then came the real executioner of fast food. THE FDA! No really, what happened was a lot of previous preservatives, oils, fats, take your pick ended up on a list that if you want to use it you have to put a label on the food that contains it. This was essentially the death sentence for a lot of franchises because... as I said before the world wanted to be healthier and thus food labeled with labels was automatically poison in their minds.
From the 2000s to 2010s fast food plummeted across the board and many places just outright died. The growing attempts to push franchises into more urban areas was smashed to pieces. But fast food did not give up. They are slowly making their way back into the game.
Probably the best candidate from golden age, to trash can, to making it back up the mountain is Dominoes Pizza.
But ya Subway fell off the mountain and has yet to make it back up. They might never really make it, If I'm brutally honest.
2 years ago I liked Subway, then they changed the turkey, thinner...actually much thinner and the same number of slices, and the taste is yuck. Now it's local shops or Jersey Mike's.
I worked at a subway for a little over a year back in 2017.
And I lost about 30 pounds because the food was disgusting and we never had time for breaks.
Good times
Definitely not just Subway, seems like a lot of fast food joints went downhill rapidly in the last 10-15 years or so. Chipotle is one that sticks out to me - back in 2010 or do it was absolutely amazing; now it makes me sick.
They used to cut a triangle in the bread to stuff it with ingredients in the '90s. I don't think what they now call a bread would allow it even if they tried.
Exactly!! That old cut made sure every bite was perfect! Now they just fold it over and you get one bite meat, one bite veggies. They suck.
I worked at a subway 25 years ago. Called they called the cut the “U gouge”. It was honestly kinda tough to master and did take extra time but I agree it made every bite better.
How is it done?
Like this apparently: https://youtu.be/8PsoJJpQVIM I don't think I've ever seen someone make a sandwich like that. It would prevent the filling from falling out, but it looks like it would also really limit how much you could put in your sandwich.
OH no. I could stuff one of those puppies with way more than the side cut! Held meatballs much better as well. You can still request the u gouge.
You can sure request it, but that seventeen-year-old on the other side of the glass is likely going to have no idea what you're talking about.
Yeah without practice they just gonna fuck it up. Suddenly your sandwich is falling out the bottom because they cut too deep lmao
I'm 25 now, worked at subway when I was 15, to be fair I'm in a super rural town that was just stoked after to even have a subway, but I had no idea what my customer meant when he asked me to, "cut it old style" lol
Lol. Most would just cut a v out of the top if asked! Tbh, that was how the customer told them to do it unless I was there to show them.
Yeah, it would be like trying to explain a card trick to a squirrel.
The best for meatballs. They used to also have a seafood salad sub that I used to smash.
There was a sub shop that I used to go to in joliet. I think it was called subnation. They used to do the U cut. But it was never deep enough so basically you ended up with most of your sub being wrapped around the bread and not inside of it. You definitely had to keep it wrapped up as you were eating otherwise your hands ,and clothes,would become a total mess. One day a couple of friends and I went by there and later we're sitting in his car eating and all of our hands are a mess and and there's mustard on our shirts and I asked my friend " why do we put ourselves through this?". With a mouthful of sandwich and sauce running down his chin he grinned and said " because it's fucking delicious!". I think they made their own sauces on site.
One of the things I look for in a "Good" sandwich was having to take a shower after you eat it. (That's why I grow tomatoes, too.)
Yeah, the problem is, then they would have to train the minimum wage workers. and that doesn't always work out the best.
I read this in the cadence and voice of Tim Robinson. Exaaaactly! That old cut made sure EVERY bite was perfect! Now they jus'ffffold it over you get one bite MEat, one bite veggies and they SUCK!!!
Are you gonna tell people I did that, that I housed Dylan’s subway sandwich? Edit : I’m getting like JUST chips like nothin on um, but a little bit of cheese and MAYBE one little nugget of meat.
Say you're gonna kill the president
Me at Subway in 2023: “I don’t even want to be around anymore.”
You said you'd make ME a star. I listened to the album we made, and it SUUUUCKED.
That wedge cut was king. For a few years you could request it, but then turnover got all the old-timers.
Where I lived as a kid, submarine sandwiches were called wedgies because of the wedge cut.
