A new lawsuit accuses Subway of “grossly misleading” customers by advertising sandwiches that contain at least three times more meat than it delivers. According to a proposed class action filed recently in federal court in Brooklyn, Subway ads for its ‘Steak & Cheese’ sandwich show layers of meat piled high, reaching about as high as the surrounding hero bread.
In reality, according to several photos in the complaint, the fast-food chain’s sandwiches are far more bread than filling. This is especially concerning, the complaint said, because of inflation and high food prices, and because many lower-income consumers are struggling financially.
Anna Tollison of the New York City borough of Queens said she paid $7.61 for a Steak & Cheese sandwich at a local Subway, not realizing Subway’s ads showed a sandwich containing at least 200% more meat than she and other consumers would receive. Her lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for New Yorkers who bought the sandwiches in the last three years, for Subway’s alleged violations of the state’s consumer protection laws.
The Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital bought Subway in April. Subway, based in Shelton, Connecticut, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Similar lawsuits filed in the same court by the plaintiff’s law firm against McDonald’s, Wendy’s (WEN.O) and Taco Bell were dismissed last year. Another similar lawsuit against Burger King is pending in a federal court in Miami. The Subway case represents “an egregious example of the type of advertising we’re trying to stop,” Tollison’s lawyer Anthony Russo said in an interview. The sandwich maker previously defended for more than four years against a lawsuit claiming its “footlong” sandwiches were too short. That lawsuit was dismissed in 2017.
