We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (2024)

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Martha Sorren

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (1)

Across the country, in towns big and small, people are still filing into popular chain sandwich stores to buy subs.

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According to foodservice research company Technomic's 2017 chain restaurant study, reported on by Restaurant Business magazine, sandwich sales increased 2.9% over the previous year.

But with hundreds of chains to choose from, how is anyone expected to find the best? We put four chains to the test to see which one you should buy.

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To be consistent, we chose the Italian sandwich at all four restaurants.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (3)

We got all of them untoasted, on white bread, topped with tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise, oil, and vinegar.

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Subway was the cheapest, but one of the smallest sandwiches.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (4)

Subway ranked No. 1 on Technomic's top sandwich restaurant chains and No. 3 in all chain categories.

Subway is cheap and consistent — you know what you're going to get, and you're not going to spend too much.

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The six-inch Italian B.M.T cost $4.85.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (5)

The flavor was decent, and you get each ingredient in every bite because of how it's layered. The bread didn't taste very fresh, though, which made the sandwich drier.

Jimmy John's had the biggest sandwich for the cheapest price.

Menu item No. 5, the "Perfect Italian" sandwich, at Jimmy John's cost $6.29 and was eight inches. The biggest complaint we had with this sandwich is its construction.

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The lettuce was put on first, resulting in some bites that are lettuce only.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (7)

The heavier ingredients slide out while you're eating since they're stacked closer to the front.

Everything tasted good, but it was messy eating, and not every bite had the meat for which Italian sandwiches are famous.

Jersey Mike's subs were the most expensive by far.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (8)

This eight-inch sandwich was $8.75. They also sell a smaller, four-to-five-inch sandwich for $6.29. So for the same price you can get an eight-inch sandwich at Jimmy John's or something half the size at Jersey Mike's.

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The biggest issue with the Jersey Mike's sub was the oil and vinegar.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (9)

They dump so much on your sandwich that it totally overwhelms the flavor. You're basically just tasting a vinegar sub.

It's called Mike's Way, which apparently means it's the intended amount for the sandwich, but it's a bummer when you're eating it.

Here's what just holding the sandwich does to your fingers.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (10)

Aside from the condiment issue, the sandwich ingredients are good, and it's large — but pretty expensive, and messy, for what you get.

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Potbelly was $5.65 for a six-inch sub.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (11)

The potbelly bread was the heartiest of the breads, and it tasted very fresh. The composition and price of this sandwich was also hard to compete with.

The meat was perfectly wrapped around the whole inside.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (12)

You get meat in every bite, but not too thick a layer as in the Subway and Jersey Mike's subs, which stack all the meat on one half of the bread. The toppings are also neatly tucked inside so nothing falls out.

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The verdict: Potbelly is the winner.

We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (13)

You're getting a delicious sandwich for not too much money at Potbelly, though prices vary from state to state. When you consider composition, bread and ingredient taste, and overall flavor, there's no beating Potbelly.

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We tried a sub from 4 sandwich chains — and the winner was clear (2024)

FAQs

Who is Jimmy John's biggest competitor? ›

Jersey Mike's Subs

Is a sub a sandwich? ›

The word "sub" is short for "submarine sandwich," which means that subs are, in fact, a type of sandwich. The official definition of the word "sandwich," according to the Oxford Dictionary, is: "Two slices of bread enclosing a filling (meat, cheese, fish, etc.)." Subs fall into this category of food.

Why is it called a submarine sandwich? ›

New London, Connecticut, has its story, linked to an Italian shopkeeper named Benedetto Capaldo. Capaldo's long-roll sandwiches allegedly became extremely popular among workers at the U.S. Navy's nearby submarine base during World War II, and the name "submarine sandwich" took hold.

Is a hotdog a sub? ›

Even the language experts have issued a verdict: Merriam-Webster came down definitively on the side of yes, a hot dog IS a sandwich, because “the definition of sandwich is 'two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between.

