A woman from New York has filed a lawsuit against Subway, alleging that the company misrepresents its steak and cheese sandwich by suggesting it contains more meat than is actually included. This class action suit was submitted on Monday in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

In a legal case, a customer from Brooklyn named Anna Tollison alleged that Subway’s advertisements depict the Steak & Cheese sandwich as having significantly more meat than what is actually served to customers—specifically, she stated it appears to have over 200% more.

Tollison pointed out that other customers have voiced similar concerns online regarding the steak quantity on the sandwich and accused Subway of providing misleading information about additional items like the Cheesy Garlic Steak.

Consumers are facing financial losses because they are purchasing food that is significantly less valuable than what was advertised.

The issue is particularly alarming as many individuals are already struggling with their finances due to rising inflation, making it hard to afford food and other essential items.

Legal documents indicate that potentially thousands of individuals could be affected by these misleading advertisements.

Subway had not provided a response to media inquiries by Thursday morning, and this isn’t the company’s first encounter with legal action concerning false advertising claims.

In January 2021, a pair of residents from California initiated legal action, asserting that the company breached both federal and state regulations regarding misleading advertising by labeling its sandwich ingredients as tuna.

At that time, Subway refuted the claims.

“The allegations presented in the lawsuit filed in California are entirely unfounded,”

A statement from the company regarding the tuna lawsuit clarified that “Subway serves only 100% fully cooked tuna in its restaurants. This is then combined with mayonnaise to prepare fresh sandwiches, wraps, and salads that our customers love.”

The lawsuit concerning the tuna was thrown out in July 2023, as reported by Reuters.

Origin of the Recent Subway Lawsuit

Tollison stated that she purchased a Steak & Cheese sandwich from a Subway location in Jamaica, New York, on August 23. She paid $6.99 plus tax after noticing an ad for the sandwich on Subway’s mobile app.

As she grabbed the sandwich and took a bite, she realized there was “hardly any steak” inside it, according to the lawsuit.

“Had she known that the Steak & Cheese sandwich had significantly less meat than what was promised, she wouldn’t have bought it,” stated the lawsuit.

Her attorney, Anthony Russo from the Russo Firm, mentioned that they have already received feedback from other customers.

Individuals have raised concerns about the business practices of the company, which has also assisted those taking legal action against well-known fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King. He mentioned that proving such cases can often be challenging.

“Many of these cases end up being dismissed,” he shared with YSL News on Thursday afternoon.

Russo pointed out that the disparity between the advertised Steak & Cheese sandwich and what customers actually received is “far worse than anything else” he has encountered.

If the lawsuit against Subway regarding the Steak & Cheese sandwich survives initial dismissal motions, a significant subsequent step will involve allowing affected individuals an opportunity to come forward. Following this procedure, a judge will need to decide whether there’s sufficient evidence for class certification, allowing the lawsuit to progress.

According to Russo, the main resolution for these types of cases is for the company to cease its current practices or, as claimed by the plaintiffs, to stop misleadingly promoting the Steak & Cheese sub.

“Another aspect involves financial compensation,” Russo explained. “If you were deceived or shortchanged on a $5 item, your only remedy”

The primary objective would be to reclaim the funds for that purchase.

Additionally, they may need to cover the expenses incurred by Russo’s team for their involvement in the legal proceedings, he mentioned.