In a move widely expected to increase the efficiency of cheese distribution on Subway sandwiches, the popular restaurant recently informed workers of a policy requiring the tessellation of the cheese triangles that populate its subs.
A short article purportedly from an official Subway newsletter in Australia states that, with the new policy, “triangles or half moons of cheese will be placed on the sandwich in an offset, or staggered pattern. This will improve the cheese coverage on the sandwich.”
Current Subway policy calls for workers — known internally as Subway Sandwich Artists — to place all cheese triangles side-by-side on the main body of the sandwich, rather than in the more elaborate corner-to-corner tessellated pattern.
The policy resulted in what Time Magazine called a veritable ‘nerd outcry’ from all ‘corners’ of the Internet. T-shirts calling the cheese distribution a “geometry scam” flew off virtual shelves, and frustrated customers even drew pointed cartoons directed at Subway’s management.
The change in cheese policy, which will go into effect on July 1, has prompted a variety of reactions from regular Subway customers — and even royalty.
“What the HELL took them so long?” asked a user named Prince Asher on the online message board Apolyton. “This seriously drove me nuts as a computer graphics geek and someone with mild OCD tendencies.”
Tessellation techniques are typically used by computer graphics professionals working in the area of computer-aided design and on other tasks requiring real-time rendering.
The Prince Asher continued: “I cannot fathom how ANYONE cannot see how superior the tessellated method is. One time I asked the guy if he could tessellate the cheese and he looked at me like I was from ****ing Mars.”
Another equally vulgar poster was not so impressed.
“File this under “Big ****ing Deal, Who Got Paid To Work This Project For A Year?” asked a man identified as Slowwhand.
Questioned by telephone as to whether enacting the policy actually took a full year, a Subway public relations representative told The Daily Caller that she was not familiar in any way with the policy.
Update: 5:15 P.M.: A second Subway representative said that he was unaware of any Internet campaigns that some have speculated influenced the cheese change. He said instead that Subway regularly re-evaluates the layout of its sandwiches to meet its customers’ needs.
In this case, Subway’s Les Winograd said knowingly, those needs are better met by providing customers that want it the maximum cheese content per bite.
“What this does is spread out the cheese a little more,” said Winograd. “It’s just placed a little differently, so you get more cheese.”
Winograd said the decision, though far-reaching, has precedent.
“A couple of years ago we had put the vegetables on top of the sandwich, and now we’re putting them on the bottom,” he recalled. “This is [also] a permanent change.”
He added that customers who dislike tessellated cheese can ask that the Sandwich Artists place the cheese triangles in the traditional Subway manner.
“The cornerstone of the Subway experience is that the customer indicate how their sandwich is made,” Winograd said, asserting that the new cheese policy will make Subway lines more “efficient.”
VIEW THE MEMO EXPLAINING THE CHANGE
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
