Subway - the KNIFE and other disgusting practices

mindiv

I must have a GREAT Subway. Workers wash their hands before putting on a new pair of gloves for every order. Lots of times will change gloves between the meat and veggies, though not always. First you get your bread, and if you get a 6 inch it gets cut with the bread knife. That knife stays behind, and your sandwich is never touched by anything else but a gloved hand. Even the change...coins out of a machine and the worker never touches it. When they handle bills, they take off their gloves, deal with money, wash their hands then put on a new pair. The condiments come from squeeze bottles. The meats, cheeses and veggies are all in a case that has a large glass lid that's put down on top of it all when it's not in use. I have ZERO qualms about eating at Subway. I love how you can watch what they're doing and SEE the meat and all before it's on your sandwich, rather than when it comes out to you and you realize it's not so hot that day. I've picked turkey over ham many times because I didn't like the fattiness of the ham that day, or chose spinach over lettuce because the lettuce was wilted a bit.

DavPul

Worst thing that happened to me in a subway was asking for pickle on my sandwich and getting jalepeno's instead! As they were next to each other on the veggie bit I understand how the mistake was made but it ruined my sandwich so i complained and got 4 free subs and drinks! :oD Never been in a subway in my city since that has pickles and jalepeno's next to each other lol!

Worst thing? Or BEST THING?

sjohnny

Worst thing that happened to me in a subway was asking for pickle on my sandwich and getting jalepeno's instead! As they were next to each other on the veggie bit I understand how the mistake was made but it ruined my sandwich so i complained and got 4 free subs and drinks! :oD Never been in a subway in my city since that has pickles and jalepeno's next to each other lol!

Worst thing? Or BEST THING?

I was thinking this. Exactly.

likemeinvisible

I wouldn't worry about it. Germs always wash themselves before they sit on the knife.

angiechimpanzee

At the end of the line - when they have all the glop on your sandwich (note here - I despise mayonnaise and most dressings) they need to fold the sandwich up so they reach for - the KNIFE. The knife that is dripping with mayo and other dressings from the last 50 sandwiches they've made that day. They lay it on your sandwich to hold the toppings in place, fold over the top, and extract the knife such that those remnants get scraped onto your pristine, veggie patty, pepperjack on wheat sub with everything but cucumbers and carrots and a touch of red salsa sub.

The other thing that disgusts me - the server standing there, waiting for the next sandwich on the assembly line. They are wearing those plastic gloves - for our protection I presume - and they proceed to wipe the counter and push leftover stuff into the trash hole using just the glove, then turn to you and ask what you'd like on your sandwich.

I'm sure much worse happens behind the scenes at a McDonalds, Hardees, etc. but it's 1) not where you can see it, and 2) I don't eat at those meat-factories.

What is more disgusting, the Knife or a " veggie patty, pepperjack on wheat sub with everything but cucumbers and carrots and a touch of red salsa sub"?

Lmao.

I don't really mind the knife thing.. I can never taste the remnants of other peoples' sandwiches..
But the fact that they use the gloves to both prepare your sandwich AND clean is kind of gross.

shapeup6

I haven't read the responses, just the first post. Every time my husband and I go to a sandwich or sub shop he always asks them to wipe the knife off because he gets grossed out by mayo/mustard/condiments in general. I always laugh because the people behind the counter are always surprised and look somewhat confused when he asks so he tell them it is because he is a picky eater. This has been going on for years, as long as I have known him. One guy at a Subway got all excited when my husband asked him to wipe the knife and the guy said he couldn't believe he never thought to do this before and from now on he is going to do it automatically. The Subway guy acted like it was the most amazing idea ever when really it should just be common practice. It was pretty funny!

penrbrown

Can't you just ask them not to do that?

I mean, you're right there watching everything they do. When they start reaching for the knife just say NO.

sjohnny

Can't you just ask them not to do that?

I mean, you're right there watching everything they do. When they start reaching for the knife just say NO.

Better yet, dive across the counter and grab the knife away from him yelling NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO in slow motion.

likemeinvisible

Can't you just ask them not to do that?

I mean, you're right there watching everything they do. When they start reaching for the knife just say NO.

Better yet, dive across the counter and grab the knife away from him yelling NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO in slow motion.

lol

Put a gun to his head "you're gonna do exactly as I say"

MuddyEquestrian

Sometimes eating at home can be gross too. I am constantly wiping down my counters. But as a Mom of kids you never know what is put on the counter. I have seen my kids put a utensil in the sink and then get it out and reuse it. I also make sure my cutting boards are always put in the dishwasher. I constantly using new Dish rags as well. Just the thought of it laying on the sink and then touching the counters it disgusting to me. I have seen my kids drop something on the floor and then wipe it up with the rag then put it back on the sink. My husband is a strict vegeterian so he has his own pans, cutting board. He once suggested his own silver ware and that is something I said I wouldn't do for him. I have been at relatives or friends house and they aren't any cleaner. Hopefully I didn't gross anybody out.

Don't come to my house. I let my dog eat off my fork.

I share food with my horse...he tends to try to eat anything I'm eating anyways. Oh and also stuff that has touched the barn floor. mmmmm dirt!

penrbrown

Can't you just ask them not to do that?

I mean, you're right there watching everything they do. When they start reaching for the knife just say NO.

Better yet, dive across the counter and grab the knife away from him yelling NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO in slow motion.

