Lawsuit Forces Subway to Measure Its 'Footlongs'

Subway customers can finally rest assured that their "Footlong" sandwiches will be as long as promised, the AP reports. A judge last week granted final approval to a settlement of a class-action suit filed against Subway after an Australian teenager in 2013 posted an image of his sandwich on Facebook that was only 11 inches. The image garnered international media attention, with the New York Post writing that it found four out of seven Footlongs it purchased in New York "measured only 11 or 11.5 inches." A judge had given preliminary approval in October to a settlement between Subway's parent company Doctor's Associates and plaintiffs' attorneys. Final approval was granted on Feb. 25.

As part of the settlement, Subway agreed to institute practices for at least four years to ensure its bread is at least 12 inches long. The judge approved $520,000 in attorney fees and $500 for each of the 10 individuals who were representatives of the class, but no monetary claims were awarded to potential members of the class. "It was difficult to prove monetary damages, because everybody ate the evidence," says Thomas Zimmerman, who was co-lead attorney for the class. Zimmerman says the attorney fees are being split among 10 law firms. Subway says in a statement that it was pleased the judge found no wrongdoing on its part. "This allows us to move forward, without distractions, on our goal to provide great tasting sandwiches and salads, made exactly as each guest likes." (More Subway stories.)