Subway controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2026
Subway franchisee in Quesnel fined $2,500 by WorkSafeBC over worker injury claim
Fine or penalty
The owner of a Subway restaurant in Quesnel, B.C., was fined $2,500 after WorkSafeBC found they reprimanded a worker who was burned on the job and tried to get the worker to retract the injury claim by saying the injury occurred at home. The report was issued in March and the fine followed.
Source excerpt
The report was issued in March and the employer was later fined $2,500.
The investigator says the owner "reprimanded the worker on several occasions for reporting [the] injury," and tried to "induce the worker into calling WorkSafeBC and alter [their] original statement as to how the injury occurred, suggesting the worker could say [their report] was mistaken and the injury occurred at home."
2021
California customers sue Subway over tuna products
Lawsuit filed
Two California women filed a lawsuit accusing Subway of misrepresenting its tuna sandwiches and alleging that lab tests showed the samples contained no tuna or fish. Subway denied the allegations and said its tuna was real fish caught in the wild.
Company response
Denial — Subway
These claims are meritless. There simply is no truth to the allegations in the complaint that was filed in California.
Source excerpt
Dhanowa and Amin are suing Subway for fraud, intentional misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and other civil violations, claiming that they “were tricked into buying food items that wholly lacked the ingredients they reasonably thought they were purchasing” based on Subway’s advertising and marketing of the product.
Last week, two California women filed a lawsuit in San Francisco federal court accusing the fast food chain of misrepresenting its tuna sandwich, claiming the restaurant’s tuna contains “no tuna and no fish.”
2021
Subway responds to allegations in tuna lawsuit
Company response
Subway responded to a lawsuit alleging that its tuna sandwiches contained no tuna, stating that the allegations were untrue and that it serves 100% cooked tuna.
Company response
Denial — Subway
There is simply no truth to the allegations in the complaint that was filed in California
Source excerpt
There is simply no truth to the allegations in the complaint that was filed in California
The Milford, Connecticut-based sub sandwich chain sent out a fresh response to the lawsuit Thursday afternoon, calling the suit a "reckless and improper attack" and alleging that the case is just a way for lawyers to get their name out.
今年1月21日，赛百味在美国加利福尼亚州被提起诉讼，称其销售的金枪鱼三明治原料成分“不含金枪鱼”。
2020
Subway Canada responds to Calgary face-mask promotion
Company response
Subway Canada stated that a Calgary franchise owner had carried out an unsanctioned and inappropriate promotion offering a free medical face mask with sandwich purchases. The company said it addressed the matter with the franchisee, that the sign was taken down, and that it apologized for the message.
Subway Canada said a Calgary franchise owner had undertaken an unsanctioned and inappropriate promotion offering a free medical face mask with sandwich purchases. The company said it addressed the matter with the franchisee, the sign was taken down, and it apologized for the message.
Company response
Apology — Subway Canada
Subway Canada in no way condones this regrettable incident, and sincerely apologizes for the insensitivity in the message.
Remediation — Subway Canada
This was addressed with the franchisee immediately upon becoming aware and the sign has since been taken down.
Source excerpt
Subway Canada in no way condones this regrettable incident, and sincerely apologizes for the insensitivity in the message.
This was addressed with the franchisee immediately upon becoming aware and the sign has since been taken down.
“This was an unsanctioned and completely inappropriate promotion undertaken by a franchise owner,” Wells said.
2015
Jared Fogle criminal investigation and conviction
Jared Fogle, Subway's highly visible U.S. spokesman since 2000, became the subject of a federal investigation involving sexual conduct with minors and distribution of child pornography. Subway terminated its relationship with him, and Fogle later pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court. The episode caused major reputational damage because his public persona had been closely tied to Subway's weight-loss advertising.