How fast-food favorites are prepared can sometimes shock customers. Earlier this year, the popular TikTok account @howfoodismade unveiled Subway’s preparation methods for steak and tuna, leaving many viewers stunned. Now, another TikToker is giving us another peek behind the curtain at how Subway’s steak is handled, sparking a mixed reaction from viewers.
“Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at Subway?” asks 29-year-old Subway employee Jessie Bingham (@jessiebingham4) as she stands in the kitchen. “Well, I’ve got to prep some steak, so here it is.” Holding up a square-shaped hunk of compressed meat, she explains, “This is the steak that goes on your sandwich.” Bingham then places the meat block into a metal container and uses her hands to break it up into steak pieces.
The video, which has garnered over 150,000 views, prompted The Daily Dot to reach out to both Bingham and Subway for comment.
Viewer Reactions
The video has stirred a reaction among Subway customers, with some vowing to avoid the steak option in the future.
“Oh no! No more for me,” one viewer wrote. “That’s what I order every time. Thanks for this, never again,” another agreed. “Aaaand I’m never going to Subway again,” a third remarked.
Others used the moment to endorse other sandwich shops: “I always go to Publix; they have the best,” one user claimed. “Jersey Mike’s is where it’s at!” another commented.
Are Subway’s Ingredients Fresh?
Since Subway dropped its “Eat Fresh” slogan in 2018, questions have lingered about the freshness of its ingredients. Although Subway introduced freshly sliced meats in 2023 to revamp its menu, Bingham’s video reignites these concerns. “Over the past two years, we overhauled our pantry of ingredients and debuted chef-crafted signature sandwiches, leading to rave reviews and record-breaking sales,” said Trevor Haynes, Subway’s North America president, in a press release.
However, online workers reveal that the meat is still pre-packaged. “They used to come pre-sliced, but now we slice them each morning for the day,” one worker noted on Reddit.
What’s Freshest on the Menu?
According to some Subway employees, the freshest items are select vegetables like bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and avocados, which are chopped up in-store. “But all the other veggies come in bags that are dumped into containers,” claims a former Subway worker writing for Delishably. “The meat and cheese are prepackaged and rewrapped, while items like meatballs and soup are microwaved and kept in warming trays.”
