The oil and vinegar gave it a shot in the arm. Ah Wawa, a New Jersey and Pennsylvania institution. We're as shocked as you are, and frankly, rather disappointed it ranks so poorly against the competition. We also appreciate that three different sizes are available, a mini, a regular, and a giant. Sadly, but not surprisingly, the fast food, chain sub sandwiches that we sampled do not come anywhere near Alcamo's, or for that matter, any of the 62 different, locally owned sandwich shops that we visited during our search. Our incredible winner,Alcamo's Marketin Dearborn, makes mouth watering, hand crafted subs featuring imported Italian meats and cheeses, and a house made dressing to die for. Delicious! I bundled up on a very cold mid-morning and drove down JFK Avenue to the most inconvenient of QuickChek locations. $2 Off ANY Regular Jersey Mike's Sub. Hotspot of the Week: Jersey Mike's Subs. When they make your sandwich, they cut the meat in front of you to show you how fresh it really is. Pick the best hoagie for your health with our ultimate ranking. Since every day is sub day if you want it to be, I decided to have three sub days: one at Subway, one at Jimmy John's, and one at Jersey Mike's. And now after trying to be cordial, they refuse to help me. Subs are prepared Mike's Way with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, oil, vinegar and spices. You're getting a delicious sandwich for not too much money at Potbelly. The meat was subtle in a way and never overpowered the sandwich. Amy: Agreed on the soggy bread, but it might have been because it had sat for a little while and there was a lot of sauces going on. I can't taste any tea in it whatsoever. However, there are some good reasons for this. Jersey Mike's allows for much more customization, and it seems to taste a little fresher than Jimmy John's. Note, this sandwichdespite it only comprising vegetables and cheesecontains more saturated fat than any regular-sized cold sub on the menu. We decided to undertake this taste test of chain sub sandwiches in honor of National Eat a Hoagie Day, which this year falls on September 14. Related: Pizza Party: Ranking Every Major Pizza Chain From Worst To Best (Sorry Not Sorry). While the sandwiches are good, it's the toppings that really push them over the edge of flavor falls. if( 'moc.sihttae.www' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { The owner of the Jersey Mike's in Cary NC seemed to pick up that I was from NJ because I always insist it be made "Mike's Way". But at Jimmy Johns, all I got was one sandwich. Oil and vinegar was used sparingly and gave the sub an extra kick. Friendlier service at Jersey Mikes toowhich to me is everything , Nikki Darnall Nov 8, 2019 at 11:47 am, Suzanne Sep 17, 2019 at 10:37 am. I was shocked when I got home and unwrapped it. Everyone was giving thanks and eating their sliced turkey breast with all of the fixings. If you wouldve told me it was from the Italian deli down the street, I probably wouldve believed you. You might be surprised. Tod i ordered but was told it is out of our area, the store is 3/4 of a mile down the street. Both Jimmy Johns and Jersey Mike have good customer service for fast food sandwich shops. Melted provolone, tomato sauce, and parmesan cheese. Frankly, Im glad its over. } ); But they are both very different types of sandwiches so a comparison may not be fair. I ordered the four-inch small sub for $4, which is a very fair price. The main appeal of Jimmy Johns sandwiches is the unique French bread they use. They dump so much on your sandwich that it totally overwhelms the flavor. New rules to ensure post quality. I also appreciate the amount of meat on this sandwich, but it surprisingly didnt have much flavor. "This sub has the least amount of saturated and trans fats of almost all the subs," says L.J. But I had a hunch that Blimpie was going to surpass my expectations. The meat here is not great quality, which is a major blow. Lets dig in. When I first started this sub chain showdown, I ultimately believed Jersey Mikes would be the eventual winner. The fact that this cheesesteak exceeds 3,000 milligrams of sodium is just outright inexcusable. All the lettuce was in the pocket, and all the meat on outside. GO. We went to seven of the biggest sub chains in America to test their turkey: Jimmy John's, Jersey Mike's, Subway, Which Wich, Quiznos, Firehouse Subs and Potbelly. It was a classic Jersey moment. Jersey Mike's makes a decent sub like you would expect from a deli in NJ. Where you can find the best french fries in Michigan. Typically, I'll spend $10-11 at Jersey Mike's, and $8-9 at Jimmy John's, so it depends on how much I want to spend. Read more: I ate the cheapest cheeseburgers from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King. This the fifth time Ive had customer service issues, that could have been resolved w reasonable customer service and want to be the best! These subs get "grilled" (their words, not mine) if you want them hot, which means another pass in the oven. Every time I walk into a Firehouse Subs, I smell like one for the entire day. The only problem was the Italian seasoning, someone was a little heavy handed with the oregano, which gave this sandwich a bit of a bitter, acrid taste. For places I can go fairly regularly (none of the above convenient to home or work), I