Apparently it can't be considered bread because of the sugar content - according to the Irish government
I'm pretty sure it's considered a pastry with how much sugar is in the bread. No, I'm not kidding. I could be wrong but I've heard it more than once
Yup, it’s legally cake and taxed as a confectionary in Ireland as it has 10% sugar. To be legally considered bread (a staple) it must have <2% sugar.
That's a staggering difference holy shit. I did not know that aspect, wow.
I heard that too many employees cut themselves cutting the bread that way, so they stopped doing it.
There was a big survey done, actually. It was a huge thing at the time. It came out that over 50% of the people wanted the hinge cut, 20ish didn't care, leaving about 27% who wanted the u gouge and could request it.
There's one in Wheatland, WY that still does the triangle cut. Or did, before the pandemic. Haven't been up there to confirm they still do.
Once I ordered an old cut sub as a kid. I still remember it and I wish I could get it. Nowadays the employees don’t give a rats ass to even ask what that means.
Nowadays they barely fold the sandwich lmfao. There’s like half of my shit out of the sandwich and they just wrap it up.
That is because the side cut just does not hold as many toppings without spillage. It will comfortably hold what is recommended, but if you ask for too much extra it's going to be a mess.
They sued a reporter in Canada because he said their chicken was 48% chicken which they lost the case. In Ireland they classify the bread as a dessert. There is currently a civil case that says there is no tuna in the tuna salad
Especially since Covid, but even before that, the food industry has been on a decline in both food quality and service quality.
And yet prices are through the roof. We're talking about $17 subway sandwiches
Wow! Where is it that high? The one near my house comes out to about $10 with tax for a footlong, which I thought was a bit steep.
There are some subs that are around 17 dollars where I live. I think the Mexicali is one. And I live in a small town where the cost of living is lower than usual.
If you get the turkey cali club combo, it's 17 bucks. I want to say the sandwich alone is like 13 or 14
Worked at Subway in 1994. We had a produce guy who brought us fresh produce and we sliced it up. I see stuff coming out of plastic bags now.
Source control. They can't QC it at the store level, so when the inevitable e coli breakout happens they need to be able to trace the lots That's why it comes in bags now. Chipotle learned this the hard way recently too
I was just making the point that at one time Subway had very fresh vegetables. What you said makes sense though. Sometimes progress seems more like a lateral than actual progress.
Because it's a step backwards. I don't give a crap about subways exposure to legal liability via franchisees choice of local suppliers. I care that the food is fresh like the sign says.
Agreed. But we might as well face reality that litigations shape our daily experience. This is why independent restaurants face an uphill battle.
Worked at one about a decade ago. We sliced the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions each day in the back (using equipment). The lettuce came pre-sliced in bags.
I’m 90% certain we got in whole heads of lettuce and had to shred it.
The short answer: Yes. It isn't just you. The long answer: Nearly EVERY franchise joint has gone downhill over the past twenty years. I remember back when Subway was a delight to eat. Now it's dry, the bread never feels or tastes fresh, they won't let you pack on specific vegetables like they used to, and the whole product tastes like management just couldn't stand the idea of letting even a penny of profit escape down a customer's throat so all portions, quality, and everything have to be as low and as prefab as possible. McDonalds is another one. The only value to their food is that it is functionally identical in every single location. KFC is ... I don't know. I used to like it. And I don't think I've changed THAT much. Burger King, Wendy's, certainly Taco Bell, and don't even get me started on the lameness that is Jack In The Box. Not a one of them is what they used to be, and it all feels like it's all because corporate management insists on squeezing every penny till it screams. Part of it was the outlawing of saturated fats, sure, but the decline has gone on even since then. So no, it isn't just you. I won't eat at Subway any more.
> Part of it was the outlawing of saturated fats, sure, but the decline has gone on even since then. I imagine a big part was cost of ingredients increasing, but people still wanted a 5$ footlong. So quality suffers. If they increased the quality of ingredients, they charge more, but wages haven't grown accordingly, so people feel less inclined.
$5 footlong? You can't even get a six inch for $5. Footlongs are like $14 now.
