Subway wants someone to find a space rock. In exchange, it’s offering free sandwiches for a year.
The sandwich chain just launched a contest called the “I Found A Meatier Program,” tied to the Lyrid Meteor Shower, which is estimated to peak around April 22 (on the night of April 21 into the early morning of April 22, 2026).
Anyone who finds a Lyrid meteorite, photographs it, and records the date, time, and GPS coordinates (only if this is available) can submit proof via the campaign website ifoundameatier.com during the contest window, which ends April 25.
The first person to submit a reasonable entry will then enter the validation phase, which ends on October 27. At this point, the entrant must have their submission verified by an approved scientific institution to claim the prize, which is a free Subway for a year, awarded in the form of $2,600 in Subway gift cards.
Chief Marketing Officer Dave Skena pitched the incentive as follows: “Enjoy 40g of freshly sliced protein for $6 and keep your eyes peeled, because finding a Lyrid meteorite earns you something better than fame and notoriety: you’re getting freshly made, delicious and free Subway for a Year.”
The contest is loosely tied to Subway’s new Protein Pockets, though the meteorite angle is doing most of the promotional heavy lifting. Recent fireball sightings and sonic booms across the US have apparently put meteor hunting on people’s radar, which gave Subway an opening.
Actually finding one is another matter. Meteorites do occasionally survive the fall and get recovered, but the odds of locating a specific one from a specific shower are about as low as they sound.
Subway isn’t the only brand running big giveaways this year. PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew is leveraging MLB stats by offering fans a free Baja Blast every time a home run clears 420 feet, while Jack in the Box is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a $75,000 grand prize sweepstakes.
Sources: PR Newswire, Subway, Space, PepsiCo, Jack in the Box