By Chrissy Callahan - Today
A new lawsuit filed against a popular sandwich chain gives new meaning to the term "mystery meat."
Subway, a company known for its sandwiches, has been accused that its sandwiches and
tuna
wraps
are not filled with this fish, according to The Washington Post.
The lawsuit, filed Jan. 21 in the Northern District Court of California, cites two people who allege they
"were tricked into buying food that was completely lacking in ingredients that they reasonably thought they were buying
.
[How a scammer stole $ 24 million from McDonald's jackpots]
Alameda County residents Karen Dhanowa and Nilima Amin sue Subway for fraud, willful misrepresentation and unfair enrichment.
The plaintiffs claim that independent testing of the sandwich ingredients confirmed that "the products are made from anything but tuna,"
according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by NBC News.
"Rather, the products are made from a mixture of various ingredients that do not constitute tuna, yet the defendants mixed them to mimic the appearance of tuna," the lawsuit continues.
Subway has defended its products and denies the allegations.
“The accusations in the complaint filed in California are false.
Subway serves 100% cooked tuna to its restaurants, which is mixed with mayonnaise
and used in freshly made sandwiches, wraps and salads that our customers serve and enjoy, "a Subway spokesperson told TODAY.
[A McDonald's worker allegedly spat on a policeman's hamburger. She is charged with a felony]
According to Subway's website, the chain's classic tuna sandwich contains "flaked tuna mixed with creamy mayo" and is served on freshly baked bread and then topped with fresh vegetables of your choice.
The spokesperson explained that
tuna is one of Subway's most popular products
and stated that franchisees work "tirelessly to maintain the high standards that Subway sets for all its products, including tuna."
"Subway will vigorously defend itself against these and other baseless attacks to misclassify and tarnish the high-quality products we provide to our customers, in California and around the world, and intends to combat these allegations through all avenues available. if they are not immediately denied, "the statement added.
As part of the case, the two plaintiffs are asking for damages plus attorneys' fees.
They also demand that Subway stop mislabeling its tuna sandwiches and lose any profits the company could have made by doing so.
Example of perseverance: woman works 50 years for fast food restaurant
June 18, 202001: 36
Alex J. Brown, managing attorney for commercial litigation at Lanier Law Firm, stated that the firm hopes to represent the plaintiffs.
[McDonald's dismisses its CEO for having a prohibited relationship]
Like many major chains,
Subway has faced various lawsuits over the years
.
In 2013, a Chicago man sued the restaurant for the length of his one-meter-long sandwiches, claiming that a sandwich he ordered was only 11 inches (27.9 centimeters) long.
The same year, two men from New Jersey also filed similar complaints.
A US appeals court eventually threw out the class action settlement.
Subway made headlines in October last year when the Irish Supreme Court ruled that the chain's rolls are too sugary to be considered bread.
The ruling came after a Subway franchisee tried to challenge a takeout tax.
A Subway spokesperson claimed that "Subway bread is, of course, bread."
With information from The Washington Post.