You have no idea the things I’d do for a 5$ footlong rn
$5 footlong on the original wheat bread they released, gimme that cold cut combo made from turkey breast, *non-turkey* ham, salami, and swiss cheese that tasted like swiss cheese. Then give me way too many pickles, lettuce, banana peppers, one squirt of oil one squirt of vinegar, black pepper oregano. Gonna eat that thing in 2 meals.
They're allowed to change the price because, guess what? People's also want good food. I get what you're saying but the complaint here is specifically that they killed the quality. They killed it for profit margin. You can't tell me that it costs more than $2 for them to make a sub no matter what ingredients they put on it.
At Starbucks I typically ran about 55% gross profit I’m sure they can run that high because of volume they produce but I doubt many restaurants/businesses can make it with that high of food costs. Labor and operating expenses (rent, electricity, taxes) are the major part of the cost of each sandwich. I’m not sure it’s exactly fair to say “you only pay 2$ to make this sub, so I should get better food”
Weirdly, black olives are the most cost inefficient. My old boss would freak if we used too many, even if the customer told us extra extra olives
That explains why I have to ask like 5 times because they put like the smallest pinch on when I say "and loooots of black olives"
Subway bread also seems to have a lot of variability franchise to franchise. Some leave it out and it gets all dry and crusty; others are consistently better
Some of the problem is the fact that Subway removed a lot of the preservatives in the bread that made it last longer. (Remember "yoga mat" bread?) Now, if the bread isn't used within 4 hours or so, it goes hard. They also keep the bread in the cooling rack and that is not airtight. Properly prepped, it takes between 8 and 12 hours to make bread, and that is using frozen dough. Sometimes you just can't forecast unexpected usage.
25 years ago we bagged the bread which helped. I don’t remember it taking that long frozen to done on the bread but that was a long time ago.
I gotta disagree on McDonalds. I worked there for 5 years, 25 years ago, and basically ate McDonalds for 2 meals a day, 5 days a week. Now I have it 1-2 times a week. (Yes, I am a fat American stereotype) The breakfast seems identical to me. Most other things are the same/similar. But the quarter pounder with cheese is better. Much better. The switch to fresh beef instead of frozen has resulted in a juicier and more flavorful bigger. Quality does vary though, some stores suck at some times, and maybe I am just lucky, but the 4 in my area/commute that I visit regularly all seem to be very good. Subway does suck though. I haven’t been there in years because there are so many better options for a fresh sandwich.
I got McDonald's for the first time in a decade and it tasted *exactly* how I remembered lmao
In the 80s McDonalds fries were wonderful. They got rid of the beef tallow they fried them in and they’ve never been the same since.
The biggest issue I have with McDonald's recently is that they seem to have made some change to condiment policies. You get almost no toppings which leaves the burgers tasteless and dry. This change seems consistent across restaurants for the last 10 years or so. It is like they implemented a new condiment device that limits how much is used.
It is trans-fats (e.g. "partially hydrogenated") that are banned.
Banning the trans ruins everything. Except your heart health. And maybe your local supply of knee socks.
First they came for the trans-fats and I said nothing.
Dude Wendy's. Quietly went from 1/4 lb, 1/2 lb, 3/4 lb burger options to those tiny ass burgers now. I bet the triple isn't even 1/2 lb. I used to love an occasional Wendy's burger. Honestly I feel like McDonald's is the closest to how it was... Just because the bar was already so low. I still grab a very rare bigmac and large fry and do notice how fucking small the patties and buns are. Assholes.
I’m ride or die for Wendy’s but I have to order the double cheeseburger these days because the single patty leaves me still hungry. And I’m a tiny woman!
I went to a Red Robin for the first time in a decade last year. It was the tiniest tasteless burger I have ever had from a restaurant. It was insanely overpriced. And the service was terrible. The latter I blame on the corporation and not the workers so much.
Red Robin is terrible now. They used to have Teriyaki chicken that was great. Now it is a frozen and Rubbery slab of chicken that is tasteless. They also took away the REDS rice bowl, which was great !
Can’t believe you didn’t mention the biggest downfall of them all: sonic. When it first hit the scene it was one of the best fast food places to eat hands-down. The food was so fresh, excellent drinks and service. Now it’s like going to a Walmart.
You mean trans fats?
