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Subway restaurant to recall faulty plastic plates from lobster promo, offers vouchers

Published: 04 Dec. 2025, 18:55 Updated: 04 Dec. 2025, 19:42

Subway's lobster sandwich ad featuring hip-hop trio Epik High [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A promotional lobster-themed plate distributed by Subway Korea is expected to be recalled after Korea’s food safety authority launched an investigation into customer complaints about the product's quality.

According to industry sources Thursday, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety began looking into the plate on Nov. 24, shortly after media reports alleged that the lobster image printed on the plate peeled off when in contact with food or water.

The plate was handed out as a limited-time promotional item to customers who purchased a 17,900 won ($12) sandwich set from Subway’s seasonal “Lobster Sandwich Collection.” Customers began reporting that the plate’s printed design came off during use or dishwashing.

“The product was confirmed to have been imported in three separate shipments last month,” an official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said. “There were no formal reports or requests from the manufacturer, but we proceeded with the investigation on our own judgment.”

The ministry plans to issue a recall order and post an official notice on its Food Safety Korea website.

Subway had previously said it commissioned an independent inspection of the plate and would take action depending on the results. However, as of Thursday, no additional requests had been submitted to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for further testing.

The promotional image of the plate offered with Subway’s lobster sandwich’ purchase, left, and a plate with its design rubbed off after holding food. [JOONGANG ILBO]

“The external inspection has not yet identified the cause, but we understand the ministry’s investigation is proceeding separately,” a Subway spokesperson told the JoongAng Ilbo.

Regardless of the ongoing inspection, Subway has begun offering compensation to customers. The company said that “defects were identified in some of the lobster plates distributed as promotional items between Nov. 18 and 24,” and is offering an 8,000 won sandwich voucher to anyone who purchased a lobster or lobster-and-shrimp sandwich during that period and received the plate.

The application period for compensation runs from Dec. 9 to 22.

Subway opened its first location in Korea in 1991 under a master franchise agreement and established its Korean corporate office in 2005. The company reached 100 locations in 2014 and currently operates 656 stores nationwide as of Thursday.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY NOH YU-RIM [[email protected]]