Salad Fail.

Or someone accidentally put a 5 up there, but seriously, why is a bowl and some extra lettuce any more expensive than delicious, store-baked bread?

Because salads are "healthy"*. The "healthy" version of most things cost more. The salad, low-fat, low-carb, low-anything thing gets marked up.

*And by "healthy" I mean it's marketed as being the healthy alternative even if it isn't any better for you than the original item.

Yep- people need to shut up about carbs. Unless you have a gluten allergy, don't eat at a frackin sub shop unless you want bread.

I suspect they charge more for the bowl and lettuce is because they have to pay the company that produces the bowls, whereas lettuce is already part of their normal shipments of vegetables and they probably only have to increase the amount they order - unless it's not just shredded iceberg.

I'm thinking that maybe they meant that any 6" sub would cost $5.89 total as a salad, but they still fail for misreading their own sign. And charging more for a salad version anyway.

Besides, it's not like the salad would have any more lettuce since they practically drown their sandwiches in it to begin with. So it just comes down to if a bowl is more expensive than bread.

@TheDustball: you beat me to it.

--agreed--

@cynical_bastard: Comment fail. Why don't you ask them if the sandwiches will blend or if you can play Crysis with them?

Ducks eat for free at Subway.

That's weird, because at my Subway, the salad version of any particularly is exactly $1.00 CHEAPER than the price of the 12" sub.

HAHAHA, so if I wanted a Veggie Delite at this place, but with no bread, I'd be charged ELEVEN BUCKS for a tiny bowl of salad?!

(Anyone who wants to check prices at their local Subways, go to subway.com, then act like you want to order online. All the prices of subs and salads will be shown.)

I'll have a meatball marinara salad, hold the lettuce.

@TheDustball: Chop't does something similar, only in reverse. They're a salad company that also offers its salads in sub/sandwich form. Their menu is extremely clear. Instead of saying "just X more" they put the prices side by side so you can clearly see that the salad is $7 while the sandwich is $6.20. It makes it so much easier to deal with.

@Canino: For someone doing the phase 1 of atkins / southbeach, that might actually be a meal.

if you squint,'5' kinda looks like a dollar sign.

Only $.89 More?

I got a Subway salad a few years ago (I don't know what I was thinking) and it didn't cost more than a buck or so additional. Sadly, though, it was pretty much all lettuce--I think they put more veggies on their sandwiches.

@Rectilinear Propagation: one of the reasons why I like Chop't is its excessive nonpretentiousness when it comes to salads as health food. They have a FAQ on the placards on their tables and one of the questions is "is Chop't health food?" and the answer is simply, "you can make it as healthy as you want." The salads are gigantic, easily two meals, and when you factor in all the dressing and the grilled chicken or fried chicken, no it's not that healthy.

If you really want health food, eat fresh vegetables raw.

@Canino: Thanks. Now I want a meatball sub. Thanks. A. Lot.

its for a duck...

I've read that Subway's Jared gets all the subs he wants, but would he get the salad?

@TheDustball: Both very important questions, mind you.

Looks obvious to me. The manager probably wrote down "Only $.89 more," but the person who made the sign read the dollar-sign as a five. Same general shape.

But you would have thought someone would have caught the mistake.

I'm guessing they meant that a salad is $5.89, and didn't realize the sign read "more" after that.

How many black market salad bowls can I tuck under a trench coat? I'll offer each at 79 cents each and make a KILLING.

@Brian Schroeder:

Bingo! The store was probably out of $ so they used a 5. Someone missed marking it down the middle with a 1 or lowercase L, though...

@JGKojak: I have a gluten allergy!

The lettuce in Subway salads - the same as they use for their sandwiches, surprise - is disappointing and doesn't lend itself well to salads, but I like being able to cram the works into a salad. I don't understand why they're ~$2 more, though. I really don't.

@Canino: Is there an ultimate best way of eating a meatball sub? I haven't had one in years because the meatballs inevitably roll out and destroy clothing or furniture. Maybe there should be square meatballs. I bet the Japanese would make that if they too enjoy meatball subs.

@cynical_bastard: You mean you're having a slow day? Thus the useless comment?

@TheDustball: I hate Subway lettuce. I always say not to lettuce, because dear god they put too much gross lettuce on their sandwiches.