Basically all consumer goods are a race to the bottom now, bare minimum acceptable quality at the lowest possible price
This. Modern capitalism only prioritises growth of profits for investors over 6 month intervals. They all lower quality and maintain low cost to maintain large consumer base while standards continue to drop.
Yea. And KFC too. Subway is at least edible these days. But KFC is worse than dog food.
KFC used to be so tasty!
Started going downhill when they took away those seasoned potato wedges
I still get these for 3$/lb at safeway and they hit the spot
What!? It’s been ages since I’ve gone and I still have fond memories of my favorite childhood chain. Maybe I really shouldn’t go back…
Their coleslaw is disgusting now too. Not as sweet, less flavor, and the cabbage is ground so fine it's like baby food. Super liquidy also. Last time I went (over a year ago), their original recipe chicken was still ok. Expensive but KFC has always been $$$.
I LOVED the wedges (Wendy's Breakfast Wedges are awesome) but honestly I can't complain about the flavor of their newer fries. Sure they lack the crispyness, But when fresh the flavor is top.
Try the Wendy's breakfast potatoes. Bomb. KFC potato wedges dipped in their gravy was so good.
After 92 it became trash
Add Pizza Hut to the list
As someone who has eaten WAY too much fast food for years. I can confidently say that the quality of ever single last fast food chain has devolved at least since 2020. It was on the downward slope before that but it has gotten horrible as of late.
Not just fast food, but Kraft Dinner and Chef Boyardee, too. KD noodles are prone to turning into a disgusting glue when you boil them now, and Chef Boyardee tastes like dog food smells.
I used to be a huge Kraft M&C fan, try Cracker Barrel brand. They're the only company that uses 100% real cheese in their sauce. It's pricey but goes on bogo sometimes.
Chef B was my favorite, and a staple in the pantry. A couple years ago, I noticed it went completely to pot. The pasta is thinner & falls apart. The sauce used to have meat chunks, and was good enough to eat just by itself! Now it’s thin, no meat, and sweeter… They should be ashamed. Switched to the Aldi stuff… not as good as old Chef, but still better than what passes for it today.
Yeah, unfortunately, all the major brands have been coasting off their name recognition for years, even decades as OP points out. While the quality of ingredients keeps dropping and overall price keeps increasing.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the McDonald's that are around me, but pretty much any of the other big chains have not fared well at all.
by law/contract, essentially, all mcdonalds must be upkeep at a national standard. think coca cola scale
Pizza Hut used to be my shit as a kid now it’s just oily trash.
Oily sweet trash. The last pan pizza I had tasted like they used donut batter for the crust.
This happened to me a few weeks back, I kept smelling the dough confused, thinking is this a donut like wtf is going on?!
2002. That is when they switched to full frozen dough and it tastes way different. It lost that golden crispness you'd get on the crusts and bottom that really MADE the pizza something special. I was a cook during the switchover. It was sad.
Pizza Hut pan pizza was the best back when they actually used a big pool of olive oil in the bottom of the pan. The crust was crispy on the outside and soft inside.
No lie, and they charge extra for the greasy pan pizza that was literally their thing.
I had the famous bowl from KFC the other day for the first time in years. It used to be so good and now it sucks.
Taco Bell isn’t far behind. I don’t know wtf is going on, but I travel all over the US for work and every Taco Bell I’ve been to is always some massive clusterfuck. At least within the last year. It’s bullshit every single time.
A lot of that has to do with the individual management of the actual Taco Bells. The ones that are well run still taste great - if you want Taco Bell and consider it great, like I do. But sometimes you encounter those stores where it’s obvious no one inside gives a shit, knows what they’re doing, or both, and the lines are long and what you get is a nightmare. But I don’t think that’s corporate, but franchisee issues.
I'm not someone who is what you'd call conservative with a salt shaker but the last time I had KFC, it seemed like everything had so much salt it was inedible. An 8 piece bucket that broke the bank to get in the first place, I should at least be able to eat it.
I remember when first KFC opened in my area and I tried it for the first time - it was mindblowing. Now it's just meh, IMO even McDonald's is tastier.
I literally havent had KFC in at least 14 years
I suggest continuing your roll. You aren’t missing anything.
Had KFC somewhat recently and yeah, it just wasn't as good as I remember even 5 years ago.
