OT: ODD Subway experience!
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:29 amA few months ago, I quit going to Subway because it seemed I was having a hard time getting out of there for under $12 -- yes, $12! That's a footlong meal deal w/double meat, chips, drink and 3 cookies. If I'm going to spend $12, I'd rather go to a restaurant with table service. But once they started their $5 footlong special, I retrained myself to just eat a regular 12" sammy sans double meat, with no extras (even water, which some charge me $0.23 for). I've been eating at Subway several times a week now, and been loving it again. I'm also staying away from the fattening ones, sticking to the simple sliced meats like turkey or ham.
Now, it appears that every Subway in town has been taken over by Indians, and things have kinda changed a little bit. I have to coax many of them to give me more than 1 napkin in my bag, for instance, or tell them what "lots of lettuce" means. But that's ok... going to Subway has recently become more of a spiritual experience than before, so there is a trade-off. However, tip jars have now been popping up like a plague in several of them, and I just can't bring myself to do it... not in Subway, no, no...
Anyway, I had the most strange encounter today with the Subway closest to my house (and ironically, the one I least often go to). I ordered 2 -- one for me, and one for the Mrs. The person making the sammies was an Indian probably in her mid to late 40's, and when I told her what type of cheese I wanted on mine, she put it all on one side of the sandwich before turning around to grab a new bag of ham. I was curious if she planned on spreading it out across the sandwich and she finally did, to my relief. But then I asked for "lots of lettuce" and tomato, and she put a modest amount of lettuce and 2 slices of tomato on only one half of the sandwich and asked if that was it. I asked if I could please have lettuce and tomato on the other half, and she did so. Now, I usually list out my veggies 2 at a time so I don't overload them, but after each veggie, she would act as if she were about to close it out, so I compensated by ensuring there was constant communication flowing to her, instead of strategic pauses between veggies. I'm always impressed by my ability to adapt in harsh environments, I must say.
Finally, she finishes up both sammies and proceeds to wrap them up in the SAME paper wrapper, so I stopped her and nicely asked if I could have each in its own wrapper. Today, I learned humility and patience, but still not how to tip at Subway. Maybe that level of enlightenment will come on a future visit, but for now, I'm pleased with my progress.
Now, it appears that every Subway in town has been taken over by Indians, and things have kinda changed a little bit. I have to coax many of them to give me more than 1 napkin in my bag, for instance, or tell them what "lots of lettuce" means. But that's ok... going to Subway has recently become more of a spiritual experience than before, so there is a trade-off. However, tip jars have now been popping up like a plague in several of them, and I just can't bring myself to do it... not in Subway, no, no...
Anyway, I had the most strange encounter today with the Subway closest to my house (and ironically, the one I least often go to). I ordered 2 -- one for me, and one for the Mrs. The person making the sammies was an Indian probably in her mid to late 40's, and when I told her what type of cheese I wanted on mine, she put it all on one side of the sandwich before turning around to grab a new bag of ham. I was curious if she planned on spreading it out across the sandwich and she finally did, to my relief. But then I asked for "lots of lettuce" and tomato, and she put a modest amount of lettuce and 2 slices of tomato on only one half of the sandwich and asked if that was it. I asked if I could please have lettuce and tomato on the other half, and she did so. Now, I usually list out my veggies 2 at a time so I don't overload them, but after each veggie, she would act as if she were about to close it out, so I compensated by ensuring there was constant communication flowing to her, instead of strategic pauses between veggies. I'm always impressed by my ability to adapt in harsh environments, I must say.
Finally, she finishes up both sammies and proceeds to wrap them up in the SAME paper wrapper, so I stopped her and nicely asked if I could have each in its own wrapper. Today, I learned humility and patience, but still not how to tip at Subway. Maybe that level of enlightenment will come on a future visit, but for now, I'm pleased with my progress.
Something tells me that you've had a booger or two thrown in a sandwich too! 
