Sayonara, Subway (No, Pepsi is NOT okay)
Aug. 7th, 2025 09:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerI've had an on-again, off-again relationship with Subway (the restaurant) over the years. I really enjoy hot, Italian-American subs like a meatball sub. Subway's not the best place for this, but often it's the best place around. Like, when I lived in New York for 4 years, I ate at Subway all of about 3 times because there was almost always someplace better for a hot sub within a block or two of wherever I was. But since I left New York years ago that's seldom been the case, so Subway has become part of my weekly regular rotation for lunchtime restaurants.
Until recently, that is. At this point I haven't eaten at Subway in a few months.
Why? What changed?
Pepsi is what changed.
For years Subway had served Coke products. Last year they inked a 10-year deal with Pepsi to serve Pepsi products instead. The change was due to hit by the start of this year, though it wasn't until a few months ago that the soda fountain was swapped out in the restaurant near me. The first time I ate there after Pepsi was installed was the last time I ate there. (And I drank iced team instead of Pepsi because, No, Pepsi is not okay.)
Would I really choose not to dine at a restaurant just because they've got the "wrong" soda? You bet! And this is not even the first time. Last year I quit dining at The Habit burger restaurant when they switched to Pepsi. It had been a regular weekly haunt of mine up until that. There really is that much of a difference in taste— and enjoyment— to me with Coke v. Pepsi. And especially with Diet Coke/Coke Zero v. Diet Pepsi. The difference is way more pronounced with the sugar-free stuff.
Yesterday I decided to give Subway another try. ...No, not to give Pepsi another try; I planned drinking iced tea instead. But the Subway was closed! My first thought was, "OMG, I wonder if enough people are Pepsi refusers like me that the restaurant lost so much business it had to shut down!!" 🤣
Until recently, that is. At this point I haven't eaten at Subway in a few months.
Why? What changed?
Pepsi is what changed.
For years Subway had served Coke products. Last year they inked a 10-year deal with Pepsi to serve Pepsi products instead. The change was due to hit by the start of this year, though it wasn't until a few months ago that the soda fountain was swapped out in the restaurant near me. The first time I ate there after Pepsi was installed was the last time I ate there. (And I drank iced team instead of Pepsi because, No, Pepsi is not okay.)
Would I really choose not to dine at a restaurant just because they've got the "wrong" soda? You bet! And this is not even the first time. Last year I quit dining at The Habit burger restaurant when they switched to Pepsi. It had been a regular weekly haunt of mine up until that. There really is that much of a difference in taste— and enjoyment— to me with Coke v. Pepsi. And especially with Diet Coke/Coke Zero v. Diet Pepsi. The difference is way more pronounced with the sugar-free stuff.
Yesterday I decided to give Subway another try. ...No, not to give Pepsi another try; I planned drinking iced tea instead. But the Subway was closed! My first thought was, "OMG, I wonder if enough people are Pepsi refusers like me that the restaurant lost so much business it had to shut down!!" 🤣