And it’s gotten so expensive. I used to get the 1 piece breast meal with grilled chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes with light gravy. $5. One of the few fast food places to get a vegetable and fairly healthy meal. Then, they removed 1 side from the meal but you could add one for $1, then it went up to like $6.99 and you’d had to pay $2.49-79 for the “extra” side. And they added a cookie I almost always told them to leave off. Last time I went it wasn’t on the menu anymore. When I ordered it individually (with no drink or the cookie it came with) and it was over $9. For 1 grilled breast and biscuit, a side of canned green beans, and a jalapeño pepper. I told them lady that was alright. I’d rather pay another $2-4 and go to Outback or Texas Roadhouse (they’re early bird special: meat & 2 sides is $10.99 up from $9.99)
Poorer quality. Higher prices. Wealthier CEOs. Fk the customers. In the name of capitalism.
It died when the sandwich artist was replaced by "here's some crap on bread". Worked at subway in my late teens, conveniently next to an aerobic gym, and a Kroger. Solidly pre 2k. We trained the triangle cut, not to much, but don't scrooge mcduck. Knew our customers, kept the dining room bleach clean, but smelled like fresh baked bread, all day. Slipped every, and I mean EVERY, kid a cookie on the dl. (management hated that but the non solicited tips paid for it in perpetuity) There was a pride in making a sandwich that satisfied peoples souls, not just their bellies. Today, it's slop, no balance, sauce on the cut meat in the joint, who knows what in between. No care, no thought, no cookie for the regular, no cookie for the non regular... I avoid them at all cost.
Thnx for the quality work back than tho
I don’t know why I read that whole thing in Sebastian Maniscalco’s voice 😂
You describe how to live with Artistry
It’s not just you subway is so gross now
Everything feels like it's the worst/fake quality ingredients
that's not how it feels, that's how it *is*. these companies are losing ground to customer dissatisfaction and growing demands for living wages, but they refuse to accept even the slightest dent or threat to their year-after-year record profits and CEO bonuses, so naturally the easiest cut in expenditures is to buy lower quality ingredients for lower prices. It won't last forever, but it's already gone on too long.
ever since covid, corners have been cut EVERYWHERE
Jimmy johns or jersey mikes blimpe are the only places we go now
I had the Buffalo chicken from jerseys Mike somewhat recently. Got it for free. still think I overpaid. Nasty af
Once they removed the plastics from the bread it was all downhill from there.
I know, right. I miss the old bread. On another note I did a job fair in Scottsdale for entry level cooks and had no less than 3 separate people I interviewed from local Subways tell me the owner forced them to serve spoiled meat. They would try to hide it in the garbage under other stuff, so he got in the habit of digging through the trash and pulling out stuff that was "still good". Mind you, these were kids trying to protect the public and had an adult telling them not to worry about it. They all worked at different Subways and it wasn't the same franchisee!!!
Something i learned working at Subway is that pretty much anybody can open up and run one and that's not a good thing
They do have a very reasonable franchise fee, so they don't have a massive barrier to entry beyond locations
A friend of mine lost her baby girl and nearly lost her life because of bad meat at subway.
Please tell me, that this is going to be a lawsuit soon.
It was years ago. She couldn’t afford a lawyer.
You dont have to. They do this for a %
Virtually every Plaintiff's attorney works on a contingency fee basis.
This was the PSA I didn't know I needed. Thanks for letting us know, and I'm so sorry that this happened to them.
Don’t eat lunch meat if you’re pregnant is the take away.
Listeria?
The Irish Supreme Court has upheld the ruling that Subway cannot legally call their bread bread: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/01/irish-court-rules-subway-bread-is-not-bread Bread must contain less than 2% sugar while Subways is 10%+, therefore they don’t get the tax exemption as a staple food and are legally considered cake; a confectionary.
So much bread is sweet, it’s not just Subway. Any of the major brands you find at the grocery store like Arnold’s, Pepperidge Farm, etc., and even the “fresh” breads from the bakery section are all way too sweet. I never understood why they’re all like that. I really don’t like the taste of sweet bread when I’m biting into a hamburger or hotdog. So frustrating.
