RIP Subway Sub Club: End of an Era

[stevew]

MILFORD, Conn. - The Subway restaurant chain said Thursday it is ending its decades-old free sandwich promotion, amid concerns that counterfeiters have been creating and selling copies of the restaurant's proof-of-purchase stamps and cards.



Subway, which operates more than 23,000 restaurants in 82 countries, joins a growing list of businesses — from pharmaceutical companies and cigarette manufacturers to recording studios and clothing designers — who say counterfeiters have hurt their bottom line.

Under the Sub Club promotion, which had run in some form since the 1980s, customers received a stamp for every six-inch sandwich they bought. A full card of eight stamps could be redeemed for a free sandwich.

But thousands of stamps are for sale at online auction sites and company officials said franchise owners were increasingly discovering counterfeit stamps.

"It's possible some of the stamps got by and we didn't even know," said company spokesman Kevin Kane. "It's possible we don't even know the extent of it."

Bud Miller, executive director of the Virginia-based Coupon Information Center, said coupon fraud exploded in 2003 as counterfeiters used high-quality printers and online auction sites to distribute millions of dollars in false coupons from companies across the country.

Grocers nationwide have struggled to spot fake coupons, which can be quite sophisticated or as simple as an altered expiration date. Some grocery stores have stopped accepting coupons printed from home after manufacturers refused to honor counterfeits.

Miller said the situation is improving because retailers are getting better at spotting counterfeits and federal agents are cracking down on sophisticated scams.

"Somebody doing one counterfeit is not going to bankrupt the system, but somebody doing thousands of these and e-mailing them out, that's where you get the problem."

In Missouri last year, FBI agents arrested a man who sold thousands of dollars worth of bogus Applebees gift certificates online. He received five months in prison.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation last month that would strengthen anti-counterfeiting laws. The bill would require the destruction of equipment used to make counterfeit goods. Currently, pirated products are destroyed but the equipment is untouched, allowing more counterfeiting.

Subway is a privately held company, owned by Milford, Conn.-based Doctor's Associates Inc. Company sales in 2003 were $6.8 billion.

The company is designing a promotion to replace the Sub Club cards. Each Subway restaurant can set its own timeframe, but the promotion will be phased out companywide by Oct. 1, Kane said. He said the company had been considering whether the promotion was outdated for some time.

When company officials discovered rolls of stamps available online, Kane said, it sealed the promotion's fate.

"All that effort and you're getting free subs," Kane said. "It wasn't a cruise. It wasn't a trip to the Bahamas. You're getting free subs."

Bill DeCarlo, who was eating at a Subway in Newington on Thursday afternoon, says he fills up cards several times a year. But he says the decision to discontinue the stamps won't cause him to go elsewhere for lunch.

"It's their choice, it's their business," said DeCarlo, an accountant from New Haven. "It probably generates more business for them, but maybe not if they're getting rid of it."

Millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

[Raiders Army]

Jared finally got caught????????

[Loren]

Originally Posted by stevew

Millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

pretty saAAd....I know Cringer told me about this a while ago after a worker told him at one of the subways, think they were trying to get rid of them...he's always used the stamps while on the road, guess no more bonus sandwiches

[MrBug708]

It had been stopped for a while out here. It was a good program, but I can understand why they did it

[jbmagic]

damn i had 7 stamps..

just needed one more for a free sandwich.

[Airhog]

It does make sense though, they could be losing quite a bit of money on counterfit stamps.

[Young Drachma]

Yeah, I believe it. Good while it lasted. Got me through my 1st year of college. Thanks Jared.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

damn i had 7 stamps..

just needed one more for a free sandwich.

You can turn them in for "credit" toward your purchase, according to the poster I saw last week.

[RPI-Fan]

What the heck?

It's been done for about a year up here, and they are now onto a credit-card type system...

Nobody else has this?!?!

[Joe Canadian]

If it wasn't so tasty I'd boycott them EA style...

[JeeberD]

I heard that Subway employees were selling stamps on E-bay, so they're going to a swipe card system instead to avoid that.

Doesn't matter to me one bit...Quiznos pwnz all.

[sterlingice]

Sadly enough, a friend of mine guessed "counterfit stamps on ebay probably" as the reason for this

SI

[sachmo71]

Not that hard to do a frequent buyer card system, and maybe not that much more expensive, either.

[jbmagic]

wow

look at ebay. there alot of people selling it still

http://search.ebay.com/subway-stamps_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8

[Ksyrup]

Publix does a damn fine sub, especially for a grocery store. They're only in the southeast, though (and mainly Florida and Georgia).

[GreenMonster]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Publix does a damn fine sub, especially for a grocery store. They're only in the southeast, though (and mainly Florida and Georgia).

