Five...five dollar...five dollar footlonggg! We've all heard the "5 Dollar Footlong" jingle more times than we can count. Many of us have even had the pleasure of devouring a fresh-made footlong that only cost five dollars. Subway has always been the place to go for quick, fresh, and healthy subs at a great price, and the five-dollar footlong was even more of an incentive to go. So where did the 5 dollar footlong go?
The Five Dollar Footlong
One of the top fast foodrestaurants, Subway is an American fast food chain famous for its submarine sandwiches, salads and drinks. This restaurant chain has been wildly successful, spreading world wide, and it currently has over 40,000 restaurants in 100 countries. One of its best qualities is that customers get to decide which ingredients go in their sub sandwiches, allowing for personalized subs for all.
In 2008, Subway came out with the "5 dollar footlong," a footlong deal that promised a whole footlong for only five dollars! The five dollar footlong promotion involved a catchy song with a dance that involved holding up five fingers, to signify the amazingly cheap price of a footlong sandwich. The first five dollar footlong was in Miami, and the deal was created by Fred DeLuca.
Just like the dollar menu at McDonalds or the cheap value items at Burger King, the five dollar footlongdeal was irresistible for Subway customers. This incredibly successful deal generated $3.8 billion in revenue for the year first year of promotion! Subway restaurants became even more popular, especially among those looking to save a few bucks. According to industry analysts, the five dollar footlong was one of the most successful promotions in the history of the American restaurant business.
The Rise and Fall of the 5 Dollar Footlong
Although this limited time offer was incredibly successful and popular, it wasn't so popular among Subwayfranchise owners. As inflation increased the cost of doing business, the $5 footlong promo became unsustainable for many Subway store owners, many of whom were independent entrepreneurs.
Subway has always prioritized having a large number of stores, encouraging new franchisees to open up new stores with its low franchise startup cost. When the five dollar footlong deal debuted, Subway restaurants were being opened anywhere they could, from gas stations to truck stops. However, although Subway has a low start-up cost for franchisees, the catch is that it takes a 12.5% cut of franchisees' weekly gross sales, much higher than the average rate.
This results in difficulty for the individual store owners of this sandwich chain, and the $5 footlong only added to the inability to make a profit. Because of the financial toll on Subway franchisees, the $5 footlongs were removed in 2012, and footlong subs were once again sold at a $6 price point.
However, after seeing a net decline in Subway locations for the first time in its franchising history, Subway brought back the $5 footlong deal in 2017. Franchise owners were furious, causing such an uproar that Subway discontinued the deal in the following year. Although it seemed clear enough that the five-dollar footlong deal should be laid to rest, it was then brought back again!
The Future of the 5 Dollar Footlong
This time, it was in 2020, during the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. All restaurant chains were struggling to make a profit, and Subway was no exception. The new deal was $10 for two footlongs, and the new jingle was sung by Charlie Puth. However, two weeks later, the $5 footlong was once again taken off of the menu due to complaints from store owners.
No one can be sure whether Subway will continue trying to make the $5 footlong work. Many people have doubts about the long-term sustainability of the deal, and Subway franchisees are vehemently opposed to it because of the financial strain it puts on them as individuals. However, for now, the five-dollar footlong is a thing of the past.
READ MORE: 12 Subway Secret Menu Items to Try for Yourself
FAQs
The initial $5 footlong was launched during a recession, meaning cost of rent, labor, and food were at their lows, and subway could make a profit selling such cheap subs. But as time went on, inflation came in. to raise a cost of pretty much everything, and combined with a massive twelve and a/2 percent fee.
How to get $4.99 Subway? ›
Registered and activated Subway Rewards® members can buy one Footlong Sub for £4.99 by scanning their Subway Rewards® QR code in a participating store. Participation may vary, see subway.com/participatingstores. Offer is valid on all Footlong Subs but extras cost more.
Did Subway get rid of Footlongs? ›
Subway will not nationally support or promote $4.99 footlongs. This does not mean that the promotion has been discontinued. This decision is made by the market of each local area. Each market decides whether they want to continue it or not.