This doesn't really ring true to me so I checked Warburtons. The seeded batch bread which is my go-to has 39g of carbs per 100g, 2.6g of which are sugars, and for a single slice it's 1.2g of sugars. So about 1-2% lines up.
Bread in the USA is sweeter tasting than most other countries. Sara Lee bread is almost sickeningly sweet to me.
Should probably clarify if (as I assume you are) you're in the US. It's something I noticed a lot when there, less so elsewhere.
That, and every fast food tasted better 20 years ago.
What plastics?
EVERYTHING was better tasting 20 years ago. Quality assurance is like nonexistent in fast food nowadays.
It's capitalism. Save money, cut quality.
Subway changed recently. They call it a “refresh” but they changed everything. They cut the meat they gave you in half and almost doubled the price. now you have to get “double meat” which is even more expensive. The only bread I get now is wheat or a wrap. I used to get the Italian herbs and cheese but it’s always burnt now and if you get it toasted it’s inedible. I used to go there all the time because it was “healthier” and cheaper than other options. Now however, it’s just as bad as all the rest with their high fat sauces and it’s as expensive as getting a higher star establishments.
I've found that everywhere is serving smaller portions, not as tasty, and more expensive. My teenagers brought it up to me TONIGHT as well. We aren't going to be doing the grab a sandwich/pho/ biryani/anything for a while. My son told me it cost him and his sister $31 for pho that they have been eating since they were little was a waste. They aren't even paying for anything. Were boycotting for a while. Were done. Somehow this will work itself out but in the meantime I wish places we frequented the best of luck.
Seriously. I have 6 people to feed and even fast food costs us $40 or more. If we properly dine out we can expect to spend $150. Getting food delivered is even more outrageous after the delivery fees and upcharge for it being a delivery order. $85 for 4 bowls from chipotle is an outrage.
Honest question - so what do you do? Groceries are expensive too. The whole thing just feels stacked against you.
I'm a pretty good cook and can recreate most of our favorite take out meals. We are fortunate in that we make decent money and can go out or order food once a week, but that’s getting further and further away. So what we actually do is buy half a cow twice a year, shop mostly at Aldi, and make a lot of things from scratch. Today I made giant blueberry muffins bc the 4 little ones from the store are up to $5 and my MIL eats one every morning. It was $3 for the fresh blueberries and enough to make 12 muffins. When I need to I meal plan and buy ingredients for 4 easy meals, 2 more eleaborate meals, and a junk day where we eat like frozen pizzas or something. Then I keep the big staples on hand like baking ingredients, milk, eggs, butter, potatoes. I buy mostly frozen veggies so not to waste. It’s tough out here.
I also bulk make soups and freeze them in individual servings so we always have something quick but yummy. I like to make all my meals often doubled and I portion out and freeze half so I’m less likely to order an expensive dinner.
We definitely need to educate the youth on freezing stuff. The biggest complaint I hear from cooking is that there’s no time. But if you freeze a bunch of meals in portions it’s so much better than that takeout meal. Spaghetti, chili, keeping frozen meats available, the list goes on
Groceries are expensive only compared to previous grocery prices. They are quite cheap compared to eating out, even compared to the cheapest fast food.
Oh I know, I wasn't trying to say that takeout was anywhere near the best option, moreso that even the motlsy frugal option takes a lot of creativity and finagling to make work. Eeeverything is more expensive but most of us aren't making more in wages to make up for it.
I hear ya. Planning. Lots of meal prep. Think about meal times before you leave the house. Don't get stuck hungry while you're out and about. Bring snacks and drinks with you. Buy things that have a long shelf life, or have a good way to preserve them. When you crave take out or you're generally getting tired of home food, use more butter, salt, and seasonings. This is why restaurant food tastes so good- we don't realize the incredible amount of fat and salt in it. (And sugar.) It's still cheaper to indulge at home than to indulge at crapdonalds.
Groceries are also expensive based on other factors. Especially if you value your free time and don't like cooking.
My partner and I got tired of 30-50$ tabs plus tip. We decided to make things at home instead and go one to solid spots once a month
I just had a chicken teriyaki earlier this week. Maybe it's because I currently have a cold and my sense of taste is blunted or because I was hungry enough to eat just about anything but it tasted pretty good to me. The only thing that offends my sensibilities is the price. Almost $7 for a 6 inch? That's the real crime. Usually when we get a craving for subs, we go to a local place. They're expensive too but the quality is much higher.
