Woman sues subway, claiming false advertising over skimpy steak sandwich

NEW YORK — A New York woman has filed a federal class action lawsuit against Subway, alleging that the fast-food chain misled customers by exaggerating the amount of meat in its Steak & Cheese sandwiches. Anna Tollison filed the suit on Monday in the Eastern District of New York, representing anyone in New York who purchased a Subway Steak & Cheese sandwich between October 28, 2021, and the filing date.

The lawsuit accuses Subway of “false and misleading” advertising, claiming the company “materially overstates the amount of meat in its advertisements” by “at least 200%.” Tollison’s complaint references social media posts where customers express disappointment over the amount of meat on various Subway sandwiches, suggesting a broader issue with Subway’s marketing practices.

According to the lawsuit, Tollison purchased a Steak & Cheese sandwich on August 23 from a Subway location in Jamaica, New York, ordering based on the images shown in Subway’s mobile app. “After she picked up and began eating her sandwich, Plaintiff realized that there was barely any steak in the sandwich and that the photographs that she relied on were grossly misleading,” the lawsuit states.

Tollison’s lawyers argue that the advertised images of the sandwich contain “well over 200% more meat” than what customers actually receive. Had she known the sandwich would contain less meat than shown in the advertisement, Tollison claims she would not have made the purchase.

The lawsuit, filed by The Russo Firm, contends that Subway’s actions violated the New York Deceptive Acts and Practices Act. Attorneys for Tollison estimate that “thousands” of Subway customers in New York could potentially join the lawsuit as part of the class.

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