Media outlets all over the place are telling people about “free sandwiches for life.” Even People Magazine’s headline [1] shouts, “Subway Will Give You Free Sandwiches for Life If You Legally Change Your Name to ‘Subway.’”
Wow. It sounds like a great deal. It actually sounds like the solution to America’s hunger problem and feeding the homeless. I seriously considered the option for about five minutes but decided it would be too problematic to change so many documents, my Facebook page name and it would just be one big headache.
But as you have probably guessed, it’s all in the fine print. While it might sound like the offer is open to everyone, when you read the “official” rules, you will see the promotion is a sweepstakes with only one winner.
And in the fine print, the official rules [2], it says that the winner will receive $50,000 worth of Subway gift cards. Depending on how many family members, co-workers and friends want to scarf down on your free subs, chips and drinks, that offer may only last a few years, not your entire lifetime.
Even if you decide NOT to share any Subway food winnings with anyone, if I remember correctly, the last time I got a footlong sub, chips, a cookie and a drink, it was about $12.00. With $50,000 worth of gift cards, that’s about 4166 Subway visits. If I go twice a week, that’s 104 visits a year. That’s only 40 years. While that may cover the remainder of MY life since I’m older, that is definitely not free sandwiches for life for a 20, 30 or 40-year-old winner.
However, if you’re still interested in entering the contest, it begins [3] at 9:00 a.m. EST on August 1st and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on August 4th. The name of the winner will be drawn on or about August 7th.
You have to be 18-years-old or older to enter the contest and If you win, you have four months to change your name through Legalzoom. In addition to the $50,000 food cards, the winner will get a check or prepaid card for $750 to reimburse them for the cost of them legally changing first name to “Subway.”
Subway will be doing a background check to make sure the winner is not a seedy character (or Trump supporter) and can disqualify the winner based on said background check.
The prize will be fulfilled approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks after winner is confirmed and the name change is verified to the sponsor’s satisfaction.
Reading through the rules, I have found no information on how long you have to keep the name “Subway” so it’s possible you only have to keep the name for the six weeks mentioned above – basically until you get the gift cards.
And, of course, the government will come a calling. The rules also state, “Winner will be solely responsible for all federal, state and/or local taxes, and for any other fees or costs associated with the prize received, regardless of whether they, in whole or in part, are used.”