Subway Employees Won't Dare Go Near One Meaty Menu Item 

Subway's Meatball Marinara sandwich is unquestionably one of the most iconic menu items at America's largest sandwich chain. The comforting combination of meatballs, marinara sauce, melty cheese, and Italian bread has gained many devoted fans over the years. Unfortunately for lovers of the delightfully saucy Italian-inspired sandwich (this writer included), the chain's meatball subs are one of the many menu items Subway workers warn everyone to avoid. While it's hardly surprising that those meatballs aren't whipped up daily by Italian nonnas, the concerning aspects of this meaty menu item are even worse than you might imagine.

First of all, Subway most likely uses frozen meatballs to make its meatball subs. This is somewhat disappointing, but if we're being honest, it's not altogether shocking (many restaurant chains only use frozen meat). The more distressing reason to avoid ordering Subway's meatball subs is the apparent sloppy storage conditions of the meatballs. A Reddit discussion between current and former Subway employees disclosed disconcerting discrepancies in meatball storage and handling between different Subway locations, and a disturbing lack of clarity about the official protocol. Some employees asserted that any remaining meatballs should always be tossed at the end of the night for food safety reasons, while others revealed that their locations regularly kept meatballs overnight or even longer.

In addition to the obvious lack of freshness, the less-than-stellar meatball storage conditions described by Subway employees are particularly concerning because the frequent cooling and reheating could expose meatballs to the food storage "Danger Zone," a range between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit where bacteria can grow rapidly. Confirming this, a report published in 2020 by the Springfield News-Leader revealed repeated occurrences of meatballs being stored at improper danger zone temperatures at a local Subway.

America is home to a shocking number of Subway franchise locations. While it's likely that many locations store the meatballs properly to avoid food safety risks, it seems that at least a few of them do not. So if you're a die-hard Meatball Marinara fan and just can't let this saucy sub go, we'd advise ordering your favorite sandwich at a trusted Subway outpost. And, if you're still craving a melty meat-loaded sandwich but would rather not pick it up at your local Subway, you could always try Costco's deliciously massive two-pound meatball marinara sandwich instead.