Marketing

Subway survey finds 66% of Americans experience lunch regret

Photo: Subway

October 13, 2026

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Subway is offering thousands of free Footlong sandwiches through a new campaign inspired by the frustrations Americans experience when choosing what to eat, the company announced in a press release.

According to a new Subway-commissioned survey, 66% of U.S. adults say they sometimes regret their lunch choices.

The survey also found that 35% of Americans have regretted a lunch choice because they ate unhealthy food, while 34% said their meal failed to fill them up. Another 28% said their lunch wasn't worth the price. Additionally, 70% of U.S. consumers reported regularly skipping lunch at least once a week, highlighting another challenge in consumers' midday eating habits.

Subway is using those findings to fuel its Lunchtime Horrors campaign, inviting consumers to share their worst lunch experiences in exchange for a chance to receive one of thousands of $15 Subway eGift cards. The cards can be used toward purchasing a Footlong sandwich made with freshly sliced meats, vegetables and bread baked daily.

Consumers can submit their lunchtime horror stories at LunchtimeHorrors.com from Oct. 12 through 16.

"We make sandwiches, not time machines. But we can give people something to look forward to at their next lunch," Jeff Klein, chief marketing officer at Subway, said in the release. "Feed Your SUBconscious is an invitation to listen to that inner voice that knows what you really want. This Halloween, we're giving Americans a chance to act on it, with thousands of freshly prepared Footlongs on us."

The promotion builds on Subway's Feed Your SUBconscious brand platform, which launched in September and features actor and comedian Will Arnett as the voice of consumers' inner thoughts, encouraging them to choose a freshly prepared Subway meal.