Subway is ending its free sandwich promotion started in the 1980s. The restaurant chain says counterfeiters have been creating proof-of-purchase stamps and the business can no longer to afford to honor the promotion.

In the Sub Club promotion, you received a stamp on a card for every six-inch sandwich you purchased. After eight stamps, you would get a free sandwich. But online auctions are showing counterfeit Sub Club stamps for sale, some selling hundreds of stamps at a time.

Subway says a new promotion will replace the Sub Club. Each franchise has until October 1, 2005, to phase in the new promotion, which hasn't been announced yet.