Subway 6 Inch vs Footlong (UK): Which Size Is Better Value?
Standing at the counter, wondering whether to go up a size? Here’s the quick answer. In most UK branches, the footlong is the better deal. It costs roughly 55% to 63% more than the matching 6-inch, but you get double the sub, so the cost per inch drops by about a fifth.
That’s the headline in the Subway 6 inch vs footlong debate, but there are a few wrinkles. Meal deals change the maths, a Saver Sub can undercut both sizes, and a footlong only saves you money if you actually finish it.
Below you’ll find the numbers, the meal deal comparison, calories and some practical ways to spend less. If you want every sub priced out, our Subway footlong prices UK page lists them all.
A Quick Note on the Prices
Subway doesn’t publish one national price list in the UK. Most of its 2,000-plus stores are independently owned franchises, so the same sub can cost a little more in one town than the next. The prices here are typical in-store ranges, shown low to high. For price per inch, we’ve used the middle of each range. Check the Subway app for your own branch before you order.
Subway 6 Inch vs Footlong at a Glance
| Item | 6-inch | Footlong |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 6 inches (15cm) | 12 inches (30cm) |
| Typical price, core subs | £4.29 to £6.49 | £6.99 to £10.49 |
| Typical meal deal | from £6.99 | from £8.99 |
| Calories (examples below) | about 230 to 440 | roughly double |
| Cost per inch | about 77p to 102p | about 62p to 82p |
| Best for | Lighter lunch, adding sides, two different flavours | Big appetites, sharing, saving half for later |
Is a Subway Footlong Cheaper Than Two 6-Inch Subs?
Yes. Across the core menu, one footlong typically costs between £1.59 and £2.69 less than two 6-inch subs of the same type. That’s roughly a fifth off.
| Sub | Two 6-inch subs | One footlong | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veggie Delite | £8.58 to £9.98 | £6.99 to £7.99 | £1.59 to £1.99 |
| Turkey Breast | £9.98 to £11.58 | £7.99 to £8.99 | £1.99 to £2.59 |
| Italian B.M.T. | £10.58 to £11.98 | £8.49 to £9.49 | £2.09 to £2.49 |
| Philly Steak | £11.58 to £12.98 | £9.29 to £10.29 | £2.29 to £2.69 |
The percentage saving stays similar whichever sub you pick, but the pound saving grows with the price. A Philly Steak footlong saves you the most in cash, and a Veggie Delite the least.
There’s one fair exception. If two people want different fillings, two 6-inch subs is the only practical route, because a footlong usually comes with a single filling.
Is a Footlong Better Value Than a 6-Inch at Subway?
On price per inch, yes. The sum is simple: divide the price by the length. Using the middle of each typical range:
| Sub | 6-inch price | Cost per inch | Footlong price | Cost per inch | Cheaper per inch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veggie Delite | £4.64 | 77p | £7.49 | 62p | 19% |
| Turkey Breast | £5.39 | 90p | £8.49 | 71p | 21% |
| Italian B.M.T. | £5.64 | 94p | £8.99 | 75p | 20% |
| Philly Steak | £6.14 | 102p | £9.79 | 82p | 20% |
Whichever filling you choose, the footlong gives you better value for money by about 20%. The advantage holds at both the low and high ends of the price ranges, so it doesn’t depend on a lucky branch.
How Much More Is a Footlong Than a 6-Inch at Subway UK?
About £3 more, give or take. For the same sub, the footlong typically costs:
- Veggie Delite: £2.70 to £3.00 more
- Turkey Breast and Meatball Marinara: £3.00 to £3.20 more
- Italian B.M.T.: £3.20 to £3.50 more
- Philly Steak: £3.50 to £3.80 more
As a percentage, that’s roughly 55% to 63% extra for 100% more sub. Signature Series footlongs sit higher still, at around £8.49 to £10.49. In big cities, where prices tend to run 5% to 10% above the national average, the gap can be a little wider in pounds, even though the percentage stays about the same.
Is a Footlong Exactly Double a 6-Inch?
On the ruler, yes: 12 inch (30cm) against 6 inches (15cm). Subway UK’s published nutrition tables treat one footlong as two 6-inch servings, so the fillings, calories and protein are designed to double as well. Subs are built by hand in store, though, so don’t expect to weigh them to the gram.
The price, however, is not double. A footlong usually costs about 1.55 to 1.63 times the 6-inch price, and that gap is where the value comes from.
Is the Subway Footlong Meal Deal Worth It?
Usually, yes, if you’ll eat the whole thing. The Subway 6 inch meal deal vs footlong meal deal comparison looks like this on headline prices:
- 6-inch meal deal: from £6.99
- Footlong meal deal: from £8.99
- Wrap or salad meal deal: from £7.49
Each deal bundles a sub with a drink and a side (crisps, a cookie or hash browns). Stepping up from the 6-inch deal to the footlong deal costs £2.00 on those headline prices. Upgrading a sub on its own costs £2.70 to £3.80, so the meal deal is the cheaper place to go big.
Here’s a rough illustration using low-end prices for a Veggie Delite, crisps (£1.29) and a dispensed drink (£1.70):
- 6-inch bought separately: £4.29 + £1.29 + £1.70 = £7.28, against a deal from £6.99, so you save about 29p.
- Footlong bought separately: £6.99 + £1.29 + £1.70 = £9.98, against a deal from £8.99, so you save about £1.