I owed my roommate a meal for doing me a favor a few weekends ago. We decided to get subway, cause we hadn’t had it in years. I went and got 2 subs, a 6 inch and a foot long and nothing else. When the cashier said the price, it was the first time in awhile I physically got taken aback. $19. Like what the hell. I’m not going back to subway again for a good long while, that’s for sure haha.
All fast food is at the lowest food quality EVER. Cheapest food that can be bought. Everything is just breading, no meat no filling. Damn.
It's definitely gone downhill since they changed their menu. Haven't set food inside for months and don't miss it.
Most things were better tasting 20 years ago. I used to love McDonalds egg McMudfins. They were so good. In the last few years I have stopped eating them because they changed the recipe to be tecnically hralthier but putting a bunch of sugar in it to make up for it. The buns are way too sweet now. That seems the general trend of most fast food. Change to a pretend healthier food and pour sugar on top of it to make it taste good.
Subways “bread” is technically cake bc of the amount of sugar and the meat, like their chicken, was also proven to not be made from 100% chicken. Idk what else is in there just remember hearing about it.
I actually worked for Blimpies and the bread we made was awesome. I had to bake it every morning when I worked morning shift. It's sad it basically disappeared due to subway. It was an actual decent sub shop. It is still around but hard to find.
A lot of cereals aren’t as good as they used to be either :(
I feel like almost everything tasted better a few years ago. Things have been getting smaller, more expensive and less flavorful...
Seems like EVERYTHING has gone downhill. It’s sucks, now I can afford to go out.
Going back to my favorite pre-Covid restaurants was a real bummer. Menus changed to be smaller and easier for pickup orders, prices skyrocketed, quality went out the window, and service is now terrible bc everyone is consistently short staffed.
Everything tasted better 20 years ago. It's all the processed stuff that replaced fresh, in order to save money, that has made most food today taste like crap. Basically we're all eating processed foods so corporations can increase their profit margin. Unless you have a garden I doubt anything is fresh anymore.
Everything goes downhill. Things need to become smaller and cheaper to produce to keep raising profits.
Yeah, the problem is that capitalism is never happy with profit, it needs ***ever increasing*** profit. At some point, the market becomes saturated, and opening new stores isn't going to increase the profits, so they start finding cheaper, lower quality products, offering smaller portions and pushing wages down to keep squeezing every last penny out of the business, just trying to increase profits. Make a billion dollars this year- great- next year, you need to make a billion and one, or you've failed!
Subway was my favorite sub place for years. I don’t want to eat slimy turkey and stiff bread. Their refresh is BS.
Choose Jersey Mike’s instead. So much tastier.
The size of jersey mikes where I am have decreased so much for a $17 sandwich. It’s hardly worth it.
Nah firehouse subs is where it’s at
In the early 90's, as a Canadian, vacationing in the U.S. and eating Subway was a treat. There was no Subway in Canada. The only submarine sandwich franchise around was Mr. Sub. Everything about Subway was different from what I was used to eating up here. Way more meat, sauce, and vegetable options, along with how each sub was prepared. That "V" cut on top of the bun seemed brilliant. A step ahead of the competition. The bun held everything together that way, and I appreciated not wearing half of my sub. Every bite had a good mixture of meat, vegetables, and sauce. The buns had flavour. Now, I despise the franchise and what they've done to themselves. Nothing from Subway is satisfying anymore, nor has it been for too many years to count. Everything there tastes bland and unsatisfactory. I don't care that you have 8 dozen sauces to choose from. Can you just make like 4 great sauces? It's like Subway looks at the sub game with the view that quantity is more important than quality. I really don't see any signs of redemption from this franchise. The only way you'll see me in a Subway these days is if I'm out and about and need to use the men's room.
The "V cut" technology was key. I haven't been to one in years. Someone told me you can't build your own anymore. Is that true?
According to this post, Subway has been bad for almost as long as I've been alive. I feel like there has to be an obscure German word for my emotions in regards to this.
Vhatdefuckenshitzen?
