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 Stock up, Subway!
Posted Thu February 12, 2009 12:00 pm, by amanda r. written to Subway (Sandwich Shops)
Write a Letter to this Company | Rate this Company
UPDATE:
We called Subway headquarters with a couple of questions about Amanda's concerns.
1. Peggy in customer service was very concerned about what happened to Amanda
2. It is not Subway's policy to stop serving any product before closing just because they ran out of prep. They should prep more.
3. Most Subways are single owner therefore if a store runs completely out of product, they may be stuck if another Subway isn't willing to lend or sell them additional product. Subway operators are NOT allowed to run across the street and buy product from a grocery store...it has to come from approved vendors or another Subway.
4. A complaint such as Amanda's is referred to the field office who then contacts the owner. The owner is expected to contact the customer. If he/she doesn't they are marked "out of compliance". Over time, these bad marks can cause the franchisee's license to come up for review. The field office does follow up to ensure that the operator has fixed their procedures so this doesn't happen again. Amanda, you should be hearing from the owner in a few days.
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To whom this concerns:
This afternoon at about 3pm, I sent my husband to the Subway location on Cedar Bridge Avenue in Brick, NJ.
I told him to order a roasted chicken breast 5 dollar foot long sub with spinach and carrots as well as black olives red onions and tomato and lite mayo.
Apparently, this store does not believe in continuously replenishing its stock of vegetables,as this has happened once or twice before. My husband came home to tell me that he could not get me spinach or carrots and JUST made it in time to get the other vegetable condiments as those were running low also. So he told me that he had asked the sandwich maker if they couldn't just bring out another bin of carrots and spinach, and her reply was NO! They did not have anymore in the store. I honestly did not believe this could happen twice in a week!! So we call the store and ask for a manager, just to see what they had to say about the situation. They reiterated that when they are out of something they are out, and do not make anymore for the day. I made it clear I was not trying to be a smart aleck by calling, but I am on weight watchers, and it is important to get the required amount of vegetables in to maintain a healthy weight loss.
I asked what day do they get their supply truck, so I can know whether to go in that day and order a few subs to take home so I don't worry when they run out of veggies. They refused to tell me and hung up.
The other day, they were just out of carrots and I thought this was a one time problem, but today to be out of TWO vegetables and running low on the others, at 3 oclock in the afternoon is a bit ridiculous.
I just felt this issue needed to be addressed, and quickly, so this restaurant chain which I have come to love for lunch and dinner the last couple weeks, does not lose customers in a time when every single customer counts and keeps you one step ahead of bankruptcy.
What I would like subway to do is, talk to this particular franchisee about their less than stellar product replenishment procedures. Create a way that they can borrow product from other Subway locations in the area, if indeed something unforeseen happens and they do run out of items.
I do like your subs, and the 5 dollar foot long promotion, so it really is a shame that one franchisee could possibly turn a less tolerant customer into an ex customer over such a preventable issue.
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I'm osrry this happened. I have never experienced this. I hope they
contact you.
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I haven't heard back yet
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by not_in_this_life Posted Sat February 14, 2009 @ 8:18 PM
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Specifically regarding the carrots: I used to work for a Subway, and
we only received a very tiny (and I mean tiny) bag of carrots per case
of lettuce we received. Needless to say, for the people who actually
wanted them (I mean, who really wants carrots on a sub anyway?) they
didn't last very long. Given Subway sells salads and some customer's
do like those on the salads but at the Subway I worked at, we threw so
many of them out because noone wanted them. I only had ONE customer
who requested carrots on a sub...YUCK! Anyway, if the demand isn't
that great I don't see why Subway has to waste tons of carrots just
because one person here and there wants them. That is prob why they
get so little of them.
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by MA Cunningham Posted Fri February 13, 2009 @ 8:05 PM
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The Subway closest to me doesn't close until 9! They'd be in a world
of hurt if they were running out of things that early in the day!
I hope they do remedy this because I can't imagine that being a real
boost for business if they are continually running out of things!
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Its inexcuseable that they do not refill their "bins" in the sandwich
making area once they are empty as these items should be available for
every customer who wants these.
But your reference to Weight Watchers is a bit overboard. You made it
sound like you would perish if you did not have those veggies.
I am on weight watchers and with the newest program its not nearly as
restrictive as the past programs were.
You can substitute many food items with others, plus if you do not
consumme all your points for that day they are to be added into the
next day.
I learned at the first meeting...have an alternative food planned if
you are eating out. I do and things work out much better.
But again...I do agree that these items should be available to make
the sandwiches for the customer(s).
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WW and Points.
by It'saNewYearandNewBellaSera Fri February 13, 2009 @ 1:18 PM
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This is an excellent letter.
The situation you describe is astonishing. This is important feedback
for Subway corporate. Even though each Subway is owned by an
independent franchisee, they still have to operate at minimum
standards and failure to do so can result in revocation of the license
to franchise.
From what you said, it apparently isn't just a matter of not having
the vegetables on hand - the manager told you that once they run out
of the prepared vegetables they dont make any more. That is flat out
inexcusable.
You have every right to expect Subway to be as reliable as a grocery
store. Kudos for standing up and saying something and not just
accepting horrible customer service.
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by altairian Posted Thu February 12, 2009 @ 11:58 PM
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I don't know what it possibly could be about Subway (being that they
are franchises and not corporately owned), but you aren't alone. I'm
personally not a sandwich person, but I've had coworkers go to Subway
and be turned away because they were OUT OF BREAD.
I agree that one of the aspects of good management is purchasing
enough stock to provide to your customers without overstocking and
creating a lot of waste.
On the other hand, I've never seen anything at Subway I couldn't make
better and cheaper at my own house. I'd take to packing my own
sandwiches...
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by Donno Posted Thu February 12, 2009 @ 9:48 PM
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The problem here is you want this Subway location to be as reliable as
the vegetable section of the grocery store.
They have demonstrated and stated that they stock a certain amount of
product, and that when it runs out it runs out.
I don't think that you and the store are going to end up in the same
happy place.
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Carrots, olives, and spinach on chicken breast sandwich is the only
reason I eat at Subway!
I don't like most sandwich places because I can't eat cheese and don't
like mayo and mustard. What's left? Lettuce?
But, at Subway, they have carrots, olives, and spinach.
I'm someone that understands a place being out of something
occasionally, but this would a situation where I'd, personally, move
on.
"Create a way that they can borrow product from other Subway locations
in the area."
Given that they may have different owners, this could be difficult to
broker. In fact, in some areas, Subways actually work hard to compete
against each other. Corporate, at one time, discouraged this.
However, given the number of Subways out there, they've actually
decreased things like minimum distance between locations.
And THIS is the reason that franchises are a terrible thing: either
corporate rules with an iron fist, angering the franchise owners... or
they're too laissez-faire for customers that don't understand that
Subway A and Subway B are owned by totally different people.
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