A Subway uproar has broken out after a single Facebook user posted a plaintive plea on the official Subway Facebook page — demonstrating that his, and possibly many others’, Subway footlong measured only eleven inches.
Australian Matt Corby inadvertently kicked off the Subway uproar with the simple yet telling pic of what was presumably his eleven incher, a damning tape measure, and the brief query: “Subway pls respond.”
As the Subway uproar commenced, jokes were cracked about being lied to about how many inches things are in actuality, among other things. And Subway was forced to respond to the online fracas, issuing a statement about the missing inch of sandwich goodness that inflamed many web users:
“We are committed to providing a consistent product delivering the same amount of bread to the customer with every order. The length however may vary slightly when not baked to our exact specifications. We are reinforcing our policies and procedures in an effort to ensure our offerings are always consistent no matter which Subway restaurant you visit.”
Marketing experts have weighed in on the Subway footlong scandal, saying that, while such a claim would perhaps have languished in obscurity not too long ago, social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have amplified the individual reach of disgruntled customers.
Allen Adamson, managing director of branding firm Landor Associates in New York, says :
“People look for the gap between what companies say and what they give, and when they find the gap — be it a mile or an inch — they can now raise a flag and say, ‘Hey look at this,’ I caught you.”
Although the chain responded, the Subway uproar has persisted in social media, with many still quipping about the unfortunate footlong findings. Below, a few tweets reacting to the stunning news that a Subway footlong may not actually be a foot long:
Just saw a story where Subway’s foot longs are only measuring 11 inches. Subway’s response: It was cold.
— Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) January 17, 2013
Subway’s amazingly stupid response to their Footlong Fail (must read): tinyurl.com/abcuflg
— Mark Duffy (@copyranter) January 18, 2013
First you tell me the Subway foot long isn’t actually a foot long. Then you’ll tell me Thousand Island Dressing isn’t made with 1000 islands
— Mark Campbell (@MrWordsWorth) January 18, 2013
