MOSES LAKE — Rudy Deleon’s Subway store in Moses Lake recently received the company’s “gold standard” award for offering great customer service and a great product, he said.

“2008 was a good year,” he noted. “These awards are hard to get. This is Subway we’re talking about.”

The award isn’t about profits at all, he noted.

“When you’re dealing with Subway, it has to be very strategic to what they want. We met those guidelines in 2008.”

The honor can be accomplished by receiving no complaints. The store tried to excel by not getting any, he noted.

A Subway field representative visits the store monthly to ensure its up to standard and following proper procedure.

He acknowledged his employees for their work.

“It was based on them,” Deleon said. “They’re the ones on the front lines.”

His employees are: Amanda Austin, Whitney Olsen, Rebekah Lutz, Tony Louthan, Amy Johnson, Lia Triboulet, Veronika Vyakhk and Katarina Lyamin.

They have remained working for him because he trained them, he noted.

Some of the store’s regulars even come in twice a day.

“That’s why they’re regulars,” Deleon added.

His wife, Anastsiya Deleon, is his business partner.