What It Means When Your Subway Sandwich Has A Wing Effect

For years, Subway has made its name through the customization available to customers who can choose their bread and then make their way down a line of meats, vegetables, and toppings. Working with behind-the-counter sandwich artists, customers create their perfect sub sandwich. Despite Subway introducing a dozen sandwiches that can be ordered with a pre-determined set of ingredients, known as the Subway Series, in order to speed up the ordering process (via CNN), customization still remains a stalwart in the Subway experience. 

And, of course, that also means secret menu choices will remain available to the savvy Subway consumer. One of those choices, though, dubbed the wing effect, is more about the style of the sandwich than its substance. As described at Rather-Be-Shopping.com, the so-called wing effect is created when the meat is laid flat across both sides of the bread, with the excess hanging out of the side of the sandwich, giving the appearance of meaty wings.

The wing effect appears to do nothing more than "[allow] you to nibble on the meat before taking a big bite out of your sub," as the seemingly mystified Rather-Be-Shopping.com notes. Similarly confused about the wing effect is #HackThe Menu, which suggests it is "for the extremely particular sandwich connoisseur." Wide Open Eats gives scant attention to the wing effect, in a two-sentence explanation that it allows "you to take a bite of meat before bread."

In the end, Secret Menu Source is one of the few places offering an explanation in support of the wing effect. The site gamely suggests that in addition to offering a chance to nibble at the meat before diving into the sandwich, the wing effect provides an opportunity to "pick at it and peel it away only to shove it in your mouth a few seconds later. Food should be fun after all!"