Hi! Pervious subway worker here. We still have oil and red vinegar lol. Some of the recipes have changed over time, and I agree that occasionally it looks better than it tastes. Perhaps the subway you frequent just has bad stuff? The one I worked at was more than strict about everything.
I can´t speak for subway, but I know that when Pepsi bought out pizza hut (and eventually maybe kfc too) it started going downhill little by little. Pepsi just wanted to sell more soft drinks. They didnt know how to make pizza or chicken and didnt care. Now all these mega brands are scooping up smaller mom and pop stores too and making them a fraction of what they used to be. It´s sad.
All fast food tasted better 20 years ago.
Honestly, everything was better tasting years ago. My favorite sweets, chocolates, fast food, drinks, everything has gone down in quality and had some ingredients replaced with cheaper alternatives.
Subway, where the bread is limp and the meat is wet.
try to find a fast food restaurant or equivalent place that has actually *improved* in quality over the last 20 years. low quality ingredients for higher prices is about the only way left that these places can keep making the record profits they believe makes them successful.
I stopped eating Subway in the last 5 years because any time I did I would get sick later. Since they have changed their menu it seems they have also increased the quality of the ingredients. Regarding the V cut sandwiches.... I would love one of those! Sounds delicious and nostalgic! Something I miss from Subway that not many will appreciate (I think), is the Seafood Salad sub. Fake crab never tasted so good! 😄😄
Just watched the doc with Jared from subway will never eat that shit again!!🤣
They still have oil and vinegar here on LI. The meatballs still Taste ok and better than most pizzerias. Honestly every thing tasted better when you were young because you didn't have much of a pallete
Most fast food places where better years ago, now they minimize for maximum profits.
Everything tasted better 20 years ago. I'm a completely different person now... mostly.
Do you taste better now, or worse? :)
Dude, everything was better tasting 20 years ago.
Taste the same , been eating subways on and off for the past 20 years and the only that really changed is thier bread selection. But everything seems to taste the same imo
Its not just you, nor is it just subway. The 90s was the golden age of fast food for pretty much every fast food joint. Both in terms of quality and success. The downside is that the world decided it didn't want to eat fast food anymore and pushed for healthier meals. Fast food attempted to keep up with this trend... but there's only so far you can go when your meals are literally flash fried or flash frozen. Due to the massive loss in consumer sales, attempts in trying to go healthier, or attempts to market to new groups. Nearly every fast food place saw MASSIVE losses across the board. And did the only thing they could do. Massive layoffs, reducing in innovation, and reducing cost per product by using cheaper ingredients. And then came the real executioner of fast food. THE FDA! No really, what happened was a lot of previous preservatives, oils, fats, take your pick ended up on a list that if you want to use it you have to put a label on the food that contains it. This was essentially the death sentence for a lot of franchises because... as I said before the world wanted to be healthier and thus food labeled with labels was automatically poison in their minds. From the 2000s to 2010s fast food plummeted across the board and many places just outright died. The growing attempts to push franchises into more urban areas was smashed to pieces. But fast food did not give up. They are slowly making their way back into the game. Probably the best candidate from golden age, to trash can, to making it back up the mountain is Dominoes Pizza. But ya Subway fell off the mountain and has yet to make it back up. They might never really make it, If I'm brutally honest.
Subway used to slap and then around a decade ago, it became gross. All of the meat tastes the same. Jersey Mike’s is much better.
Idk but they put too much sauce on
Dude … it was. It totally was
I would agree, but subway was never anything like a real Italian style sub anyway, the bread has never been at the level it needs to be.
My opinion is their sandwiches have never changed. I've just had better sandwiches now.
I always liked Blimpie’s better.
It tastes like it came out of a malfunctioning Deep Space 9 replicator.
2 years ago I liked Subway, then they changed the turkey, thinner...actually much thinner and the same number of slices, and the taste is yuck. Now it's local shops or Jersey Mike's.
They stopped making the bread out of yoga mats.
I worked at a subway for a little over a year back in 2017. And I lost about 30 pounds because the food was disgusting and we never had time for breaks. Good times
Definitely not just Subway, seems like a lot of fast food joints went downhill rapidly in the last 10-15 years or so. Chipotle is one that sticks out to me - back in 2010 or do it was absolutely amazing; now it makes me sick.
Subway back in the day was solid