Wherein we argue semantics at Subway.

[Mr Hero]

I'd love to get a Subway employee's perspective on this.

The other day I got a bunch of coupons where if I order a 6 inch and a drink, I get a free 6 inch. I ordered a footlong figuring I could get it for the price of a 6 inch after the coupon. When it was my turn to pay, I presented the coupon.

Him : I'm sorry but this coupon is for 2 6 inches. You ordered a footlong.
Me: Well that's 2 6 inches right there then.

I was about to have him rewrap the sandwich so I could use the coupon. I ordered a footlong to begin with since it would be easier on both of us. Guess next time I should order my 6 inches separate and make the job a little harder for the workers just to use the coupon.

[Aethian]

The footlongs and 6inchers are different prices. As far as I know they also have to be put into the computer seperately as two sixers. I've had those coupons before and always had to order them as two sandwiches rather then as one.

[Slayer]

You can just do like me and show the coupon before you order. Some places want it to be two 6 inch sandwiches and others don't care about making it a 12 inch and entering it as two in the computer.

And some just like to make it extra difficult by playing dumb XD So I always show it first and then order. That way I don't get any "oh, but that's not what this is" stuff.

I do this for every place that offers a coupon like that; fast food or sit down, doesn't matter, I'm going to show it. Makes things a lot smoother.

[Mr Hero]

The footlongs and 6inchers are different prices. As far as I know they also have to be put into the computer seperately as two sixers. I've had those coupons before and always had to order them as two sandwiches rather then as one.

I wasn't expecting to get it for half the footlong price. I figured he'd make my order as a footlong but by the time he has to enter it into the computer, it could be rung up as 2 6 inches. But I plan to use Slayer's advice next time. I really thought my method was easiest for all concerned.

[Candlelightview]

I used to work there and 99% of the time I'd let it slide, but the 1% of the time a manager is standing there, you get caught doing that, you risk a write up or even termination. You may have just been there at the wrong time to ask an employee to stick their leg out against policy for you.

[Mr Hero]

Fine, if Subway wants to waste money on an extra wrapper for my two sandwiches, who am I to dictate how they spend their money? I shall be posting more about this on Fratching

[wolfie]

I'd probably, at the start of the order, tell them "I want two 6-inch sandwiches both the same - I've got a BOGO coupon", so that the server could save time by making it as a footlong, and leave it up to them whether to wrap it as a footlong or two 6-inch sandwiches.

[TheTigress]

I don't know what the employee's problem was. When I was working there I went out of my way to let coupon users know that I could make them a footlong and they could still use their coupon because I could ring it up like two 6 inches. It's much more logical working on one footlong than two 6 inches and saves me time.

As long as the sandwich qualifies for the coupon deal then there shouldn't be any problems.

The biggest problem with Subway is that when they train people, they have such obtuse and illogical policies that they try to condition their employees into following even if they make no sense whatsoever. Management was constantly punishing employees for thinking for themselves when I was there (see: me). It almost sounds like that was the case. Employee understood what you were trying to show him but he had been too manipulated and conditioned by backwards Subway policy.

[Mr Hero]

Tigress, while I have your attention, I'd like to ask about another policy. Yesterday in the same visit, the couple in front of me each got a $5 footlong. When they asked to make it a meal with chips and a drink, the same worker told them that if they were to go with the meal deal it would negate the $5 footlong deal. This was my first time even hearing of this. Was this true at any point in your employment?

[TheTigress]

Tigress, while I have your attention, I'd like to ask about another policy. Yesterday in the same visit, the couple in front of me each got a $5 footlong. When they asked to make it a meal with chips and a drink, the same worker told them that if they were to go with the meal deal it would negate the $5 footlong deal. This was my first time even hearing of this. Was this true at any point in your employment?

Yes, this was true for ours as well. They consider the $5 dollar footlong thing a discount in itself so if you got chips and a drink with a $5 dollar footlong sandwich, it wouldn't (couldn't according to the computer) be rung up like a meal. It would have to be rung up as a $5 dollar footlong plus chips and a drink.

Not very many customers knew about that, though. They would say meal and we'd just ring it up the way we had to. A few customers would ask about that and I'd recall a co-worker explaining it to them and they would usually get pissy but there was nothing we could do about it.

[Slayer]

Huh, that's strange. I've gotten a $5 footlong in a trio before. On the menu board, it says $2.20 added for a trio so that's what they do. Ring in the $5 and then put in the added trio.

Though it's been a few months since I've ordered.

[Mr Hero]

Same here. My total after tax doesn't seem to indicate my meal deal negated the $5 footlong deal. Perhaps there's a difference in how registers are programmed?

[Android Kaeli]

I've never worked at a Subway before, but I work in a place where people complain about coupon usage all the time.

First off, I can get in big enough trouble over coupon usage to the point where I can either get a very nasty write-up OR I can get fired on the spot for using more then one of a certain coupon. I don't know if this is the case at this particular Subway or not, but I wouldn't chance it. Does it suck? Yes, but I much rather be paid versus me getting the kick.

Secondly, you ordered a FOOTLONG, not two SEPERATE six inch sandwiches but did not tell the person making said sandwich otherwise. You assumed that you could use the coupon on the footlong and the employee said no. Is the employee wrong? No, not at all -- because you assumed you could use a coupon on a footlong that was meant for two six-inches. Next time make two seperate six-inch sandwiches of the same variety and then you'll get your footlong.

Thirdly, not all employees of Subway [or anywhere else] is going to care what they ring up. Some people are going to let it slide, others aren't going to chance it because they made have had a bad experiance in the past with coupons NOT to. This perticular employee may have had a prior experiance where he got in a lot of trouble over it and wasn't going to chance getting into bigger trouble over it. While he may have declined you using your coupon, it may not be because you ordered something different then what the coupon was for. It may have been because someone else decided to ruin it for everyone else -- it only takes a single person to ruin it for others.

[Mr Hero]

Thanks everyone for your input. I realize now I have to be more careful with how I use the rest of these coupons, even if I assume I'm ordering correctly. I'm lucky to have had it worked out yesterday in my favor. I don't care for that policy, but I am better equipped to not get surprised by it.

[mariamousie1]

That's dumb. I've had that coupon before and they just give me a footlong.