MILFORD, Conn. -- Subway is scrapping one of the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry’s most memorable and successful menu signatures with the discontinuation of the $5 Footlong sandwich. It is raising the price of its large subs, rechristened Classic Footlongs, to $6.
Despite the price increase, the sandwich chain is positioning the change positively with a new marketing campaign dubbed "Sub-maggedon."
It tweeted: "BREAKING NEWS: Starting February 4th ALL of your favorite classic footlongs are $6" and "Watch out, it looks like the weather is going to turn into a SUB-MAGEDDON on the 4th, that means ALL of our classic, delicious footlongs are $6 each!"
The price of Subway’s signature sandwiches has been climbing for some time, according to a report by Restaurant Business. The franchisor said that franchisees typically charge $5.50 to $5.75 today.
“When we first introduced the $5 Footlong in 2008, we aimed to give our guests the best quality meal for the best value,” a Subway spokesperson told RB. “Since that time, the economy has changed and the value of a dollar has shifted. With that in mind, this promotion offers an unparalleled quality, value and variety to our guests over our current value competition.”
Subway has been trapped by its success with the $5 Footlong, a product developed by a franchisee and initially resisted by management because of the low ticket. But the product proved a game changer.
The deal made Subway one of the industry’s fastest-growing chains of the last decade and the dominant brand in the sandwich category. The term itself become a part of the public vernacular, in part because of its catchy jingle.
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