Subway’s napkin strategy

It’s rare that I eat at Subway. When I do, it’s typically during lunch, and the stores are typically very busy. Because I have a tendency to fixate on things that are of almost no importance, I’ve come to notice the following: Very, very few people ask for extra napkins during checkout. This compared to almost every other fast-food or counter-service restaurant, where the norm is to accept your carry-out container, grab some napkins (because there’s no telling whether they’re already in there, and we Americans are a hurried bunch), and head for the table/door.

Subway serves food in clear plastic bags and wraps two napkins around each sandwich, so that the customer can very clearly see the napkins when the goods are transferred. Result: Less money wasted on napkins that most folks don’t need.