Subway is bringing back its discounted footlong promotion as the fast-food industry struggles with sluggish sales due to persistent inflation.

Over the past year, restaurant chains have been working to attract customers frustrated with rising prices. While some brands have found success through limited-time promotions, others—such as McDonald's, Chili's, and Taco Bell—have drawn customers in with value meal offerings. Consumers remain willing to spend, but only when they feel they’re getting good value for their money.

Starting Friday, Subway will offer any footlong sandwich for $6.99 for a limited time—a significant discount, given that some footlongs can cost up to $14 in certain cities. However, the deal is only available through the Subway app or website using the promo code “699FL.”

Subway, owned by a private equity firm, does not frequently disclose sales figures like its publicly traded competitors. However, the company acknowledges that inflation has impacted business.

“People are still mindful of their spending but don’t want to compromise on quality, portion size, or taste when eating on the go,” said Doug Fry, president of Subway North America, in a press release. “With the return of the $6.99 ‘Any Footlong’ deal, Subway delivers all three—fresh, flavorful sandwiches at an outstanding value.”

Fry’s statement aligns with sentiments shared by other fast-food executives in recent earnings calls. McDonald’s noted a slow start to the year, partly due to lower-income consumers cutting back on spending, while Wendy’s reported facing industry-wide declines in foot traffic.

To appeal to budget-conscious customers, Subway has been expanding its menu with lower-priced items. The company recently introduced $3 Dippers and Sidekick snacks priced between $2 and $5. Last month, Subway also added a footlong Oreo cookie to its Sidekick lineup.

The chain has experimented with different promotions, with mixed results. Last year, a $6.99 meal deal, which included a six-inch sub, a drink, and either chips or cookies, was discontinued earlier than expected due to underwhelming performance. In its place, Subway introduced a similarly priced “meal of the day” option in January, which remains available.

In recent years, Subway has also focused on menu customization, digital ordering via its app, global expansion, and the introduction of freshly sliced meats—marking a shift from its previous practice of using pre-sliced deli meats.