NY POST – As The Post reported last month, a group of Subway franchisees on April 19 wrote a letter to Elisabeth DeLuca, the widow of the chain’s founder, demanding a slew of changes they claimed would boost sales.
“Franchisees should have the right to source fresh vegetables every day and offer higher quality ingredients when they are available,” the letter said.
The company has so far denied the request, citing quality control and pricing issues. All of Subway’s food is currently controlled by America’s largest restaurant chain through its Independent Purchasing Cooperative in Miami.
“To maintain the consistency and safety of products, it is an industry standard to require franchisees to purchase food items from approved suppliers only,” Subway told The Post.
Subway says complaints by the anonymous franchisees behind the April 19 letter aren’t representative of most store operators.
“We serve freshly made sandwiches, wraps, bowls and salads and stand behind the quality and freshness of our food, while complying fully with all laws on advertising,” a Subway spokeswoman said.
Subway declined to say how often it delivers food to its stores, but sources say the vast majority of restaurants are limited to once-a-week deliveries for everything from lettuce and tomatoes to pre-packaged chicken and beef.
“High volume stores like those located in airports, malls, and major downtown cities are the ones that get two deliveries of vegetables a week,” one franchisee said …
The franchisee gripes come as TikToker @Travis2official has amassed millions of followers with posts allegedly exposing the company’s behind-the-scenes food preparation.
The first post on April 3 showed viewers what he claimed was Subway’s beef, pulling out what appeared to be a brown brick of pulverized meat wrapped in plastic packaging. He dumped the contents into a bowl and crumbled it up with a gloved hand.
“Just to let y’all know how subway steak looks. Behind closed doors,” the video was captioned.
Many viewers reacted in disgust, likening it cat food. “Wouldn’t even feed that to my dog,” one viewer posted. Click here to read more.
Everything you need to know about Subway’s rise and fall, including a franchisee revolt, sale rumors, and more
Kate Taylor and Nancy Luna, JUNE 25, 2021
BUSINESS INSIDER – Subway is the largest chain in the US, having long leapfrogged industry giants such as McDonald’s.
But after the death of its cofounder Fred DeLuca in 2015, Subway has taken a turn for the worse.
Insider’s on top of the developments, so here’s what you need to know about the ongoing Subway saga.
After the death of Fred DeLuca, Subway’s cofounder and CEO, in 2015, the sandwich chain went into a tailspin marred by mounting store closures and sinking sales — in stark contrast to the chain’s heyday when it benefited from consumers’ desire for healthier fast-food options.
Insider has reported that former executives and franchisees believed that Subway overexpanded and struggled to stay relevant, in part because of a muddled vision for the future of the company.
With no real succession plan put in place for DeLuca, the company floundered under new leadership, including DeLuca’s sister, Suzanne Greco.
Over the past few months, life at Subway has been further marked by chaos and conspiracy, including the increase in franchise startup fees and the downsizing of staff under the leadership of John Chidsey, the former chief executive of Burger King who became the CEO of Subway in November 2019.
Under Chidsey, Subway has laid off upwards of 500 corporate staffers, closed hundreds of stores, and frustrated franchisees who struggled to turn a profit.
Changes have led to feuds with hundreds of franchisees, heated internal debates about the company’s direction, and some consideration of whether a sale should be in the privately held brand’s future.
Chidsey’s role in spearheading Burger King’s sale to 3G Capital in 2010 has helped fuel industry chatter that Subway is trying to sell itself.
Restaurant Brands International and Inspire Brands — the parent companies of Burger King and Arby’s, respectively — are believed to have sniffed around Subway to weigh the pros and cons of a potential acquisition … CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.
PREVIOUSLY: No One Goes To These Subways Anymore
