Nearly 10,000 People Agree to Make a Legally Binding, Lifetime Commitment for Free Subway Sandwiches It will take a true superfan to win this competition.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Fans can only enter the giveaway competition if they agree to legally change their first name.
- Subway's been exploring a potential sale that could value it at $10 billion since the start of this year.
- Nearly 10,000 people have signed up for the unusual opportunity.
Subway wants to give someone free sandwiches for life — but, as they say, there's no such thing as a free lunch.
In this case, a lifetime of free Subway will cost you your identity: Fans can only enter the chain's August contest if they commit to legally changing their first name to "Subway," Bloomberg reported.
Subway announced earlier this month that nearly 10,000 loyal fans were up to the task, offering to change their names for the deal within just 96 hours of the competition's launch.
Related: Subway Is Introducing Deli Meat Slicers, Nixing Pre-Sliced Meats
Subway will select a winner and cover the legal fees incurred when they assume their "new iconic identity," per Bloomberg.
Earlier this year, the chain, which boasts 21,000 U.S. locations and did $9.4 billion in sales in 2021, retained advisers to explore a sale that would potentially value the company at $10 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Subway began to stumble in 2015 amid competition and slumping consumer ratings, and its new CEO, appointed in 2019, initiated a revival strategy including updates to its restaurants, digital offerings and menu, like the recent launch of fresh-sliced meats, per Bloomberg.
Related: This Is Where Subway's Co-Founder Left Half of His Fortune
And the company said the transformation's paying off, with customers describing the brand as "energetic" and "innovative" and a 12.1% spike in same-store sales globally in the first quarter, according to the outlet.
