$5- Dollar Foot-long: An Unsung Hero with a Million Dollar Heart

 

By Anthony J Sepe

http://fromadietitiansperspective.blogspot.com

http://www.medicalnutritiontherapyservices.com

In my article posted yesterday, February 12, 2009, I spoke about Nutrition and Food Choice. It was discussed that nutrition comes in the form of nutrients and that food choice is important. Overall, good healthy eating can provide pleasure from the incorporation of foods from all food groups in your daily meals.

Let’s take things, a step forward, in a positive direction. Let’s see how this can actually work out,-- even-- if you dine out. I’d like to use Subway ® as a legitimate and credible example of how you can eat out; how you can eat out and still eat healthy; and how you can eat out, eat healthy and still make food choices for your good health. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describe what we need to know to eat for good health. These Dietary Guidelines encourage and support our choices to choose meals and snacks for health, which is based upon strong scientific evidence.

Welcome to SUBWAY® Restaurants

“Welcome to Subway®” and greeted with a smile, Mr. Robert Beblavy and Mr. Clinton Johnson, are manager and assistant manager of Subway ® in a city that never sleeps in upstate Vestal, New York. Mr. Beblavy describes the concept of “the customer is #1 here.” In his long tenure with Subway® and recently reaching his anniversary on December 1^st, 2009, he was emphatic during our interview that this concept is “enforced”

Bob Bevlavy     Clinton Johnson

with all 11 employees’ and himself, and, that, each and every person is welcomed and appreciated in his franchise of Subway®, just as they are welcomed and appreciated at each Subway, nationally. He shared the values and mission statement with me, which follow below:

The initial concept to be aware of is that SUBWAY^® Restaurants is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc. (DAI). DAI owns the operational business concept and trademark of SUBWAY Restaurants. It is the franchisor and seeks to find entrepreneurs, or franchisees to partner with. The franchisee buys the right to operate the SUBWAY^® franchise according to DAI’s contract.

DAI is a privately owned company, located in Milford, Connecticut. Here, at corporate headquarters, approximately 600 people work to keep SUBWAY^® Restaurants the number one sandwich franchise in the world.

Our Mission Statement

To provide the tools and knowledge to allow entrepreneurs to successfully compete in the QSR industry worldwide by consistently offering value to consumers through providing great-tasting food that is good for them and made the way they like it.

Our Core Values and Philosophy

• We are committed to customer satisfaction through offering high quality food with exceptional service and good value.

• We take great pride in serving each other, our customers and our communities.
• We seek continuous improvement in all that we do.
• We value a sense of urgency and emphasize an innovative, entrepreneurial approach to business.
• We expect fairness and mutual respect in all our activities.
• We know our success depends upon the initiative we take individually and our ability to work as a team.

Every order is a “fresh order” Mr. Bevlavy explains. The meal is fresh, “but the customer has the choice.” I found from our discussion that it was clear that ‘fresh healthy choices’ resonate with all age groups for eating healthy. Further, baked lays continue to be more popular than once thought, when compared to regular chips and standards of days in the past. From observing customer choice, it was crystal clear that the Turkey and Veggie Delight are the most popular sandwich choices at this particular Subway ® Restaurant.

The 6” Veggie Delight Sandwich

 

 

The 6” Turkey Sandwich

The customer has their choice sides and sauces,which even include fat-free dressings and lower-fat dressings, too.

· Turkey Breast

The bird’s the word! High in flavor and low in fat, our sliced Turkey Breast is perfectly complemented by crisp, crunchy veggies and your choice of fat-free condiments. · Veggie Delite®: Standard vegetables

 

 

Here is a list of sandwiches to choose from:

SANDWICHES WITH 6 GRAMS OF FAT OR LESS
(made on Italian or wheat bread):

• Ham: Sliced ham and standard vegetables.
• Ham: Sliced black forest ham and standard vegetables.
• Oven Roasted Chicken Breast: Boneless roasted chicken breast patty and standard vegetables.
• Roast Beef: Sliced roast beef and standard vegetables.
• SUBWAY Club®: Sliced turkey breast, roast beef, ham and standard vegetables.
• Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki: Teriyaki glazed chicken strips, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, green peppers, olives and sweet onion sauce.
• Turkey Breast: Sliced turkey breast and standard vegetables.
• Turkey Breast and Ham: Sliced turkey breast and ham and standard vegetables.
• Veggie Delite®: Standard vegetables.

 Lanette Kovachi, MS, RD has served as the Corporate Dietitian for the SUBWAY® brand for eight years. In this important role, she oversees the nutritional information for all SUBWAY® menu items and advises the Headquarters team on nutrition and health related issues.

The nutrition aspects of Subway ® are overseen by a corporate Dietitian. Forever, albeit known, that we, as Dietitians’, are the experts in the field of Nutrition, Food and Dietetics, which is the science of food and nutrition. There are also others who are respected in the field as nutrition professionals as well.  A Registered Dietitian compiled this nutrition information from the following data: Nutrition analysis from Subway® Restaurant approved food manufacturers, an independent laboratory and the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release # 16. The nutrition information listed here is based on standard recipes and product formulations, however slight variations may occur due to the season of the year, use of an alternate supplier, region of the country and/or small differences in product assembly.

While it is crystal clear that $5- dollar foot-long hero sandwiches are back, as evidenced by the long lines of customers waiting to order, but the real unsung heroes with million dollar hearts, are the managers’ of this restaurant. I would be remiss if I did not say that not only do the managers make you feel special, but each employee, also makes you feel welcomed and comfortable too. Do you want to have your hero with all the healthy choices that only you can make for yourself?   Come to this Subway ® at 1301 Vestal Parkway and be treated with respect and appreciation by a real hero with a Million dollar heart this Valentines day!