Metro: $ 5 Footlong Sandwich could disappear – depending on where you live

Subway's $ 5 subway sandwich may have left for good.

Beginning this month, Subway franchisees can decide whether or not to keep the sub-tariff on their menu, said Subway CEO Trevor Haynes. USA today.

The $ 5 submarine was a huge success when it debuted in the early 2000s, Money reports, but it lost popularity after a $ 1 increase in 2016, spurred by franchise complaints that the price was too low to make a profit. After customer complaints, the $ 5 deal came back last winter.

Now, the availability of the transaction depends on where you live. Some stores may retain the $ 5 promotion for some sandwiches or some days, but others may offer other promotions entirely. For example, San Francisco customers can get a $ 6.99 subtitle for $ 3.99, while other stores in California are testing new menu items, like paninis.

Subway has given franchisees the freedom to choose between the $ 5 bid because it wants to help stores find a "regional value message," Haynes said. "If you look at California, the cost of doing business is very different from that of Arkansas."

While the sub $ 5 is optional, the other changes are less flexible. Haynes said USA today this redesign of Subway's image will begin next year and will require franchise owners to update the set. For a 1,200 square foot store, it will cost about $ 40,000, USA today reports.

New menu items and a new look can be what Subway needs: Earlier this year, the company announced the closure of 500 stores. But with tens of thousands of stores around the world, USA today According to Subway, sales reached $ 16.8 billion last year.