That Subway Smell

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Cherrylane

So I walked past the Subway on my college's campus and was reminded yet again of THAT SMELL. That distinctive Subway smell that lingers on your clothes for hours after being there for only a few minutes to get a sandwich.

I spoke to one of my friends about it, and he said he used to work there roughly five years ago and that his work clothes STILL smell like subway. That you "can't wash it out." He said it was the lard they use.

Most interestingly to me, because I HATE the smell and find it somewhat nauseating, he said that Subway considers it part of their brand and that apparently, most people LIKE it.

Do you like the smell?

Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):

LOVE it

Coralbell , Beck , SelectZen , Ansley , slynch , ConnerJay , llellsee , wrecklesswords , toxie m , The Curious Couple , Peggi , laceypanties , Miss Madeline , Pink Jewel , Sundae Sparkles , AliMc , CAKES , meitman , Llahsram , pizzahut , Deeder , shauna.robinson88 , himynameissteph , ShadowedSeductress , moongirl

25 (23%)

HATE it

Gunsmoke , Diabolical Kitty , EastCoast36 , aliceinthehole , OhMy! , Lucidity , dv8 , bayosgirl , married with children , Lisa72 , dirtythoughts:) , Stinkytofu10 , GONE! , Missmarc , Feisty , JennSenn , Kroo , Cat E. , Rey

19 (17%)

Meh

AngelvMaynard , karay123 , mistressg , Ash1141 , Sinfully , - Kira - , JessCee , Mihoshi4301 , LQ , Kdlips , GenderSexplorations , Ryuson , Lucky21 , Kindred , Bignuf , authorzero , eeep , Chul , cheetahpita , darthkitt3n , TheSlyFox , Sunshineamine , Jon S , sbon , Seth912 , Ms. Paprika , DeliciousSurprise , mrs.mckrakn , Squeaky , clockwork451 , TiffyPixie , Lildrummrgurl7 , Casey Colette , sexykiss , Do emu , SecretKinksters , amberf83 , Ms. N , sweetiejo , Gone (LD29) , gsfanatic , sugar&spikes , PepperPot , Zandrock , sXeVegan90 , LilLostLenore , myeden

47 (43%)

What smell?

Art & Sensation , Paladin Fantasys , Hot 'N Sexy TexasMama , Howells , ily , SilverIsis , Adriana Ravenlust , RonLee , El-Jaro , WierdAl , Angelica , Allstars316 , michael scofield , PeaceToTheMiddleEast , Rin (aka Nire) , zaftigzoo , subtyrant , Falsepast

18 (17%)

Total votes: 109

Poll is closed

11/15/2011

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AngelvMaynard

I've never noticed Subway's smell as a lingerer, but I feel the way you describe about Mexican restaurants! I LOVE Mexican food, but it stays, on your clothes and in your hair until you wash both!

11/15/2011

karay123

There's a local-ish chain of convenience stores that has a "smell" too. Doesn't matter where it is or which store, they all smell alike. Bizarre.

11/15/2011

mistressg

I totally know what you're talking about.

11/15/2011

Coralbell

There's a Subway right beside the bus stop I use every day and the smell of the bread baking always makes me hungry.

11/15/2011

Ash1141

I don't hate it but I don't like it either.

11/15/2011

Sinfully

Meh... don't really mind it, but I know what you're talking about. Def a distinct smell.

11/15/2011

- Kira -

I don't love it but don't hate it. Now that you've said it's lard, I may puke next time I smell it. Thanks!!

11/15/2011

Gunsmoke

I have not been on a subway since the 70s in Philly - the subway smell there was simply rancid urine - awful!

11/15/2011

Rarity

What lard?!

I never knew they used lard in their food.

11/15/2011

Diabolical Kitty

I love the food, but the smell is a pain in the butt.

11/15/2011

Mihoshi4301

I've never really noticed the smell before.

11/15/2011

Ansley

I love the way it smells, but I refuse to eat their products. I've found a much, much better sandwich: Jersey Mike's.

11/15/2011

LoL. This isn't something I've ever thought about before, but it's totally true. Weird.

Now that I consider it, I like the sandwiches fine, but I don't think I could stand to stay in the smell long. Definitely could not work there.

11/15/2011

Starkiller87

Quote:

Originally posted by Ansley

I love the way it smells, but I refuse to eat their products. I've found a much, much better sandwich: Jersey Mike's.

