Iconic New York eateries are saying goodbye to the MetroCard with delicious food promos for New Yorkers to enjoy throughout the rest of the year, the MTA announced on Friday.
The MTA partnered with six restaurants and retailers synonymous with NYC for a months-long celebration to honor the MetroCard’s 31-year history while welcoming subway and bus riders into the era of tap-and-go payment.
Carvel, Golden Krust, Zabar’s, Gong cha, Alidoro, and Stretch Pizza by Wylie Dufresne are the companies participating in the historic, transit-themed promo. They are now offering an array of meals, desserts and beverages on their menus so customers can bid a tasty adieu to the MetroCard before it goes extinct on Dec. 31.
“We’re sending the MetroCard off in style with a farewell campaign that is worthy of an icon by partnering with some of the City’s most celebrated food vendors,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “MetroCard has served us well, but we’re excited for the future of tap-and-ride.”
Featured MetroCard-themed items from the eateries include:
- Alidoro – The La Tessera sandwich (“the card” in Italian): crispy chicken cutlet, sweet soppressata, fresh mozzarella, Calabrian chili vodka sauce and garlic pesto cream on a toasted semolina baguette. The sandwich will go on sale Nov. 3.
- Carvel – MetroCard Flying Saucer, free MetroCard Sprinkles with mention of the MetroCard and purchase of scooped or soft serve ice cream, and custom cakes with edible MetroCard and Cardvaark images.
- Golden Krust – With purchase of Golden Krust’s signature Jamaican-style patty, customers will receive a free Jamaican coco bread.
- Gong cha – “The M Tea A Drink,” inspired by Gong cha’s signature Milk Foam Green Tea. The limited edition drink combines green tea, pearls, blue milk foam made with butterfly pea flower, and chocolate powder MTA logo, echoes the colors of the iconic MetroCard.
- Stretch Pizza (by Wylie Dufresne) – The Metro pizza has vodka sauce, fior di latte cheese, chicken cutlet, spicy Calabrian chili, garlic pesto cream and grated parm.
- Zabar’s – The famous grocery store will have MetroCard and Cardvaark cookies.
Just one day after the promo started, Carvel Woodside was already selling the MetroCard Flying Saucers, which are round ice cream sandwiches. They feature vanilla ice cream with blue and yellow sprinkles between two crunchy chocolate cookies.
Store manager Jessica Wong shared her thoughts on the MetroCard entering retirement.
“I think this is something that is very nostalgic,” Wong said. “This is the last year for the MetroCard, and we just want to celebrate.”
More MetroCard fun
Through the end of 2025, riders can look forward to special pop-up customer outreach events across the city at stations, customer service centers and some MTA Sessions, where riders can pose with MetroCard, token and tap-and-ride props. Riders will also hear some famous New Yorkers bid farewell to the MetroCard.
The New York Transit Museum will commemorate the end of MetroCard sales with MetroCard-themed products. MTA licensee Only NY will be releasing MetroCard merchandise later this year.
The MTA announced earlier this year that the final day for MetroCard sales and distribution will be Dec. 31, as the OMNY contactless tap-and-ride payment system fully replaces the three-decade old swipe system. Commuters pay with OMNY on trains and buses using their phones, contactless credit and debit cards, and OMNY cards.
OMNY cards can be purchased at vending machines in subway stations and select retailers in the city.
The transition to OMNY coincides with a January fare hike for subways and local buses. Fares will increase from $2.90 to $3; reduced fare rides would increase from $1.45 to $1.50.
Additionally, the express bus fare will increase by a quarter, from $7 to $7.25, and the reduced fares during off-peak hours will jump from $3.50 to $3.60.
More information about OMNY, fare increases and reduced-fare programs is at mta.info.
