Elizabeth Warren Gets Lauded — And Trolled — For Taking On $10B 'Big Sandwich' PE Deal That Aims To Club Subway, Jimmy John's And Arby's Under One Roof

The $10 billion dollar buyout of privately-held Subway by Roark Capital, which has in its portfolio Jimmy John’s and Arby’s, has come under the scrutiny of the Federal Trade Commission on the premise that it would create a sandwich shop monopoly.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Sunday voiced her opinion on the development takeover in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

What Happened: “We don’t need another private equity deal that could lead to higher food prices for consumers,” Warren said. The FTC is right to investigate whether the purchase of Subway by the same firm that owns Jimmy John’s and Arby’s create a sandwich shop monopoly, she added.

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Stand With Lizzy: A X platform user going by the handle @Jack_Raines said, “I applaud Elizabeth Warren for taking a stand against big sandwich.” “Being a senator is a thankless job, but I stand with you, Lizzy,” he added.

He shared an anecdote to underline the negative consequences of the potential combination. The user apparently visited his local “bodega” for a Philly cheese stake sandwich and was told by his sandwich maker it wasn’t available. When probed, the vendor pointed to the TV and whispered “big sandwich,” referring to Roark executives appearing on CNBC to explain the deal.

“Small business owners would no longer be able to compete, as hungry consumers would certainly flock from miles to Subway and Jimmy Johns for their higher quality food, kinder employees, and better restaurant ambience,” the social media user said.

Government’s Targeting Slammed: Commenting on Warren’s post, All-In podcast moderator Jason Calacanis said the government is focused on the “foot-long industrial complex.” Tagging FTC Chair Lina Khan, he asked if the federal agency is considering taking on salads and Starbucks next.

The angel investor said if there was a theoretical monopoly, people can always make a sandwich at home for $3. “Also, maybe if you removed regulations, lowered taxes, & reduced government spending, folks could start.. ummm… sandwich shops and compete!,” he said.

Khan has come under severe criticism from Republicans over her tough stance on tech giants. In late September, the FTC filed an antitrust lawsuit against e-commerce giant Amazon, Inc. AMZN, urging the judge to “put an end to Amazon’s illegal course of conduct, pry loose Amazon’s monopolistic control, deny Amazon the fruits of its unlawful practices, and restore the lost promise of competition.”

Photo by Sheila Fitzgerald on Shutterstock

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