D3NE’s HOT TAKE: Subway is a perfectly good food option when traveling with the team
D3NE DEFENSE: I’m not calling it elite, I’m not out of my mind people, but I’ve been hearing for years that Subway is a terrible place to eat when traveling, when in reality it’s basically the same as Quiznos, Potbelly, or even (braces for impact) JASON’S DELI. It’s quick, it’s cheap, and it’s not really worse than any other chain sandwich place out there. It does not deserve the all the vitriol spewed in its direction from players around the country. Don’t tell me I don’t have a refined pallet either, because that’s just not true. Give me my $6 footlong Italian BMT after a morning match and I’ll be ready to go again within the ½ hour. Who’s with me?
AVZ: While it’s by far not the most favorite stop that I made as a D3 coach, it probably was one of the most frequent. I think that Quiznos, Panera, Potbelly, etc are better quality. Jimmy Johns can’t be beat with delivery and speed. And there is nothing like a massive carbo load of pasta (Fazoli’s in Richmond was halfway between my playing days at Wabash and every NCAC foe in Ohio). In the end, Subway is the most reliable in terms of it has a wide selection, fairly quick, and likely to be in whatever small town you are playing in.
D3ASWomen’s: Let me preface this by saying that I used to eat Chipotle burritos before matches. My teammates used to hide the snacks from me on the bus because I once finished an entire tub of goldfish over a 7 hour bus ride. I packed my own snacks for trips so I’d have a constant supply. I am a high volume intake person and I’m not picky. That being said, I understand the hate but I’m perfectly fine with Subway because I like the instant gratification aspect and the fact that I can ask for extra banana peppers on my sandwich and not be judged for being a psycho.
RegNE/C: I personally hate Subway and would rather not eat (I lose my appetite from the smell of the place alone), but I will acknowledge that it’s cheap and quick, and sometimes that’s what you need. But god it sucks.
D3WestWomen’s: Subway is like the Del Taco of sandwiches — it smells great if you are stranded in the desert with no other options, and you can survive having what’s probably pigeon or rat meat at least once every two months, but you’re not going to enjoy it afterwards. Whenever my team’s in the middle of nowhere I pray there’s a Jimmy Johns, and if there’s a Jersey Mike’s I know I’m hallucinating.
newCentral: I’m not as anti-Subway as some of the other bloggers (and nowhere near as anti-Subway as one of my former teammates), but comparing Subway to Potbelly or Quiznos (RIP) is so disrespectful – Quiznos revolutionized the hot sandwich game and Subway isn’t even playing the same game that Potbelly plays. I assert that bulk Subway sandwich orders that are (in)complete with sorry ham, forgettable turkey, and limp roast beef deserve all the hate and vitriol that they receive, but their other sandwiches offer some hope. If your team is able to go one-by-one and order unique subway sandwiches for each player then I agree with NE that Subway is a perfectly good food option on the road; however, if your team neglects you with these easy bulk sandwiches they don’t love you and you should look into postmates. My Subway Order: Foot Long, 9 Grain Honey Oat, Toasted, Italian BMT or Rotisserie Chicken, Provolone, Lettuce, Spinach, Negative-Tomatoes, Red Onions, Salt & Pepper, and Chipotle Sauce.
AS: This is such a joke hot take that I won’t even give my time to it. I agree with anyone who thinks Subway is garbage.
DIIIWest: I’ll start by saying this… their turkey is definitely not turkey and their chicken is not chicken. I’ve exhausted myself with “Subway runs” throughout my playing days, don’t think I can step inside another Subway until my kid is playing tournaments in 20 years. Hopefully their turkey will taste like actual turkey by then.
D3NEWomen’s: I’m definitely not anti-Subway, but saying I’m a fan would also be a lie. Yes, that trademark scent that wafts out of the store as you walk by is enticing and I love the fact that I (the pickiest of eaters) can choose exactly what goes on my sandy. But when I was in college, we didn’t have too many Subway stops (maybe we didn’t even have any?). We mostly got our sandwiches from whatever mom and pop sandwich shop small NE towns had to offer. And tbh those are far superior to Subway. So shoutout to Williamstown’s Pappa Charlie’s and Midd’s Noonie’s for being the real sandy MVPs.
D3CentralWomen’s: Similiar to NEW I am not a Subway fan and would much rather get my sandwiches from small town delis. However, for your viewing pleasure, here is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yFCyPX3kT0
NewRegional: I love Subway. Need a quick bite before a match? Subway 6 inch. Need a quick meal after practice? Subway footlong. Do I still eat it for lunch with some regularity? You bet. Subway is the Tyrod Taylor of sandwiches. Versatile, somehow underrated and overrated at the same time, cheap, and there are definitely worse options.
CHB: I’m going to come down pretty hard on the anti-Subway line here. After repeatedly having it throughout high school and college, I completely lost my taste for it. Even now, at the children’s hospital, it’s often the only option late at night (because there was a petition to remove the McDonalds, and they somehow decided that Subway was just fine). The bread is doughy, the meat is extremely questionable, and the sanitation leaves something to be desired. They lost me forever, however, when they started advertising “avocado.” I tried it once, and after watching them spread a puce, pasty substance from a plastic bag on my sandwich, I developed stomach pain and diarrhea 4 hours later. It literally made me sick. Plus, without the $5 footlongs, Subway isn’t even cheap anymore.
This is what I’ll say in Subway’s defense. Have you seen the meme about Little Cesar’s “Hot’n’Ready” Pizza? That’s pretty much what Subway has going for it. It’s ubiquitous, and it’s semi-reliably edible. No joke, though, those little microwaveable cookies are good, and at the end of my tennis career, I would routinely have six cookies and a bag of chips for lunch rather than eat a sandwich from there.
