I swear about 30 years ago I asked my best friend to shoot me if I ever started sounding like a geezer. So here I am sounding like a geezer.

I long for a working economy. What I mean is an economy where people actually work to transform raw materials into saleable goods. An economy where craftsmenship is valued over slick marketing.

Why am I ranting? Today I went to Subway. In addition to sandwiches they also sell bags of chips for $1.00. A buck? Seriously? All anyone ever did was arrange these things on a shelf and you wanna charge me four times what I can get it for in the grocery store?

Well that's it. My rant. I don't mind paying you a coupla bucks for some actual work like cutting the potatoes and frying them. But it's insulting to me to think that you can make me buy something by dressing it up and putting it up in the window.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Hmm, I see a cardigan sweater with hard candies in the pockets in your near future . . .

How much would it cost to run a commercial deep fryer? Not just the acquistion cost, but factor in all the applicable op costs, like the gas, building and health code compliance, increased liability coverage if applicable, training costs, produce vendor contracts . . . that bag of chips that are pre-marked 99 cents start to look reasonable . . . then multiply that by the number of stores that you have across the country . . .

I'd gladly pay for someone to fry the chips and package it. What I won't pay for is for someone to put it on a shelf. I don't care how pretty that shelf looks.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

And yet, he is never adverse to buying that purty li'l thing at the table a drink!

You got a lot of longing to do dude, those days are long gone apparently.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

I think it can reasonably be argued that the value of craftsmanship went down the toilet with the introduction of scientific management. The loss of that value cannot be separated from the class conflicts of capitalism.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Do yourself a favor, don't go near a vending machine

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Or hotel room mini-bar. Last week I had a late night $1.50 can of Pepsi.

You forgot that I have to buy them (money put out and uncertain when I will get it back), store them (space = $$$), have someone put them there (time = $$$), lose it thru theft or expiration date (I have seen smaller shops toss things because they don't sell by expiration date). Also, at the grocery store, they have some of these things as "loss leaders" to bring you in. They can sell you a lot of other stuff but as Subway, I cannot.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

I understand all of the above.

I don't understand why that adds value to a bag of chips.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

It doesn't add any value to the chips except convenience. However, more cost means I either stop selling it or pass the cost to the customer.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Amen to that. Craftsmanship and originality are undervalued, but I don't see how that relates to the high price of Subway's chips.That's not all they did. They put together the whole system that makes the chips convenient for you to buy along with your sandwich. Who's to say that 75 cents is an unreasonable amount to charge for all of that?

On the whole, I'd say Subway gives good value compared to its competitors. In fact, one of the things they do well is provide quality without the frills.

It's sitting right there on the shelf, ready for you to grab it and go. You can always run down to the local market or convenience store and pick up a bigger bag for less. I don't mind paying for the convenience although I usually forego the chips.

Now fountain drinks? There's a racket!

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

If you do not think there is value in the $1 chips, then do not buy them.
If enough other people share yout view, Subway will either reduce the price, or eliminate the chips altogether.

If enough people appreciate the value, they are free to spend the $1, and you are free to visit the grocery store and buy enough chips to last you a week. But you have to plan ahead. Convenience has its cost.
Me? I fix a ham and swiss sandwhich at home while I eat my breakfast, and carry it to work, along with whatever else I want to eat. All at a far less cost tha Subway. And I do allow others to make their own choices.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Ever wonder about that . . . could one replicate a $5 footlong "at a far less cost tha Subway?"

Starting with an empty kitchen and cupboard . . . tally up the costs of purchasing ingredients, prepping (Subway bakes their bread in-store) and serving. I'm not sure that, given the economy of scale, that you'd be saving very much, particularly if waste through spoilage is included.