Tuesday, June 20, 2017

At Subway, Kiosks Over Ingredients

Embattled fast-food giant Subway had a plan to reverse its five-year decline by boosting the quality of its ingredients. Food quality has declined since the chain’s peak in the 1990s while the market has been moving in the opposite direction, and regular customers have been going elsewhere in search of a healthier lunch. As of a year ago, the plan at Subway was for the rollout of new ingredients to start this summer.

Well, forget it. Subway faces other problems that include the death of its founder and the jailing of its spokesmodel, and executives decided better food was more than the restaurant chain could take on right now. Instead, Subway’s major initiative this year will be in-store kiosks where customers can tap out orders on a touch-screen, copying the success of this approach at Panera. Subway is also rolling out a mobile app that provides the same functionality. You’ll get the same dull fare, but faster than before.

Maybe it’s the right move. The digital ordering platform should cut in-store operating costs, eventually providing the financial wiggle room needed to address the bigger issue of food quality.