Scandal: Some Subway 'Footlongs' Just 11 Inches

Concerned that you may not be getting your money's worth when you buy a "$5 Footlong" at Subway? Have no fear: The New York Post is on it. In a stunning exposé, the newspaper has uncovered that some Subway outlets in New York are serving up "footlongs" that are only 11 to 11.5 inches. The Post was first alerted to the problem by an observant eater whose picture of a sandwich next to a tape measure went viral earlier this week, and the newspaper carried out its own investigation into the matter. Four out of seven so-called "footlongs" purchased in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens came up short.

Some have speculated that subs end up shorter when they're toasted, but the Post found no evidence of that. The newspaper also learned that cold-cut portion sizes have been cut by 25% recently, thanks to increased food costs, according to a franchise owner. Needless to say, some customers the Post spoke to were none too pleased: "They're cheating us!" says a guy who eats at Subway every other day. (The newspaper points out that, after a year of his eating habits, the lost inch per sandwich will end up "costing" him $100.) But others remained unfazed: "It’s probably good that it’s not a whole foot long—I don’t think anybody needs a full foot-long sandwich," says another customer. (More Subway stories.)