Receipt paper has been the subject of a variety of viral social media posts recently. Some workers have urged customers to stop asking for their paper receipts, claiming that prolonged exposure to the paper has led to medical issues.
In other videos, a printing error caused a hilarious outpour of tickets being printed for hours on end, showing why it’s always a good idea to keep the cash register stocked with a roll of paper in order to avoid a similar conundrum.
Now, TikToker @qveeeen.a posted a video that has racked up more than 592,000 views that also features receipt paper. At first, the clip innocuously shows a Taco Bell order receipt but quickly reveals that the back of the paper has the Subway logo on it. The video is set to an Original Sound by Quay, which ponders, “If 2 + 2 is 4. And 5 + 5 is 10. Then what the f*ck is this?”
@qveeeen.a Cuz are they stealing them ppl receipt paper?! 😭 #fyp #funny ♬ original sound – Quay🀄️
This led one user to speculate on the issue, commenting, “Times is harddd booo.” Another agreed, “BYE THEY FELL ON HARD TIMES.”
There has been a tremendous amount of talk in the past couple of years about “Supply Chain Issues.” Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, videos of empty shelves at the supermarket flooded the internet, like this one, which features a comedian portraying Donald Trump criticizing barren stores.
The supply chain affects grocery retailers and restaurants alike. In simple terms, a supply chain is the journey from raw material to order fulfillment, and for restaurants, this includes everything from equipment to branded cups and napkins, receipt paper, and more.
America’s supply chain has struggled in the past few years due to rising costs of production, labor shortages, and overall inflation.
However, an article published in Forbes claims “the U.S. Restaurant Industry Has Bounded Back from Covid At Every Level From Fast Food To Fine Dining.” While 62% of restaurant decision-makers cite inflation and difficulty acquiring food or supplies as business challenges. A whopping 8 out of 10 said they feel they are doing financially better than expected. This statistic may be why some users believe there are other reasons at play for this Taco Bell/Subway receipt fiasco.
One user speculated that Taco Bell and Subway are both owned by the same parent company, so, presumably, it’s only natural that they would share resources in such a manner.
Upon further investigation, this is not true. Taco Bell is owned by YUM BRANDS, which also owns Pizza Hut and KFC, while Subway is owned independently by a company called Doctors Associates, Inc.
Other users in the comments said they have worked in fast food and seemed to indicate that this was probably just a friendly gesture by a neighboring restaurant.
“They ran outta receipt paper so they asked Subway,” a user shared. “When I worked at KFC we had to borrow bags from arbys.”
Another restaurant worker commented, “I work at whataburger and we was using chickfila straws.”
“Tell me you’ve never worked food service,” one TikTok user shared. “Borrowing from a neighbor happens all the time.”
Another shared a more wholesome sentiment, writing, “Sharing is caring.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @qveeeen.a via TikTok comment and Taco Bell and Subway via email.