Publix subs rule. These are a must have for the early sunday meal during football season. Boars head meats and the best bread around.

[B & B]

Originally Posted by GreenMonster

Publix subs rule. These are a must have for the early sunday meal during football season. Boars head meats and the best bread around.

he speaks the truth!

grab a pepperoni party platter, some suds and sammiches and turn on the Sunday ticket. At least its what Im doing for 10-12 NFL gamedays this season.

[LoneStarGirl]

At the subway here they don't use the stamps but they sign the card instead, so i'm still getting free sandwiches

[ShaqFu]

A reward card system would work well. After you buy your eight sandwiches, they could either send you a more secure coupon (hologram, bar code, or something tied to the card). Or, just keep a system where you can track after they slide your card.

"Oh, Jared, you have purchased eight sandwiches, there isn't a charge today."

It's pretty simple. The best part is they can track what sandwiches you buy and what others are buying.

[timmynausea]

When did they stop doing the 2 for Tuesday thing? That was a good deal.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

I heard that Subway employees were selling stamps on E-bay, so they're going to a swipe card system instead to avoid that.

Doesn't matter to me one bit...Quiznos pwnz all.

Panera >>>>>>>>>>>> Quiznos

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by General Mike

Panera >>>>>>>>>>>> Quiznos

Panera - meh, overpriced

Quiznos - the Bomb!

Subway - Blech!

[Noop]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Publix does a damn fine sub, especially for a grocery store. They're only in the southeast, though (and mainly Florida and Georgia).

That is truth. I recently tried their Philly Cheesesteak wow amazing.... Publix owns...

[Radii]

that sucks. There's no quizno's near my office, so Subway is one of my favorite lunch destinations when i go out. I get a few free foot long subs every year

[mhass]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

wow

look at ebay. there alot of people selling it still

http://search.ebay.com/subway-stamps_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8

Why is that one auction up to $5,100?

[RPI-Fan]

I'm telling you, they're using a swipe-card system. It is a ripoff, though - takes about three times as long to get a free sub than it used to.

[terpkristin]

Sheetz is the best place I go for subs. Made-to-order.

And...mmmm, shmuffins.

/tk

[Passacaglia]

Potbelly in the hizzouse.

[sportsfan13]

At my work, I'm the only person that is willing to drive up and get lunch for everyone, so I always liked Subway days!! I used to get about 6 stamps in one visit. I liked to think of it as payment for driving up there and getting everyone's lunch for them. So, as far as I'm concerned, I'm sad to see the stamps go. However, the rest of the people in my office didn't even know the stamps existed!!! lol

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by General Mike

Panera >>>>>>>>>>>> Quiznos

Panera's overpriced small portioned hippie food. Would you like some sprouts or tofu with that? Thankfully, there's a Schlotzsky's across the parking lot if Erica feels like Panera. Sure, it's expensive for fast food, too, but spending the same as I would on some little dinky sandwich at Panera, I can get a 10" original (sans onions, of course), and get a much better tasting sandwich. The only thing Panera really has going for it is internet access everywhere but I don't have a laptop.

I think Subway's decent. Sure, it's not a corner deli but it's $5 for a 12" sub- you can't expect fine cuisine. But it's pretty good, good portions on a hungry day. Quizno's is pretty good too, but I get into trouble with my not liking onions as half their sauces seem to have them so I have to be careful what I order.

SI

[korme]

Any Milford pub is good pub.

Even if it's from Connecticut.

[BigDPW]

This article trips me out... I can't imagine the person who would go throught the trouble to forfeit that for a SUB!!! The thought may cross my mind if it were a XBox, PC, TV, a Game but not a freaking sub...

[Lathum]

A lot of the changes that were made quite a while ago were probably a particular franchise that decided to nix the promotion on it's own. Many franchise restuarants have the right to do that since they aren't owned by the company. That's why anytime there is a promotion like that there is always the "at participating locations" disclaimer.


BTW- Jersey Mikes is the best sub shop. period.

[MizzouRah]

This stopped awhile back here. You could trade whatever stamps you had for a discount at the time.. now, they are gone.


Todd

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

I'm telling you, they're using a swipe-card system.

I don't believe you

[GroundCat]

Man, I love me some Subway.

[Cringer]

Yeah, my man Deandre at the Hillsboro Love's Travelstop Subway, he told me they are all going to a card swipe system.

It sucks because now you won't get those employees who don't give a shit and give you ten stamps for one sandwich.

And Quizno's does rock, but they are not in places I can get to easily.

And I don't think I know what Panera's is, but hippie food rocks, I love me some sprouts and tofu. And yes I am serious.

[timmynausea]

I think you guys have stumbled upon the focus of the next Michael Moore film. If you thought he was outraged before...