Yesterday I was rummaging through an ancient backup drive when I found a text file from 15 years ago. Inside sat an email I had bravely, or foolishly, addressed to the chief executive of Subway. I had eaten there a handful of times, spotted a pattern, and decided the top guy needed my young adult wisdom. Reading it now makes my cheeks warm, but cringe is a good teacher, so here we go.
Dear Director,
In all my visits to Subway stores I have noticed that your employees seem quite sad. At first I thought it was because I took too long to choose my condiments or something like that and that this bothered the attendants, but after watching other customers more closely I realized the ordering process itself can be stressful for the staff.
I do not know your employee‑motivation policies, but I believe they could be reviewed so everyone comes out ahead.
I must admit I do not feel entirely comfortable with the ordering procedure. Perhaps an optional form could let customers tick the items they want and hand it to the attendant. The customer could still watch the sandwich being assembled, asking for more or less of a condiment, and the whole process might move faster and put less stress on the attendants.
Best regards,
Diego Dotta
Yes, I really suggested a paper checklist so I would not stress the staff by naming veggies under pressure. ✋😊
Why I am sharing this fossil
I keep these artifacts around to remind myself that the impulse to fix everything is both a gift and a hazard. Fifteen years later I still spot pain points in random systems, but I try to ask first, build later, and send fewer midnight missives to unsuspecting CEOs. I remember doing this more than once, sometimes searching for emails of C-level people at those companies and sending random ideas or complaints.
Also, if you have a forgotten folder full of old emails, open it. You will meet a past version of yourself who thought laminated order sheets were the answer to world peace. It is humbling, hilarious, and strangely motivating.
Now I am going to grab a sandwich and see if anyone looks even slightly happier. If they do, I will choose to believe my letter changed the course of history. If they do not, I will quietly enjoy my onions and move on.
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