Popular Publix chicken tender sub Twitter account returns

FLORIDA – If there’s one single food item that brings all Floridians, from all walks of life, together, it’s the Publix chicken tender sub, known affectionately as the “Pub Sub.”

However, shockwaves were sent throughout the Pub Sub community in the beginning of April when a popular fan account, “Are Publix Chicken Tender Subs On Sale,” went absolutely silent after their last post on March 11.

It was as if the chicken (tender sub) had crossed the road and never made it to the other side.

News of the account going dormant in March led to the discovery that the account, which also has a matching Facebook page, had received a cease-and-desist order from Publix objecting to a related text-message notification service. The account promised more details “later this week,” but never shared more information.

Since the realization that the account was being challenged by Publix itself went viral, nearly 100 Pub Sub-loving fans have tweeted at the account asking where they went, whether everything was “OK,” and some had even earnestly asked whether the subs might be on sale.

How could they live without knowing?

According to Fresh Take Florida News, the account is run by 26-year-old University of Central Florida graduate and customer experience advocate at Postscript, Bryan Dickey. It turns out the account is connected to an actual company he created called PubSub Creative LLC, which is described as a “niche digital community around Publix subs.”

Regardless, it is not clear whether the fight is over, such as whether Publix might pursue Dickey in court.

However, after days, even weeks of silence — the unexpected happened. The account returned.

On April 27, the accounted tweeted a fist representing solidarity encased in a heart shape made of loaves of bread with the simple caption, “thank you.”

The tweet racked up nearly 2,000 likes, and then, in a thread tweet, they shared, “btw... Yes. Publix Chicken Tender subs are $6.99 (4/29-5/5).”

It’s back. And Pub Sub Chicken Tender sub sandwiches are on sale.