Since 1989

Subway: Eat Fresh-Ish 

By Grace Dawe    

 The smell of fresh vegetables and toasted bread wafts into your nose while walking down the steps towards the Bloomsburg University Subway. Greens and yellows jump out at you, displaying the look of freshness.  The slightly warm-toned lights beam down throughout the store providing a sense of comfort to those far away from home.  

    When looking around, the brightly lit long counter is the highlight of the room. Three employees stand guard behind it, making sandwiches for the hungry customers.  They all wear black t-shirts with the subway logo across them and a black subway hat to finish off the uniform. Their hair is always up and out of the way and a look of enthusiasm paints each of their faces. The first employee on the right greets the customers and puts meat and cheese on their sandwiches. The station in front of them holds many different meats and cheeses. All of the cheese is neatly cut into triangles so that it can fit on the sandwich nicely. Each item is in its own small plastic container, the meat is on one side and the cheese is on the other. Although at first glance the meat and cheese might look relatively fresh, it is not uncommon to see the employees refill containers with meat and cheese from a plastic bag. According to Megan Shinn, an employee who has worked at subway for four years, "The only ingredients that are fresh are some of the vegetables. The rest are all just shipped to us in plastic bags." This is surprising considering that their slogan is "Subway Eat Fresh."

    The employee in the middle stands behind all the vegetables and sauces that can be put onto a sandwich. This station screams freshness. The reds, greens, and yellows of the veggies jump out in stark comparison to the bleak meats and cheeses. Each vegetable also has its own plastic container and the sauces are all lined up with labels on top so the customers can see them.  

    The last employee stands at the register. All they do is ask what kind of sandwich the customer ordered and swipe your card. They are always kind but use little words when processing your order.  

    Directly across from the large counter is seating for the customers. There are about twelve square tables set in four rows. The tables all have a wooden top and are lined with black around the edges. Although they seem relatively clean, almost all the tables have a sprinkling of crumbs scattered on them. A red brick wall stands at the back of the store with pictures of bright red tomatoes and fresh-cut cheese hung along it. The brick wall provides the customers with the feeling of being outside and the pictures only enhance the feel of freshness. 

  Every Subway location looks almost identical. However, the people are what makes the Subway at Bloomsburg University different from all the rest. There are about 10 employees that work at this Subway; therefore, it is common to see the same faces every time you walk in. Many of the employees even have students' orders memorized. 

    While waiting in the subway line I overheard a short conversation between a customer and an employee. I had seen the employee many times before and she seemed very confident while working. As soon as she finished helping one customer she turned to the next and smiled. Her face lit up showing that she recognized the customer immediately. She asked him "You want your regular?"

    The customer was wearing a dark blue backpack, signifying that he was on his way to or back from class. He had square glasses on that would make him recognizable to even those with the worst memory. He answered with a smile on his face, "Yep, but on wheat today not Italian." 

    She answered, "Okay, got it." Then proceeded to add Salami, bacon, and American cheese to the inside of a freshly cut wheat roll.  

    According to Megan, this is a common occurrence. She herself could list off many different orders that "regular" customers get. With over 15 different kinds of meat and 7 different types of cheese, this is a hard task to remember. 

    Although there is usually a long line of customers waiting for sandwiches, many customers don't rave about how good the sandwiches are. According to a customer, "I don't really come to Subway to get a good sandwich. It's just cheap and I can get the same thing every time I come." She is a senior at Bloomsburg University and has been coming to Subway almost every day for lunch since her first day.  As a freshman, I also have been going to Subway often throughout the week and I have come to the same conclusion. The sandwiches are made right in front of you therefore they are freshly made. However, you can tell from the moment you bite into a sandwich that the ingredients are not entirely fresh. 

    The first thing you notice when unraveling a Subway sandwich from its newspaper wrapping is the smell. The same smell that wafts from throughout the store, pummels you when you go to take a bite from your sandwich. The flavor of the fresh veggies hit you, however, the meat comes to compete with its intense flavor. The freshly toasted bread crunches under your teeth providing the sandwich with multiple textures. Although the ingredients may not be fresh, they still are flavorful. 

    Overall, Subway provides customers with a comfortable environment where they can easily order their regular or try something new. The decorations attempt to provide a fresh-looking atmosphere, however, the quality of the food fails to live up to this picture. The Bloomsburg University Subway is similar to every other subway I've been to but the employees and customers are what make it stand out from the rest.