Why I broke up with Subway

Most of the times we breakup with someone not because of the issue we have with them, but because of the issues we have with people associated with them. When one party is need of the problem making friend and the other doesn’t like to deal with ‘that’ friend, problem arises. So, its times to say ‘it is not you, but your friends’ or ‘I can’t leave my friends for you’, fair enough.

Prologue

I am not a fan of Subway, but if I have to eat outside, with no pre-plans made, the first thing I do is to see if there is a Subway nearby. Not because I love Subs, but because I find it better than other junk foods. So, subs are my preferred on the go meal.

It was convenient for me to have a Subway near my office. Whenever I miss a lunch, I hopscotch to the next building to grab a Sub. It made not only me but many who worked there are regular in this Subway as most of the time in a day is spent at work. The service was mediocre, but all I cared about was the Sub.

Strike One

Like every affair, there was a villain in my fling with Subway. I found a particular staff in the restaurant rude. He had a weird habit of forcing people to pay by card instead of cash. I soon realised that it was easy to swipe rather than counting the currency and returning change. Whenever I had to deal with him at the counter, I was not amused.

Later one day, a colleague and me went there for dinner. We ordered for two sub of the day. There was already two packed sub on the counter. Suddenly Mr. Unpleasant interrupts and asked us to take them, as they were sub of the day as well. I replied that we want our Sub to be made as per our taste. He murmured and went away.

During a coffee break at work, I casually mentioned about Mr. Unpleasant at Subway. Another colleague of mine echoed the same thoughts of mine and soon we found that most of them who frequently the restaurant were not particularly happy with this guy.

Strike Two

One evening my colleagues and I were having Sub. Unlike most of the days, we sat down there to have the sandwich. When I was about to take the last bike of my Sub, one of my colleague cried out. Soon we saw a tiny Looper on the lettuce. We were shocked, but since it was a Cabbage Looper we did not make much fuss about it. The manager did return us the money back and provided fresh Subs free of cost. Even today I still wonder how we accepted the Subs he gave. The only answer I could come up with is, we were so comfortable with the place that we did not see it as a restaurant, but like a friend’s place where we hung out frequently. We did see few customers walk away that day on seeing that worm.

We mailed Subway about the incident and two of us got a call back from their corporate office and they apologised for what happened and said the usual bla bla bla which every business tells their customers.

Strike Three

As usual, one evening I went to Subway to buy dinner and ordered a Sub of the day. I notice Mr. Unpleasant at the counter and all I had that day was a five hundred rupees note and I know what he would ask me as the bill was only for ninety rupees. I went up to the counter and gave him the currency, he said “Give me card.” Now, I have to decide how I am going to pay for something I buy and there might be hundreds of reasons why I don’t want to pay by card. I replied, “No card”. He starred at me and said “Wait.”

I moved aside giving way for others in the queue to proceed. He billed a big order, and they paid by card and left. Few minutes went. Next billing, I didn’t see him take any step to get change for me. I sensed that he was hoping for someone to pay by cash. I asked him “How long do you expect me to wait?” He suddenly yelled at me for giving a five hundred rupees note. The most shocking part was when he told me “If you want a sub, you give ninety rupees and take. It is not my duty to give you change.”

I called the restaurant manager. The corporate guys who called me after the strike one incident gave me his number to contact if case I need to talk to him. I told him what happened, and Mr. Unpleasant did not stop yelling. He kept on saying things. The manager called the restaurant and instructed Mr. Unpleasant to give me change.

Me. Unpleasant sent another staff to get change. Right when I thought everything was over, he started to yell again. And all this happened right in front of other customers. When the change came, he asked me to pay the five hundred. It was my turn. I walked out without buying the Sub.

I received a call from the manager why I walked out without buying as he had arranged for the change. I explained him that it was not because of the change I walked out, but because of the way I was treated. Not wanting to offend the manager, I told him that if he really felt sorry, he can have the sub delivered to my office.

I’ll make the long story short.

The manager had the sub delivered at my work and I paid for it. It already had been an hour since the sub was prepared and packed. When I opened it, the sub was all sogged in the sauce and even the bread broke in two pieces. I was not able to eat it after seeing the sight. I called the manager and returned the Sub and got my money back.

The break-up

Having been humiliated badly, I again wrote back to Subway. They called me and apologised and assured that they will send Mr. Unpleasant to undergo soft skill training again and so on. I was not actually angry with Subway, I was pissed off with their staff. And there is nothing much they can do. And I had to tell Subway “It’s not you, it’s your friends”. So I told the executive, “I won’t be visiting the restaurant in question again, but I may visit others if I ever felt like having a Sub.”

Epilogue

So far, I never felt like having a Sub again.

And people, that is why I broke up with Subway!

The incident does have a sequel. But i’ll save that for another post.