Sub Battle
Hi Friends,
Hope all is well. It's no secret that I love food. It's also no secret that I can be a tough critic. That said, one of my favorite foods is sub sandwiches. They're everywhere. They can be super healthy. They're affordable. They're amazing. Today, I'm going to give you my overview of five popular sub sandwich shops and compare and contrast elements I love (or don't like so much) about each of them. Let's get to it!
As you can see from my #TLDR graphic I designed above, I really like all five of Jersey Mike's, Jimmy John's, Potbelly, Quiznos, and Subway (each category is ranked out of ten and all five chains rank above 9/10 in my book). I find them to be a perfect post volleyball practice or choir rehearsal meal when I'm extra hungry and craving something quick, healthy and delicious. As you may know, I'm vegetarian. For my sub sandwiches, there are four elements that are key: Cheese, Bread, Veggies, and Sauces. I triple weight all those in my ranking. That said, I acknowledge that chips, drinks, and desserts can matter when choosing a restaurant, so I've added my thoughts on those as well and single weight those in my ranking.
Cheese:
I'm not a huge fan of Subway's cheese, but I know many who like it. It's mostly processed and I prefer fresh. Quiznos & Potbelly are in the middle tier here with fresh, toasted cheese that's pretty great. In the top tier, both Jersey Mike's and Jimmy John's freshly slice their own deli-style cheeses AND they do it right in front of you. There's something incredible about that fresh off the block thinly sliced goodness you get from those spots that really makes the sandwich extra special.
Bread:
Potbelly offers a pretty basic selection with white, wheat and flatbread, Quiznos has some good ones like Garlic Focaccia and Rosemary Parmesan, and Jersey Mike's has basic options as well, but their Rosemary Parmesan is the best in the game. Jimmy John's French bread is top-tier with a thin, slightly crisp crust and soft, chewy interior, but Subway definitely wins here with the most options and the incredible Italian Herbs & Cheese bread alongside probably the best multigrain and flatbread on the list.
Veggies:
Props to both Subway & Quiznos for having extensive options and operating as more of a build-your-own style, but oftentimes when you have more items, they will be less fresh. Jimmy John's and Potbelly both have pretty fresh vegetables, especially Potbelly with their optionally toasted vegetables. Jersey Mike's is definitely #1 on this list, because not only do they fresh slice their cheeses but they also have some amazing vegetables in their Mike's Way option which includes lettuce, tomato, onion, spices and a simple juice which I'll talk about on the sauce part. Sometimes quality beats quantity and that's the case here.
Sauces:
Jimmy John's is pretty basic with normal mayo and some other options, Potbelly has deli mayo & mustard which I usually get (I like the mustard a lot), and Jersey Mike's has the literal best thing ever called "The Juice" which is a mix of oil & vinegar and it is SO good. Subway has many different sauces and my favorites include Sweet Onion Teriyaki, Peppercorn Ranch and Baja Chipotle. All that said, Quiznos has the best sauce. Fresh guacamole is very interesting in a sub sandwich, but it is phenomenal and is a must-try.
Chips:
Potbelly wins this by far. Zapp's New Orleans style chips just hit different. I like the regular flavor, featuring kettle chips cooked in peanut oil. Dad loves the Hotter 'N Hot ones too so check them out! Jimmy John's has their own brand that is also very good. The rest have generic brand chips which are yummy and a good crunchy complement to a soft sub.
Drinks:
Potbelly wins this too because who wouldn't want a fresh handspun milkshake to enjoy with their sub?! Shoutout to Jersey Mike's because besides regular Pepsi products (which are better than Coke, hot take), they have Stubborn organic sodas and that root beer is extra yummy! Slight edge to Subway over the others because I prefer Pepsi to Coke.
Desserts:
Jimmy John's wins this one easily. I want to tell you a story. I was very young and meeting Mom after work downtown. She used to take me to Jimmy John's before getting on the bus north and she would get me a cookie. The first time I ate that triple chip goodness, I fell in love with it and still order it to this day. Subway cookies are classic, and let's be honest all of them are solid because a little sweet treat after the sub is a great way to end your meal.
Overall, I love all five spots, but Jersey Mike's is the winner. It may be the most expensive but it's well worth it, especially if you're a cheese lover like me. I will say that if you're looking for the best bang for your buck, go with Jimmy John's. If you like toasted sandwiches, Potbelly and Quiznos are the way to go. Also, don't knock Subway even though it finished at the bottom of my rankings. They have the most locations by far and when you're exploring the "middle of nowhere" it's always nice to see your familiar friend in Subway.
What do you think about my rankings? What would you change? This was a fun project for me. Any other types of food/restaurant comps that you'd like to me to try next? I'm always curious to hear your thoughts in the comments or over email to prodigystrats@gmail.com.
That's all for today! See y'all next time! Sarang out.
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