What is the history of the $5 footlong? ›
In March 2008, Subway began offering the Five Dollar Footlongs as a short-term promotion to end in May, but since it was so successful, Subway made it a permanent staple of its value menu in one form or another. The advertising campaign for Subway's Five Dollar Footlongs wasn't luck, but sheer campy genius.
What is the code for Subway $5.99 footlong? ›
Jordan Howlett — or, as he calls himself, “President of the Fast Food Secrets Club” — claimed in a recent video that the promo code FL599 on Subway's website marks every footlong down to $5.99, no matter its original price.
Why is Walmart removing Subway? ›
Subway franchisees also reported they will close locations inside Walmarts. Both eateries cited low foot traffic, which was attributed to more online shopping, customers using Walmart's curbside pickup, and the COVID-19 pandemic's limitation on indoor dining and increase in drive-thru visits.
How do you get 3.99 footlong? ›
How to get a Subway Footlong Sub for £3.99. Customers can redeem the offer when they order ahead using the Subway App. Footlong Subs will cost you £3.99 when you order via the app but it's not valid on in-store orders.
What subs are 4.99 at Subway? ›
The $4.99 menu is available at participating restaurants in the United States for a limited time and includes popular favorites; Black Forest Ham, Meatball Marinara, Spicy Italian, Cold Cut Combo and Veggie Delite®.
How do you get a footlong deal at Subway? ›
Buy one Footlong, get one 50% off. Buy one Footlong and get another at half price! Use code BOGO50.
What is the new bread at Subway in 2024? ›
MIAMI (April 4, 2024) — Subway® is giving on-the-go guests better options with an all-new lineup of wraps, available at restaurants nationwide on April 11. Subway's new wraps are served on hearty, lavash-style flatbread – its first new bread option in three years.
Global quick service restaurant (QSR) Subway generated around 10.37 billion U.S. dollars in sales in 2022. Although the company remains a giant among QSR chains in the U.S., Subway's sales have declined overall since 2015.
Did McDonald's buy out Subway? ›
Subway has been sold to Roark Capital, the owner of Arby's and Jimmy John's. | Photo courtesy of Subway. Roark Capital has an agreement to acquire Subway, the companies said on Thursday, in one of the largest and most complex restaurant chain acquisitions of all time.
Is the $5 footlong gone? ›
Long gone are the days when you could walk into Subway and buy a footlong for $5. Five years ago, the company removed the iconic promotion for a variety of reasons, such as growing food costs and struggling profits.
What is the secret on the $5 dollar bill? ›
Hold the note to light to see an embedded thread running vertically to the right of the portrait. The thread is imprinted with the letters USA and the numeral 5 in an alternating pattern and is visible from both sides of the note. The thread glows blue when illuminated by ultraviolet light.
Did Subway lose the footlong lawsuit? ›
'Worthless' Subway 'Footlong' sandwich settlement is thrown out: U.S. court. (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday threw out a class-action settlement intended to resolve claims that the Subway sandwich chain deceived customers by selling "Footlong" subs that were less than a foot long.
When did the $5 footlong go away? ›
This results in difficulty for the individual store owners of this sandwich chain, and the $5 footlong only added to the inability to make a profit. Because of the financial toll on Subway franchisees, the $5 footlongs were removed in 2012, and footlong subs were once again sold at a $6 price point.
Is $5 footlong trademarked? ›
Subway has used the phrases "$5 footlong" and "five-dollar footlong" for years at its 34,000 stores. Sease said Subway has applied for two different trademarks for "footlong," one referring to sandwiches and another for restaurant services.
What subs did Subway get rid of? ›
Sandwich shuffle
In 2020, Subway made the unpopular decision to stop selling both roast beef and rotisserie chicken, reportedly because they were the two most expensive meat toppings on their menu.
Is Subway losing customers? ›
Sales at Subway's North America stores that have been open at least a year rose 7.8% in 2022 as compared to 2021, which Subway said exceeded its projections by more than $700 million (it didn't reveal specific numbers). Subway has doubled down on pushing orders to its app, too, helping its digital sales.