Oh man, Jersey Mikes is sooo good. They are expensive though. I stopped going to subway once I found Jersey mikes and phillys best.

11/15/2011

GenderSexplorations

It's just a smell. Neither good nor bad.... It is kind of weird though.

11/15/2011

Cherrylane

Quote:

Originally posted by Starkiller87

Oh man, Jersey Mikes is sooo good. They are expensive though. I stopped going to subway once I found Jersey mikes and phillys best.

I've gotten hooked on Jimmy Johns.

Way more "basic" sandwiches, and half the time I get their "slims" which are basically just a bit of meat and a slice of cheese and bread. Thing is, the quality of their ingredients is SO good, and man, they bake their bread fresh every day and IT SMELLS SO GOOD. by far the best bread of any of the chains I've been to. AND THEY DELIVER! Awesome.

Also, about the lard, my friend said something about using it for the meatballs. And that Quiznos uses lard too, just a different kind. I haven't been able to find anything specifically confirming that. However, I am confident whatever the smell is definitely isn't the bread.

11/15/2011

ConnerJay

I love it, but after the word lard was used I'm re-thinking my love...

11/15/2011

Art & Sensation

I honestly have not smelled a particular smell walking by Subways..

Is there something wrong with me?

11/15/2011

Lucky21

Meh. It really doesn't bother me.

11/15/2011

Lucidity

There used to be a Subway in my town, in an outdoor mall, but it was down some stairs and technically underground. I can still smell that smell wafting up those stairs (gag).

11/15/2011

Kindred

I totally thought this thread was going to be about the disgusting smell of urine in NY subway stations...

11/15/2011

Bignuf

Quote:

Originally posted by Cherrylane

We are laughing our butts off. When we read this...all the way through, we were thinking like NEW YORK SUBWAY or PARIS SUBWAY or LONDON SUBWAY (New York's which smells like musty socks, Paris's which smells like urine, and London's, which smells of cleaners). Not till we got to the LARD part did we stop and actually go "LARD"???? What does LARD have to do with the Subway????? THEN we got it. Oh my...goofy us.

OH...even the first lines didn't give it away, since OUR college and the one our daughter attended, had a SUBWAY station (yes, the underground kind) on it, AND yes, folks went down there to the SHOPS at lunch and for snacks...so that was not a "give away" either.

11/15/2011

Bignuf

Quote:

Originally posted by - Kira -

I don't love it but don't hate it. Now that you've said it's lard, I may puke next time I smell it. Thanks!!

Me too. LARD???? If that is true, I am NEVER eating at a SUBWAY ever again!!!

11/15/2011

Bignuf

Quote:

Originally posted by Coralbell

There's a Subway right beside the bus stop I use every day and the smell of the bread baking always makes me hungry.

That is what it always smelled like to me....bread baking.

11/15/2011

Bignuf

Quote:

Originally posted by karay123

There's a local-ish chain of convenience stores that has a "smell" too. Doesn't matter where it is or which store, they all smell alike. Bizarre.

There are certain Chain stores that all use the provided cleaning materials, and thus they all have the same "smell" signature.

11/15/2011

Cherrylane

Quote:

Originally posted by Bignuf

That is what it always smelled like to me....bread baking.

I've heard this as well, but my experience with baking bread, both personally as well as with numerous other restaurants/bakeries, both commercial and individually owned and operated, that led me to dismiss it. Nothing baked bread related has ever smelled like that to me. And I've also never experienced the smell of fresh bread linger on clothes.

Naturally, that doesn't mean it's *not* the bread, but. It's hard for me to imagine exactly what the heck is going on that would make their bread smell like that. The dough isn't even made there.

11/15/2011

12345678

I guess I don't go there enough to pick up on this.

11/15/2011

llellsee

I've never tasted anything from subway but I do love the smell

11/15/2011

authorzero

I actually have noticed the Subway smell. I always kind of forget about it, but there is something there. It's sort of ...I don't know ...off-putting. It isn't exactly a baking bread smell. It smells like chain restaurant blah to me. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the occasional Subway sandwich, but the smell I think sort of encapsulates my general dislike for mass produced, mass marketed chain store food.

The other thing about Subway sandwiches is, if you don't eat them in about 15 minutes they become an unpleasant soggy mess.

Wow, this was a much harsher Subway rant than I intended.

11/15/2011

Total posts: 77 Unique posters: 70

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