Subway has discontinued items from their menu from time to time, based on the customer’s reviews and other things. However, the top two options removed from the menu, Roast Beef and Rotiserrie-style Chicken, got people angry all over the country.
Subway is one of the most famous and sought franchises in the country. As the largest single-brand restaurant chain in the world, everyone has their eyes on the food items presented on the menu and the things that are kicked off it.
So, the question arises, what are the top items discontinued? Are there specific reasons for it, or was it on a whim because they came up with a better recipe?
This is what we will be mainly covering in this article. We will also try to understand if there have been any significant changes in the Subway menu in recent years.
I will also cover the reason behind Subway discontinuing seafood from its menu. So, let us dive into the article and determine the ten items Subway kicked off its menu.
What Items Did Subway Discontinue?
Subway has discontinued some of the beloved items from its menu over some time.
Following is a list of items that Subway discontinued:
1. Roast Beef
Subway discontinued roast beef in the summer of 2020. Red meat lovers especially loved it.
Angsty people were seen all over the internet inquiring about Subway locations or outlets that still sold roast beef.
2. Rotisserie Chicken
This was also discontinued in the summer of 2020.
As one of the healthy and fresh options at Subway, it was a hit during the lunch hours when everyone wanted it on their salads.
Now, only regular chicken is the option available at Subway.
3. Pizza
Yes, Subway also sold pizza, but it was not that famous among the customers.
This pizza was considered to be a healthier one. Still, it came in the same style as other pizza outlets, with pepperoni and bacon.
4. Ciabatta Collection
This fancy-sounding sandwich was another name for serving freshly baked ciabatta bread, fresh mozzarella, and three sauces.
This scrumptious Collection came in three different yet delicious recipes:
- The Italian with New Fresh Mozzarella
- The Chicken Pesto with New Fresh Mozzarella
- The Garlic Steak & Provolone
However, this was also discontinued sometime around 2020.
5. Subway Club Sandwich
This one was also pulled through the menu when roast beef was discontinued.
Subway Club included ham, turkey, and roast beef and was famous among the customers.
6. Italian Dressing
The Italian dressing was discontinued in 2021 because of its low selling points.
The same thing happened with the Ceaser dressing, and they had to discontinue it.
7. Taco TKO
Although not loved a lot by the customers, Subway discontinued taco beef from their menu in late 2019.
However, many people called it the worst taco, so no one missed it a lot.
8. $5 Footlong
Subway had to discontinue its $5 footlong in fear of possible bankruptcy, as anticipated by many economists worldwide.
As inflation drove up the cost of doing business, the $5 footlong became financially unsustainable for the company. This is why Subway had to shut down this much-celebrated promotion of theirs.
9. Roasted Chicken Breast
Yes, Subway had to discontinue its roasted chicken breast patty, which was considered a significant source of protein at Subway.
Earlier this year, people anticipated that the Italian herb and cheese bread might get discontinued; however, it was just a supply chain problem. On the contrary, the oven-roasted chicken breast was stopped by Subway.
10. Sriracha
Subway discontinued Sriracha sauce in the summer of 2019, as it was one of the lowest-selling sauces.
Why Did Subway Discontinue These Menu Items?
Following are the reasons why Subway discontinued the items from their menu:
1. Low-Selling Products
If the item was one of the lowest-selling products on the Subway menu, it made sense to discontinue it rather than waste resources in the production of the item.
One of the Subway employees came out to justify that since the outlet was barely selling the caesar dressing, they had to discontinue it instead of tossing out a bottle of caesar dressing every week as soon as it expired.
2. Increasing Cost
When the cost of buying the ingredients and making the item increases exceptionally due to a problem in the supply chain, Subway discontinues the item from the menu.
Imagine paying twice what you are paying for your sub. That is what it would be like if Subway continued buying, making, and selling the items after cost implementation.
3. Decreasing Popularity
Some items, even though loved when they were introduced, are eventually discontinued because of their decreasing popularity.
Subway, in these cases, came up with several other items to keep on the menu unless they were impossible to add back to the menu.
4. Famous Competitors
When Subway tried to get into the pizza or Mexican taco business, it failed terribly because of better and more popular market competitors.
Subway pizza and tacos could have done better and were thus discontinued.
Major Changes In Subway Menu
Subway released its new line of “Subway Series” sandwiches in 2022. It is undergoing a significant redesign and menu change in its menu.
The menu is divided into four main categories. Within each category, there are three different sandwiches.
- Cheesesteaks: The Philly, The Outlaw™, The Monster™
- Italianos: Supreme Meats, Bella Mozza, The Boss
- Chicken: The Mexicali, The Great Garlic™, The Champ™
- Clubs: All-American Club®, Subway Club®, Turkey Cali Club™
This new change is said to have enhanced the ordering process for the customers and the sandwich creation process for its employees.
Subway also offered free 6-inch Subway series subs across all the participating locations in the US.
Why Did Subway Remove Seafood From Its Menu?
The seafood menu was not so popular at Subway, which is why it was soon discontinued.
The seafood menu at Subway was not so popular amongst the customers, which is why it was pulled from the menu.
Seafood also costs Subway a lot of money. Procuring and preserving it the right way is difficult in a fast food franchise; therefore, Subway concluded that removing it from the menu would be more profitable.
Final Remarks
This article tried to understand what items Subway discontinued and why.
Here’s a quick recap.
Top 10 items that Subway discontinued: Roast Beef, Roasted Chicken Breast, Subway Club, and Rotisserie-style Chicken are some of the most beloved Subway items were discontinued.
My name is Douglas Ryan and I am the founder of BargainFoodie. I have worked in the culinary space for many years, and exploring new food is my greatest pleasure in life.