Firehouse Subs is handing out free sandwiches — but only if your name is “in the Mike family.”
The popular sub chain, which has more than 1,200 locations in the US, revealed that it would give away medium sandwiches on May 6 to anyone named “Michael” or any variation, including “Mike,” “Mikey,” “Micheala,” “Michelle,” “Michele” and “Miguel,” to promote its new Steak & Cheese Melt.
The promotion quickly sparked speculation from fans that the meal was a swipe at rival Jersey Mike’s, especially after an earlier marketing email carried the subject line “Firehouse Subs Trolls Jersey Mike’s,” according to Savor Nation.
“Our own president is named Mike,” communications director Mike Vizza said in a statement, referring to executive Mike Hancock.
“We’ll let people enjoy the coincidence. We’re just focused on our guests and celebrating our new Steak & Cheese Melt.”
Hancock added the giveaway “felt like a great way” to launch the sandwich, which consists of prime rib, provolone cheese, caramelized onions and green bell peppers.
Customers will need a photo ID showing a qualifying name to redeem the offer at participating US locations.
The company also noted that “middle names count ‘if it’s on your ID,’” and that eligibility may depend on “franchisee discretion.”
The promotion is limited to participating restaurants nationwide, and the chain gave no estimate for how many free sandwiches it expects to hand out.
Firehouse Subs also did not say how long the offer will last at each location, beyond the one-day event.
If the campaign was meant as a jab at Jersey Mike’s, the company did not explain how giving free sandwiches to people named Michael amounts to a “troll.”
But fans — especially those named Mike — seemed to love it.
“Finally one day that being named Mike is beneficial,” one Instagram user wrote.
“All those years of searching for my name on a necklace or keychain, turns out my name wasn’t meant for a keychain — it was meant for a free sub at Firehouse Subs,” another added.
“If I was a boy my parents were gonna name me Mike. Does that count?” asked a third.
Meanwhile, Jersey Mike’s is making moves of its own.
The sandwich chain, which began as a small deli on the Jersey Shore, recently filed confidential paperwork for an initial public offering.
The move comes more than a year after Blackstone bought a majority stake in the company in a deal that valued it at about $8 billion.
For everyone else, it may be the one day you wish your name were Mike.
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