Food Quality Sinks Many Submarine Outlets
Posted: Sunday, August 30, 2009
by Gerry Charbonneau
http://nibblednews.typepad.com
A seemingly short time ago I used to relish the tasty menu offerings at many submarine sandwich outlets. The advertised freshness and quality of the healthy toppings and the unique menu selections captivated my taste buds to no end.
I wasn't a health food fanatic or anything like that but I do appreciate the occasional good tasting food offered at a reasonable price at many of these convenience outlets.
The variety of the sandwiches offered were intriguing. You could have your sub toasted, roasted, baked or served piping hot. Tomatoes, cheese (three types of cheeses offered) , olives, pickles and lettuce seemed to grace many of the more popular subs.
Inside the bun itself a varied assortment of meats added to the overall taste treat. Ham, salami, pepperoni, tuna and cheese were the sandwiches avidly marketed by the sponsoring companies. To a committed non-vegetarian this was truly nirvana.
Over time though I noticed that the quality of the sandwich and the service offered at the competing outlets were losing their initial appeal. I also observed an array of little black flies flitting freely about the pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and onions. The server did not seem to notice this winged menagerie but as a customer I sure did. The flies were there it seemed almost 12 months of the year.
I am an onion lover and had the server heap a healthy amount of yellow onion slices on my sandwich. Over time these yellow slices were replaced with red onions. This, I was informed, was a cost cutting measure.
One day even the red onions lost their tangy appeal. The servers at one outlet started dousing the onions in a vinegary solution to make them last longer. I thought this was a measure to neutralize the flies. That action soon neutralized my intense craving for onions.
There was another aspect of the overall customer service transaction I found difficult to accept. Many of the servers wore plastic gloves as a protective measure to keep the food free from disease and bacteria. This was understandable.
I frequently noticed however that many servers kept the gloves on while they were giving customers their change. This would effectively negate any positive benefits from wearing the gloves.
One female attendant told me that she wore the gloves at all times to protect her hands from drying out. The thought of all those germs crawling freely between to slices of a sesame seeded bun effectively killed my cravings for any more fast food subs.
Many times I informed the managers of these outlets about the way their staff flaunted food handling safety issues. I was told that these were recently hired employees and that they would be more closely monitored by management.
This I thought would never happen especially when you consider that the pay scale for this type of employment opportunity isn't that rewarding. A few times I abandoned my sub at the cashier's station because the server didn't take adequate precautions to protect me or my food.
I now enjoy creating my own submarine sandwiches in the comfort of my home. I don't wear gloves but then again I don't have to return change to hungry and demanding customers.
Customers should be more aware of the manner in which a food server at a fast food establishment makes their sandwich. With the number of health pandemics being reported everyday it only makes sense that a person be more observant about the manner in which his/her food is prepared . Let the buyer beware should become the mantra of us all.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Thanks Gerry, this is a very good reminder. To and fro we go sometimes, so fast, we forget what we are looking at. Doing your own, can only be wise. If we do not have time, make it before hand. Thanks Gerry
Hhahahaha...very good article,I must agree. Businesses like that often "hook" customers with good products and service in the beginning and then start getting cheaper and shadier after they have established a solid customer base.Thanks for your comments.It's amazing that the varied places a customer frequents the most tries to substitute good food and service with second rate products.
O h well. Such is life!
I'm glad you enjoyed the article.
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