Being clever on Twitter seems to be a never-ending job for fast food chains. Wendy’s, for instance, is especially savage. But it’s not always easy to hit the mark.
Such is the case with this confusing tweet Subway posted Thursday, and now people are convinced the company was implying BDSM.
“In 2017 we subbed, we loved, and we sub-loved. All in all, pretty good year,” the tweet says.
In 2017 we subbed, we loved, and we sub-loved. All in all, pretty good year.
— Subway® (@SUBWAY) December 28, 2017
“Subbing” can mean all kinds of things. It can, for instance, refer to what a substitute teacher, or really anyone filling in for someone else’s job, does. It can be a sandwich. But once you combine “sub” with “love”— and especially “sub-love”—it’s not a far stretch to start thinking about the more erotic definition.
People on Twitter reacted like the tweet had sexual connotations.
https://twitter.com/lighttrax/status/946435353237491712
https://twitter.com/zxFlint/status/946433478828134401
https://twitter.com/EmoJortsGirl/status/946426643580702726
Subway… oh… oh no…
— wak attack (@WakWar) December 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/aikii/status/946432882339450880
https://twitter.com/puppysona/status/946437966934740994
Subway replied to some of the tweets as if its account is run by a grandma who has no idea what people are talking about.
Subbing is our life too
— Subway® (@SUBWAY) December 28, 2017
this is a family friendly account ok
— Subway® (@SUBWAY) December 28, 2017
Although maybe the company does know, and it’s just trolling?
*adds tally to big chalkboard*
— Subway® (@SUBWAY) December 28, 2017
ANOTHER ONE, BOYS
Some people used the tweet to talk about entirely different issues.
https://twitter.com/lisejohanne/status/946467898868060166
https://twitter.com/ramzythemd/status/946425949947662342
And SUBstituted soy for for protien
— CMC (@wanderthru) December 28, 2017
The verdict is still out on what Subway intended with the tweet. Maybe whoever is running their account was sleepy and just tried to cram the word “sub” into a tweet about the new year.
Or maybe—just maybe—Subway has been a very naughty restaurant this year.