Harry Kozlovsky, the owner of the Subway franchises in Baltimore and Rockville, says that it's been difficult in this economic climate to find new customers. Kozlovsky adds that many Orthodox private schools buy from cheaper dairy restaurants or less expensive in-house caterers.

"We do advertise and ultimately we will get more play once the economy turns around," he says. "Jewish day-school tuition is $10,000 to $15,000 a year and most are not looking to spend extra money." Koslovsky's recently opened Rockville Subway did land its first religious-school client last week, and that school's rabbi expects to order Subway lunches every month.

"The kids thought it was amazing -- and we never hear that about a lunch," says Rabbi David Serkin of the Hebrew Day School in Silver Springs, Md. On Oct. 19, the school decided to put together a "festive meal" for its students by ordering turkey, bologna and salami subs with tomato, lettuce and pickles. Subway charged $4.80 per meal.

The Baltimore Subway frequently caters special lunches for Yeshiva students who have completed portions of Torah study. The rabbis bring their kids to Subway as a reward -- and as an alternative to daily dairy meals of macaroni and cheese or pizza.

Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, is not impressed with serving Subway sandwiches -- kosher or otherwise -- in school cafeterias. "The mind boggles," she says. "I put this in the same category as artificial meat products for vegans. We still aren't talking fruits and vegetables here. I leave it to the rabbis and Talmudic scholars to figure out whether this is an appropriate option."