The bundle rewards the bigger sub. If you’d leave half the footlong on the tray, though, the 6-inch deal is the smarter order. Our Subway meal deals guide covers the current combos, including app-only offers.
How Many Calories Are in a Footlong Compared With a 6-Inch?
Roughly double. Here are four popular subs, with the footlong figure doubled from the 6-inch:
| Sub | 6-inch (kcal) | Footlong (kcal, approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Veggie Delite | about 227 | about 450 |
| Turkey Breast | about 312 | about 625 |
| Italian B.M.T. | about 431 | about 860 |
| Meatball Marinara | about 430 to 440 | about 860 to 880 |
Cheese, mayo and other sauces, double meat, extra toppings and toasting all push the total up, so treat these as base figures for a standard build.
It helps to think of portion size this way: a footlong isn’t a bigger roll, it’s two lunches. A 6-inch Veggie Delite at around 230 calories is a light bite.
A Meatball Marinara footlong at well over 800 is a full meal for most people. Protein scales with the filling, so if you’re after a high-protein lunch, the footlong delivers, as long as the total suits your day.
Can I Share a Subway Footlong?
Yes, and it’s one of the best-value moves on the menu. Ask the team to cut it in half. On mid-range Turkey Breast prices, that’s about £4.25 each, against about £5.40 for a 6-inch each. You save roughly £1.15 apiece.
The catch is the filling. A footlong usually has one filling, so both halves match. If you each want something different, two 6-inch subs is the way. Sides, drinks and a cookie are best ordered separately so each person gets what they want.
Is It Cheaper to Order a Footlong and Eat Half Later?
On paper, yes. The second half costs about £3.10 extra (mid-range Turkey Breast, footlong against 6-inch), which is much less than a second 6-inch. In practice, it only works if you’ll really eat it. Most of us have abandoned a half-sub in a bag for a bit too long.
If you’re going to try it:
- Ask for it cut in half and wrapped so it’s ready to store.
- Keep it chilled. Meat fillings should go in a fridge and be eaten the same day.
- Choose fillings that cope with waiting. Cold-cut subs like the Italian B.M.T. or Turkey Breast hold up better than a toasted Meatball Marinara, which is at its best fresh and hot.
Is a 6-Inch Enough for Lunch?
For plenty of people, yes. On the examples above, a 6-inch lands between roughly 230 and 440 calories before sides. Add a drink and crisps, or go for a meal deal, and it becomes a normal lunch. You can browse every option on our Subway 6-inch menu page.
The 6-inch is the better pick when:
- You have a smaller appetite or want tighter control over calories.
- You want two different flavours across the meal.
- You’re pairing it with sides or a cookie.
- You’d rather not carry the leftovers around.
Choose the footlong for a long shift, a post-gym refuel, or any time you know you’ll finish it. The honest answer to “is a Subway footlong worth it?” is yes, when you’re properly hungry, and no when it ends up in the bin.
What Is the Cheapest Way to Eat at Subway UK?
The cheapest way to eat at Subway UK isn’t always a footlong. These options are worth knowing:
- Saver Subs: The lowest prices on the menu, including the Triple Cheese Toastie at £2.79, the BLT Saver Sub and Ham & Cheese Toastie at £2.99, and the Nacho Chicken Saver Sub at £3.49. See the full Subway Saver Subs menu.
- Split a footlong: Covered above, and usually the cheapest way to get a proper sub.
- Sub of the Day: Many stores run a rotating daily offer on a 6-inch or footlong. Check the app, because availability varies.
- Meal deals: From £6.99 for a 6-inch and from £8.99 for a footlong. Footlong deals occasionally drop below £8 during promotions.
- Student discount: Many branches take 10% to 15% off with a valid student card, UNiDAYS or Student Beans, but it varies by store, so ask first.
- Free veg: Extra vegetables cost nothing, which makes a 6-inch feel more like a full meal.
- Cookies in threes: Three cookies cost £2.79, against £1.39 each, so three for the price of two.
Is Subway Cheaper in the App Than in Store?
Sometimes. The app doesn’t change a store’s menu prices, but the deals inside it can. Subway Rewards and digital offers are exclusive to the app, which also lets you order ahead and collect. Offers rotate, and they have included footlong-specific discounts.
One past Rewards deal took £3 off a footlong, valid once at participating UK restaurants and not combinable with other offers.
Delivery is a different story. Menus on Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat are set by the store and can be higher than the counter price, before you add fees.
A fixed delivery charge also makes a single footlong look better than one 6-inch, but compare the total, not just the sub. For the best in-store vs. delivery price, collect through the app.
Are Subway Prices the Same in Every UK Store?
No. Because most stores are franchises, prices can differ by 5% to 10% or more between locations, and London and other major cities tend to be dearer.
The same 6-inch Italian B.M.T. can cost £5.29 in one town and £5.99 in the next. A £8.49 footlong could be roughly £8.90 to £9.30 in central London. The footlong saving still holds at both ends of the ranges above.
So, Which Should You Order?
Go footlong if you’re hungry, sharing, or happy to save half for later. It’s cheaper per inch on every sub we compared, and it makes the meal deal better value too.
Go 6-inch if you want a lighter lunch, two flavours, or the lowest bill. Saver Subs and Sub of the Day offers can make it the cheapest route of all.
Whichever you choose, check the app first, because Subway footlong vs 6 inch pricing can shift with local franchise pricing and with the deals running that week. If calories are part of your decision, our Subway menu with calories guide has the full breakdown.