wind up at DiBella's once or twice a month and it's always been good. It might be named after the beaches of the Garden State, but with the amount of bloat-inducing sodium you'll find in this sub, you won't be looking too bikini body ready. In fact, getting a veggie sub here might be the best idea. Oddly greasy and almost no flavor in any component. Subway ranked number one on Technomic's top sandwich restaurant chains and number three in all chain categories. It's worth it though, this sub tastes distinctly fresh. Jersey Mike's is far better than JJ's in my area. Next! Great Comment! This sandwich was also very cold, meaning all of the ingredients had probably been sitting there for a while. Jimmy John's, it's only a mile away from my work; to get to the local Jersey Mike's, I'd have to get on Route 1, deal with either a U-Turn, long traffic lights, and the rest of the shopping centers. Now thats a lot. 8. State: 4316 Veterans Memorial Boulevard. The tomatoes and onions didnt add much here but were obviously a requirement and they didnt disappoint. Classic Italian: Bread: 6.7 Fillings: 6.7 Toppings: 6.7 Value: 7.6 Overall: 6.9, QuickCheks classic Italian sub, left, and Primo Hoagies Italian sub. I would actually go and get this again. Dont ask me how I know. A Turkey and Provolone Sub from Jersey Mikes (E. Kubelka). As much as I miss Quiznos, the only location left in NJ is temporarily closed. Surprised? Much like Moses, the Jersey Mike's legend starts by the water and seems improbable. Jimmy John's just popped up here in NJ, I'll have to do a comparison taste. Youre basically just tasting a vinegar sub. as well as other partner offers and accept our, According to foodservice research company, 's 2017 chain restaurant study, reported on by. The Best Sandwich Chains, Ranked In Order Of Delicious To 'I'd Rather Have Pizza', A good sandwich has the capability to make anything better, The Best Pancakes At IHOP, Ranked For Scientific Flavor Purposes, While Subway may have the lead as one of the most popular, Pizza Party: Ranking Every Major Pizza Chain From Worst To Best (Sorry Not Sorry), Ranking Wendy's Best Menu Items, Including Their New Jalapeo Popper Chicken Sandwich. For our ranking of cold subs, we primarily looked at calories, sodium, and fat, with bonus points awarded for protein. Honestly i find Jersey Mikes flavor of their meat to be superior. Amy: The toasting of the bread gives it a nice contrast to the tons of toppings and meat. I will try them one day soon, but I'm interested in reading further reviews. Fun fact: Jimmy Johns has nearly 3,000 locations across the country but only three current locations in NJ. Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island, Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, Sullivan's Island, Daniel Island, Summerville, Hanahan, Goose Creek, Wadmalaw Island. Gonzo: I dont even want to talk about Subway. While I had to rip it in half myself and my photo may not look too convincing, it was still the best tasting sub Ive had out of all the chains. I'll still choose Publix deli over anything though. Christiansburg, VA 24073. It's called Mikes Way, which apparently means it's the intended amount for the sandwich, but it's a bummer when you're eating it. Which is better? But the regular medium-sized sub goes for $8, which pushes it over the edge a bit. ", Grilled onions, peppers, and melty white American cheese. It makes sense because Subway is cheap and consistent you know what you're going to get and you're not going to spend too much. Now I'm liking this "Fully Involved", it sounds somewhat kinky, but really just means you get mayo, deli mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a kosher dill pickle on the side. You'll find more meat in a can of pork and beans. We all hope that you can actually search about Jersey Mikes Blt Sub here . The fresh factor doesn't just stop there, though - Jersey Mike's is also cooking their own roast beef and making their signature sauce with a secret oil blend and vinegar. Tony Dec 5, 2021 at 6:45 pm. Two feet of bread, meat, cheese, and lettuce later, I had my answer. Its off of a busy main road and a side street with a small amount of parking spots. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Much more for you money, better meats and toppings. They are all about giving you the sandwich the way THEY want you to have it. I have had Jimmy Johns a few times and was disappointed by the quality, but certainly not the speed. Publix is good for what it is and I appreciate their existence. They also sell a smaller four-five inch sandwich for $6.29. They have a ton of sauces to choose from too. Roast beef, turkey, swiss, applewood smoked bacon, and mayo. Pretty classic flavors. The placement of the ingredients was our biggest beef, however. I smelled it, I poked the bread, I pulled off the top and inspected the tomatoes and lettuce for any discoloration. (Read 39873 times). I also ruled against including Potbelly because theres only one Garden State location, and Panera and Charleys Philly Steaks just dont really fit the profile. By submitting comments you grant permission for all or part of those comments to appear in the print edition of New The heavier ingredients slide out while you're eating since they're stacked closer to the front. The other benefit of this chain is