Give me a break. The salads contain far more food than a sub does. The quantity of lettuce, tomato, and other vegetables is probably similar to 4-5 subs worth. The $0.89 or whatever is perfectly reasonable.

@pecan 3.14159265:
I usually ask for my meatball subs to 'go easy on the extra sauce.' This will minimize - but truthfully not eliminate entirely - the potential of marinara sauce stains from rogue meatballs that don't want to stay in the sandwich.

Ever notice they're rigorous about how much veg you get on your sub? A salad bowl holds more and thus they have to use more of their precious veg.

About the only thing they're overly liberal with is the crappy lettuce.
I always ask for Spinach instead.

@Rectilinear Propagation: Not necessarily. Chipotle actually charges more for their burritos than they do for their salads even though it has the exact same ingredients. I believe Qdoba does this as well.

I'm shocked - SHOCKED, I tells yer! - that Jared would allow his likeness to be used for such shady business tactics!

@cynical_bastard: 1600 views and counting says otherwise...

At my local subway they have the same sign, but they covered up the "more". They must have forgotten to cover it up on this sign.

Last summer, I saw a (I'm assuming) swedish fellow and his son ordering at Subway here in SF. They were clearly on vacation, and (thankfully) didn't eat at subway very often. They both sort of ordered sandwiches with whatever they wanted, with outlandish combinations like pepperoni and bacon and two extra cheeses on a turkey swiss sandwich. All the addons brought their total for 18" of sandwich (12" and 6") to something like $21. This is of course insane because subway would sell you 4 footlongs for the same price. I figured in the grand scheme of things, and the relatively strong Euro, it wouldn't matter enough to intervene.

@pecan 3.14159265: I cut mine in half when I make subs at home or do slices like meatloaf.

@Applekid: The problem is that you order 12 salad bowls, and they only ship you one.

@pecan 3.14159265: I don't think there'd be too much consternation if they just charged 89 cents more--it's the $6 surcharge for a salad purchase that's raising eyebrows.

@mgy: thanks mitch.

My mother and sister have an allergy to bread (wheat in general, really) and they can't fathom why a salad would cost more, either. You'd think it would cost less.

@zarex42: Was going to mention this too. One of their salads is obviously > 6" sub to anyone who has had one.

I had asked a subway manager once why it was so much more expensive for a salad, I was informed that the cost had to do with 'All the extras we provide for it.' To which I asked 'If I do not want anything other than just the 'salad' would it still cost extra?' He replied, 'Yes.' So I proceeded to order a 12 inch tuna sub, all the usual fixings and extra lettuce. Asked for a fork so that I could 'eat what fell out'. Paid (at no extra cost), then sat down right in front of the counter and proceeded to eat everything but the bread. As I stood up with only the bread left I smiled at them and said, 'Thanks for the salad. I'm sure that the pigeons will enjoy the bread.' With hatred in his eyes the manager watched me leave and proceed to feed the small gathering of birds with the 'savings'. (BTW I am mildly allergic to wheat so I avoid it as much as possible.)

"why is a bowl and some extra lettuce any more expensive than delicious, store-baked bread?"

See, this is what I'm talking about. Look at that (*points to menu picture*). See what I mean? It's plump, juicy, three inches thick.

(*points to sandwich*) Look at this sorry, miserable, squashed thing. Can anybody tell me what's wrong with this picture? Anybody? Anybody at all.

@cynical_bastard: You should change "cynical" to "dumb."

I worked at Subway...and the bowls are .20 cents more than the bread from the delivery company that delivers our stock. I think they meant to use a $ instead of the 5 on the the display.

@cynical_bastard: He is a witch! Burn him!

@TalKeaton: I can certainly make several loaves of bread for less than the cost of the most basic salad (lettuce, a tomato, maybe a couple of carrots) not counting meat and cheese. It makes sense that salad would be more

@Canino: That is disgusting. When I worked at the HQ store we got to try out all the innovations before they were rolled out nationwide (smoothies, ice cream, pizzas, etc.). Of course, giving a bunch of unwatched 16 year old boys all these treats led to things like turkey club milkshakes and ice cream parmigiana. Can't believe we never thought of the meatball salad.

@nakedscience: Yeah, I always say "light lettuce" because I like a little bit, but not so much that I can't fit the sandwich in my mouth.