Store Chain Fights Subway Over Footlong

Iowa - An Iowa-based convenience store has asked a federal judge to rule that the word footlong is part of the general English language and not the special property of the Subway restaurant chain. Ankeny-based Casey’s General Stores Inc. filed a lawsuit against Subway in U.S. District Court in Des Moines seeking a declaration that Casey’s use of the word footlong to describe its 12-inch-long sandwiches doesn’t violate any right owned by Subway. Casey’s describes sandwiches as footlong on menu boards at about 180 stores, and intends to roll it out in all of its 1,600 stores in the Midwest. More…