YES! Do this! And have your friend record the whole thing.

diligentjosh

"The loife of the Woife end with the Knoife"

vtmoon

I believe in a strong immune system.

When they ask me what toppings I want on my sandwich I always tell them I want all the remnants that got slid into the trough that runs along the counter where they make the sammiches. I'm into cleanliness though so as long as they wipe the knife on their pants leg I'm fine.

There is this one sandwich place in New Orleans on the Edge of the French Quarters called Mothers and actually does that, they use all the cut up leftover meat on the grill and was pushed into the Trough as a topping called Debris, and Boy oh Boy is it delicious, lol.

sjohnny

I believe in a strong immune system.

When they ask me what toppings I want on my sandwich I always tell them I want all the remnants that got slid into the trough that runs along the counter where they make the sammiches. I'm into cleanliness though so as long as they wipe the knife on their pants leg I'm fine.

There is this one sandwich place in New Orleans on the Edge of the French Quarters called Mothers and actually does that, they use all the cut up leftover meat on the grill and was pushed into the Trough as a topping called Debris, and Boy oh Boy is it delicious, lol.

Alright dammit. I need to go there.

JanaCanada

How do you uptight people live thru the day? By taking handfuls of anxiety pills, I guess. Trash hole? Do you think they are putting used diapers in there? They are pushing bread crumbs and spinach in there that hasn't been touched by human hands yet. And you want them to use a new knife on every sandwich? Really?

I love how people think this is how fast food gets made. THIS IS HOW ALL FOOD GETS MADE. Even in your own homes. Do you think your mom used a fresh knife on your PB&J sandwich after she cut your brother's? Good luck at Thanksgiving.

Can one of you alarmists please stop by your local ER and count how many people are there because of Subway, McDonalds or any other food place before you panic?

First of all, "Mom" is not serving the general public; thus, she does not have to adhere to the same laws of quality standards for food prep set forth by the FDA. Secondly, a mom would know her own children's allergies. Not so with restaurants.

Lastly, I used to work in an ER, and you'd be surprised at how many food allergy cases come in on a DAILY basis.

Just wanted to comment in this as my son has a serious allergy. Although I would LOVE it if I felt I could trust any restaurant/fast food outlet to serve their food in a way that doesn't endanger him, basically over the last few years I've come to accept that they don't really care much about that, to be honest. Mostly we eat the food which I cook at home. When we do go out, we take a 'calculated risk' by taking him to certain places (with epipens on hand) after first checking their websites and have to trust that what we don't see in the kitchen doesn't contaminate otherwise safe foods. Other people's houses are often just as bad! Otherwise we'd have to live in a bubble

To both of the last two comments:

It's not the responsibility of the restaurant to make sure customers avoid allergens. It's your responsibility as a parent and an individual to speak up. All they can do is try to reasonably accommodate you.

I agree. I said as much in my first post on this thread. Believe me, most parents with allergic children are VERRRRY diligent, but they also know that even with the best of care, it isn't always easy to keep on top of every single allergen. In Canada, for instance, we don't have strict labelling laws like they do in the USA, so sometimes, even the best of intentions on the part of parents, restaurants, and the allergic kids themselves go astray.

Howwever, it isn't asking too much to hold a restaurant acountable for standards they MUST legally adhere to, and speak up about it if/when you witness infractions. i.e, the Subway knife..

ZoeLifts

Generally speaking, if you're overly concerned about sanitation I wouldn't suggest fast food.

Exactly!!

I remember what put me off McD's for good.... Saw a "20/20" special about this very topic. In one segment, they tested the ice machine for fecal matter at the end of each day.. Disturbing how high the count was. Employees aren't always the greatest at washing hands after using the washroom. Ewwww.

As for Subway...why not speak up? Ask them to put on new gloves and use a new knife before they decorate your sandwich. OK, you might get funny looks, but at least you'll feel better. And if they protest, ask to speak to the manager. It's all about the $$: Your business is important to them, and they don't want to lose it.

You probably won't get funny looks. Most people who have worked in a customer service job for any length of time are used to high maintenance kooks making weird requests.

Yeah, at least at Subway they continue to make the food in front of you, even after the weird requests, so they can't take out any revenge. Think of all the high maintenance requests made at a restaurant where you don't see what they do to the food before you get it. :devil:

fattypattybinger

As long as the fork goes in the dishwasher lol why not

justal313

Cleanliness has nothing to do with it. Subway uses piss-poor quality meat and other ingreedients in their food. The bread always seemed ok but everything else was awful.

I will never ever go to subway again, coldcuts are way too hight in sodium anyway so if I'm choosing to have them, they will be of better quality than I can get at subway.

GodzillaR35

How do you uptight people live thru the day? By taking handfuls of anxiety pills, I guess. Trash hole? Do you think they are putting used diapers in there? They are pushing bread crumbs and spinach in there that hasn't been touched by human hands yet. And you want them to use a new knife on every sandwich? Really?

I love how people think this is how fast food gets made. THIS IS HOW ALL FOOD GETS MADE. Even in your own homes. Do you think your mom used a fresh knife on your PB&J sandwich after she cut your brother's? Good luck at Thanksgiving.

Can one of you alarmists please stop by your local ER and count how many people are there because of Subway, McDonalds or any other food place before you panic?

THIS

bluefox9er

[/quote]

What is more disgusting, the Knife or a " veggie patty, pepperjack on wheat sub with everything but cucumbers and carrots and a touch of red salsa sub"?
[/quote]

The Knife.