Is Jimmy Johns still owned by? ›

The Jimmy John's chain has over 2,700 locations, with 98% of them being franchises. In 2016, Roark Capital Group purchased a majority stake in the company. Later, in 2019, Inspire Brands purchased the company from Roark Capital Group for an unspecified amount.

Is Jimmy John's owned by Arby's? ›

Inspire Brands LLC is an American fast-food restaurant franchise company. Owned by Roark Capital Group, it owns the Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy John's, Mister Donut, Dunkin' Donuts, and Baskin-Robbins chains, which have a combined 31,700 locations and US$30 billion in system sales.

What is legally a sandwich? ›

Two states, California and New York, also provide some insight into what constitutes a “sandwich.” California labels hot dogs and hamburgers as sandwiches. By using the conjunctive word “and” in “hot dog and hamburger sandwiches,” it is presumed that the term “sandwiches” applies to both hamburgers and hot dogs.

Is a taco a sub? ›

According to Allen County Superior Judge Craig Bobay's official opinion, “The Court agrees with [the restaurant owner] that tacos and burritos are Mexican-style sandwiches, and the original Written Commitment does not restrict potential restaurants to only American cuisine-style sandwiches.”

What is the real name for a sub sandwich? ›

This became known as the "Hog Island" sandwich; shortened to "Hoggies", then the "hoagie". Dictionary.com offers the following origin of the term hoagie - n. American English (originally Philadelphia) word for "hero, large sandwich made from a long, split roll"; originally hoggie (c.

What do Southerners call sandwiches? ›

Po' Boy: Louisiana / Poor Boy: The Southern Midwest

The original po' boys often featured oysters, but the sub can include any ingredients. The specifications are that those ingredients are hot, and that French bread is used, which is what sets the po' boy apart from Italian-bread subs.

What do New Yorkers call a sandwich? ›

Other claims have been made that it derives from the Greek sandwich called a gyro. New Yorkers unfamiliar with the term started calling the sandwich a hero. Grinder.

What are subs called in Chicago? ›

Call them submarines, hoagies, torpedos, grinders, heros, poor boys, sandwiches, WHATEVER!

Is a gyro a sandwich? ›

Gyros are the most famous of Greek meals — a classic sandwich, with meat cut from a spit, wrapped in a pita, and topped with tzatziki (yogurt sauce).

Is a pizza a sandwich? ›

Thus, in the realm of culinary definitions, pizza finds itself in a gray area. But for this exploration, we can safely assert that a pizza, in its true essence, is not a sandwich.

Is a quesadilla a sandwich? ›

Yes, It's a Sandwich

It's melted cheese between one or two pieces of bread/wraps, which they say constitutes a sandwich and that therefore a wrap is also a sandwich. Other similar flatbreads include pita, lavash, or the Italian piadina, which are all commonly used as a bread element for a sandwich.

Who is the competitor of Jimmy? ›

The top competitors for Maruti Suzuki Jimny are Mahindra Thar, Force Gurkha and Mahindra Bolero Neo ranging from ₹ 9.9 Lakhs to ₹ 17.6 Lakhs. For detailed comparison please visit Thar VS Jimny, Gurkha VS Jimny and Jimny VS Bolero Neo.

Why is Jimmy John's being boycotted? ›

The hashtag #BoycottJimmyJohns was trending Friday with calls for a boycott of the sandwich restaurant, after a photo resurfaced of the company's founder Jimmy John Liautaud with an elephant he killed. The photo itself is old and has frequently made the rounds on Twitter.

Is Subway more popular than Jimmy John's? ›

Jimmy John's and Subway are two of the most popular fast-food sandwich chains in the U.S. According to CivicScience's ongoing brand-tracking data, 46% of U.S. adults are favorable toward eating at Subway, compared to 32% who enjoy eating at Jimmy John's.

What is Jimmy John's competitive advantage? ›

It focused on cold subs that can be made and delivered in less than 10 minutes; it is something that its competitors did not do earlier. The clear idea is to serve the sandwich with the help of an online platform where people can order, and Jimmy will deliver quickly.

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