Subway shorts customers on meat, lawsuit charges

It's not the first lawsuit for Subway. In 2017, it was accused of falsely claiming its "footlong" sandwiches were always a foot long. Image (c) ConsumerAffairs

Ads show thick slices of meat but the reality is different, the suit alleges

Subway is facing a new lawsuit accusing the company of misleading customers by overstating the amount of meat in its sandwiches. The class action lawsuit, filed in Brooklyn federal court, claims that Subway's ads for its Steak & Cheese sandwich show a much heftier sandwich than what is actually served to customers.

The lawsuit alleges that Subway’s marketing images display sandwiches with thick layers of steak, almost reaching the top of the bread. However, according to the complaint, the reality is quite different—customers often receive sandwiches that are mostly bread with significantly less meat. This issue is particularly concerning as consumers are more sensitive to food prices due to inflation.

Anna Tollison, the plaintiff, bought a $7.61 Steak & Cheese sandwich in New York and claims she received much less meat than Subway’s ads promised, potentially up to 200% less. The lawsuit seeks compensation for New Yorkers who bought these sandwiches in the past three years, accusing Subway of violating consumer protection laws.

This would sound familiar to Steve, of Covington, Ga., who recently reviewed his visit to Subway on ConsumerAffairs.

"Purchased a B.M.T. footlong ... it was not worth 50 cents as it had one thin slice of ham. 4 pepperoni and 3 Salami and a ton of lettuce. It also was to have 2x provolone cheese, but there was none," Steve said. "This is not the first time I had problems with this store. A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a tuna fish footlong and in had maybe 1/8 cup of Tuna."  

Tollison's attorney, Anthony Russo, describes this as a clear example of false advertising that must be stopped. Subway, which was recently acquired by Roark Capital, has yet to comment on the case. Similar lawsuits against fast-food chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, and Taco Bell were dismissed last year.

This isn’t the first time Subway has faced legal challenges. In 2017, the company settled a lawsuit over claims that its "footlong" sandwiches were shorter than advertised. In 2021, a lawsuit claimed Subway's "tuna" sandwiches didn't contain any tuna.