the speed behind the actual creation of the sandwich, making them one of the faster sandwich chains out there. I love how thin and stringy the lettuce was. We tried the "Italian" withGenoa salami, pepperoni, Virginia honey ham, melted provolone, Italian dressing, and seasonings, served "Fully Involved". We had the "Vito", which is their original Italian sub with salami, capicola ham, provolone, onion, lettuce, tomato, and not enough Italian vinaigrette. So here are . We put four chains to the test to see which one you should buy. But sometimes, desperate times call for desperate measures. You will be able to edit the text before publishing. I ordered a small Italian with prosciutto, hot capicola, Genoa salami, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, white onions, oil and vinegar. Known for their cheesesteak, Penn Station also serves a variety of other sandwiches. We're not sure what's worse for you, though, a 12-ounce Pepsi soda with 41 grams of added sugars, or the 12 grams of saturated fat that's in this sub. Gonzo: I obviously didn't care for the presentation, but it had a lot of meat on it and a lot of flavor too. The four sub restaurants we picked all made the top 10 in the sandwich category of the 2017 chain restaurant report. I would've said Jimmy Johns a few years ago but I recently tried Jersey Mike's and it's simply phenomenal. Its slightly buttery and light and I appreciate the fact that they rip the breading out for certain sandwiches. Hands down Jersey Mikes is better ! Pickled, and slightly hot, they were exactly what this, or any sub sandwich needs. Amy: I liked the idea that the bread was baked fresh, but thought it had a distinctly sweet taste to it, which wasn't up my alley. Both are good, but I prefer Jersey Mike's over Jimmy John's. I have had Jersey Mikes more than Jimmy Johns because of its close proximity to the AMC movie theater, and I was a little bit apprehensive to go somewhere I was not as familiar with. Were so lucky to have so many great sandwich options in New Jersey. Way, way, way better. I ordered the six-inch Blimpie Best with slow-cured ham, salami, capicola, prosciuttini, provolone, and made the Blimpie Way with lettuce, white onions, tomatoes, oil, vinegar and oregano. Check out my gear on Kit: https://kit.com/mrchrisyoungIt's a battle of the subs. Nov 17, 2021 Anonymous #2093306. At the Kearny location, I ordered the Italian with ham, capicola, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, oil, vinegar and oregano on the regular white roll. Our search for Michigan's Best new brewery in 2016. These new workers over the past few months have diminished the quality of food significantly. Not even Publix can top a Firehouse Italian! Succulent pastrami is grilled to perfection with melted Swiss cheese and then dressed with sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing. Fresh, fresh, fresh is the name of the game at Jersey Mike's, and it shows. I just thought they started with a much lower quality meat than Firehouse or Jersey Mike's. They must be doing something right, despite that unfortunate Jared incident. The sister sub to the Famous Philly is made with chicken instead of beef and, as a result, has less sodium and fat, which makes it our top choice for hot subs. Ive been there early in the morning for a coffee and a breakfast sandwich, in the middle of the afternoon for a turkey sub, and late at night for snacks. This sandwich was inspired by a request the Pepsi delivery man made in the summer of 1974. They are: We got all of them untoasted, on white bread, topped with tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise, oil, and vinegar. But lets talk about it. That's not to say that other items on the McDonald's menu are much better. Primo Italian: Bread: 7.0 (wouldve been higher with seeded bread) Fillings: 7.8 Toppings: 7.6 Value: 7.2 Overall: 7.4, Best Bread: Jimmy Johns Best Fillings: Primo Hoagies Best Toppings: Primo Hoagies Best Value: QuickChek Biggest Surprise: QuickChek Biggest Disappointment: Wawa. They slice their meat to order for each and every sandwich, so be prepared for a few minutes wait. We mean, it's quite the mouthful: packed with grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms, jalapeosand extra cheeseyour saving grace is basically the fact that there's no mayo-based sauce adding an absurd amount of fat. The sandwich lands the number three spot because it's low in calories and sodium, but too low in protein for the amount of fat it serves up. I finally gave Jimmy Johns a fair try today to compare to Jersey Mikes. For customers with gluten allergies or sensitivities, Jimmy Johns offers what they call and unwich, with is the sandwich ingredients, wrapped up in lettuce. You'll be surprised a. If you're going to order the Big Kahuna, we'd rather you get the chicken version over the beef one. Sometime years ago, I visited my grandfather in North Carolina, and we went over to his friends house for dinner. Which is better? Italian: Bread: 6.1 Fillings: 5.8 Toppings: 3.6 Value: 6.4 Overall: 5.4, Firehouses Italian sub, left, and Blimpies Best. I ate so much of it when my boys were in baseball, I'm just done with it. Related:The Best Pancakes At IHOP, Ranked For Scientific Flavor Purposes. Photos by Chris Gennone, (from the 200 Harrison Avenue, Kearny location). We had the "Blimpie Best" which is loaded with ham, salami, capicola, proscuittini, provolone, and then made the "Blimpie Way" with lettuce, tomato, onions, olives, oil, vinegar and oregano. Get the best food tips and diet advice So here are eight different chain subs that we tried, so you don't have to. I ordered the Italian B.M.T. Amy: The "juice" is what did it for me. Like freaky. And what makes those different from a Jersey Mike's sub? Jimmy Johns is pretty good to but doesn't come close to the size, quality and taste. Similar to Subway, the bread used at Jersey Mike's is always baked fresh, but the meats and cheeses at this chain are sliced fresh for each sandwich. We approached this taste test just like we did for our Michigan's Best search. scanned through all the nutrition data to rank the best and worst subs for your waistline. You can have your sub hot, or cold, but either way the par baked bread takes at least one trip through a conveyor belt oven. And for some reason, Jersey Mike's is an expert at perfectly shredding lettuce for a sub. This can take a minute, so be prepared. : Bread: 1.2 Fillings: 1.8 Toppings: 0.7 Value: 1.1 Overall: 1.2, Subways Italian B.M.T., left, and Wawas Italian hoagie. Amy: This was nice and fresh, with lots of veggies. Grilled onions, peppers, white American cheese and chipotle mayo. Gonzo: I like how loaded it came, and the meats here were really nice. Instead, go for the mini and you'll save yourself 1,000 milligrams of bloat-inducing and blood pressure-raising sodium. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e, Provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni, So, what is the unhealthiest cold sub of them all? Jersey Mike's bacon is actually bacon. Both sub shops had the usual culprits: turkey, ham, meatball, Italian, tuna, and cheese steak. Blimpie's sandwiches, upon the first inspection, could be considered to be a bit flat. I have to admit I was skeptical as I unwrapped the sandwich. The meat tasted very fresh, but I wish there was more of it. All the vegetables are sliced in house, fresh throughout the day. Although picking out villains from the heroes may be hard at first glance, we here at Eat This, Not That! No Jimmy John is definitely better than Jersey mike the subs have more meat and they more bigger always and forever Jimmy Johns. The flavor was decent, and you get some of each ingredient in every bite because of how it's layered. At Jersey Mikes, I got a sandwich about half the size of the Jimmy Johns one, with chips and a drink. My friends and I sat at our cloth-less, bare brown fold-up table waiting for our den leader to show up with dinner. How much brain power does it take to say.. Got to Somerset location at 5:53. lad May 7, 2019 at 4:36 pm, R.Kelly Apr 2, 2019 at 3:30 pm. It's a hefty sandwich. Firehouse Subs also has a top-secret recipe for bread which is part of why their sandwiches always taste so fresh and delicious. Unlike the traditional club sub below it, this club is made up of roast beef and swiss instead of the ham and provolone. It was Thanksgiving and all of the other dens set up their tables so eloquently with candles, table cloths and beautiful centerpieces. They had (maybe still do?) Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. RELATED: Fast food cheeseburgers, ranked fromworst to best. Jersey Mikes Is DEFINITELY BETTER AND DEFINITELY FRESHER . JJs is ok but more in tune with Subways taste. Everything tasted good, but it was a messy eating process and not every bite had the meat for which Italian sandwiches are famous. I used to crush the teeter lunch subs. Jimmy Johns is known for being freaky fast, and it did not disappoint. Jersey Mike's. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. This is unfortunate, given that Jersey Mikes is better, but Jimmy Johns is getting more business due to the convenience factor, creating more Jimmy Johns restaurants and less business to Jersey Mikes. The other benefit of this chain is the speed behind the actual creation of the sandwich, making them one of the faster sandwich chains out there. "Sweet Tea" is brown colored sugar water. And to top it all off, the lettuce was a complete afterthought, with just a few strands tucked in the middle. Lots of herb-y-ness made it interesting. The composition and price of this sandwich was also hard to compare to. Certified Angus USDA choice top round sliced fresh and smothered in BBQ sauce. The store, Jersey mikes customer support, etc Emma told me, well the number 9 comes with mayo! Which brings us to the chain that bears the name of our great state, Jersey Mikes. I brought some friends and we tailgated in the parking lot, hunched over the hood of our cars, strands of lettuce and chunks of onions spilling out onto the wrapping and on my car. Im aware each location differs a bit on quality, so this is all based on my own experience. Ok, we know, we know. Tried one once and that was the end of going back there. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. PissedConsumer 2023 All So, depending on what you like or want, it was possible to spend six dollars at both places. No other sandwich place has the quality and taste of a Jimmy Johns sandwich. We're just surprised as you are that the Big Kahuna isn't the worst hot sub. I know some Wawa die-hards will be shocked but this sub just wasnt very good.