OT: Your Favorite National Sub Chain

I seem to be the only one who likes Subway.

Jersey Mike’s is good but hard to find where I live.

Jimmy John’s is either incredibly bland or way too salty depending on the sub. And the founder is an elephant killer so I refuse to go there for personal reasons.

I tried potbelly on a couple occasions and wasn’t impressed. Overrated IMO. 

I'm no longer close enough to a Blimpie to really remember their quality, but I remember thinking that they were good years ago.  Better than subway and potbelly, at least.

my ranking (only including actual nationwide chains)

1. Jersey Mike’s

2. PotBellys

3. Firehouse

4. Penn Station

5. Jimmy John’s

6. Quiznos

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23. Blimpie 

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107. an old shoe worn by a sweaty hobo on a cross country train ride.

108. Subway

Jimmy John's for me. My go to is the Club Tuna, and I also dig their version of the Cuban.

To be fair to the nasty gelatinous meat pile that is subway.. there was one near maize n blue deli on south u when i was there (duno if it still is) and i would get double meat footlong, cookies, chips.. then head home... skip class... head to CCRB to work out / bball.. and then dinner. it was a super healthy habit.

They would literally give "tickets" away back when subway had that rewards card.. they would basically give you enough tickets for a free sub every time you went in. 

Good for a college kid... shitty for my body.

That is the only nice thing i can say about it. My son (12 yo) refuses to eat there. He had it once and every time im mad at him i threaten subway for dinner... and at the mere potential, he freaks out. 

Subway is also now going to cut meat in the front of the store, to give us the impression that the shit they serve was once an animal we would recognize.

I'm gonna just rank them here:

1. Jersey Mike's: #13 Original Italian is the way to go. I like to get a giant one and save half for later when the oil and vinegar have really soaked in.
2. Jimmy John's: Big John and Vito are both great. Really love their roast beef though.
3. Subway: biiiiig drop off to #3, but I can't resist a chicken pizziola. If it isn't on the menu it makes me feel like a spy when they don't know what the hell I'm talking about.
4. Sheetz: has subz. they're okay.
5. Quiznos: does this exist anymore?
6. Firehouse Subs: I'm sure they are delightful most of the time, but we had a horrible experience with them on one occasion and it ruined it forever. Sorry firefighters, we hate you I guess.

I've never had Potbelly's or Penn Station but have heard good things though. I think we actually have a Potbelly's in town, will have to try them out sometime.

Late to the party here. If we're not including sandwich shops (Jason's Deli, Gandolfo's), the absolute best subs are from Wegman's, yet they're sadly only regional (and very far away from me now).

I think I have to agree that Jersey Mike's is the best national chain. All the rest are basically interchangeable in my mind in terms of preference, depends on my mood... except Subway, I never ever go to Subway, especially since the closest one is next door to Publix where I live and Publix subs are decent.

Giant Jersey Mike's #6;Mike's way, with mayo and banana peppers, is probably responsible for 10% of my body weight. It was a Monday night tradition in college while we watched WWE RAW. They opened two locations near where I currently live a couple years ago, and I still partake probably once a month.

Jimmy John's is a pale imitation of Mike's Everything is just a little bit worse tasting (bread, meats, cheeses, toppings).

I used to work at a Subway, so I don't really have any desire to eat there. The fact that so many pop-up franchises are attached to rural gas stations in the upper Midwest merely confirms my choice.

I had Firehouse once but wasn't impressed.

Never had Potbelly.

HOWEVA, I know it's not national, but my all-time favorite sub is the Tubby's taco sub, with jalapeno peppers. That's heaven on earth and a must get whenever I'm back in the Detroit area, just like Vernors and Kerby's Koneys. If I recall correctly though, I think Tubby's did away with onion chips. Those were awesome too.

Wawa

They all suck.

#whitepeoplefood

In 1988 I had an offer to get into SUBWAY early in Chicago.  At that time it did not take much $ and my friends Father wanted me and My Father to go in 50/50 at a location in the Merchandise Mart.  I visited the mock up - tasted the sandwich and having grown up on Captain Nemo's (Howard and Clark) that used Gonella bread and actual cheeses and deli meats I could never imagine such a thing being legit one day.  Let alone working 60 hour weeks making sandwiches with my degree in hand.

I passed him by everyday as I got a job as a sales rep out of school wearing my sport coat and going to NEOCON and other industry events thinking what a poor bastard he was making sandwiches.

They sold that chain (built it up to 23 stores in the Chicago area) for some BIG $$$ in the late 90's at the height of the market.  He gave up some PRIME years and I had more fun then making sandwiches but I missed out on a big payday.

I have had Jersey Mikes, Subway, Jimmy's and I feel the same way I do about chain pizza - HARD PASS.

Jersey Mikes is my go-to. “The juice” is the best part of their sub. 
 

I used to only go to Firehouse but it’s gone a little down hill. Now we only go there once or twice a year

Not exactly national, but Wawa! Their “hoagies” are all great. 

Oh. Food. From the title, I thought it was . . . something else.

Jersey Mike's.

This is easy. There is only one answer.

Jersey Mikes.

By far the absolute best Italian sub you can get at a "National Chain" sub shop.

Throw on some of that cherry pepper relish for the chef's kiss.

Jersey Mike's is my favorite but I often end up with Jimmy John's because the app is super easy to use & fast, free delivery is clutch when work has me too busy to make lunch or dinner (which is when I'm most likely to eat a sub) 

Being from Red Bank, New Jersey, which had five sub shops and 15,000 people when I was in high school, I used to be convinced I knew from a great sub. I'd stop at Elsie's on the way into town from most anywhere before going to my house, which would annoy my mom. Turkey with cranberry and mayo (light oil and wine vinegar) and ham and capicola were always my tests of a good sub, just as I used onion and sausage to decide if I like a pizza. 

I do think that Jersey Mike's makes them most like the subs I remember from the shore, fwiw, so I guess there's a kind of formula there--a bread that has a bit of smack in the crust, that's not just oddly-shaped Wonderbread; the meats very thinly sliced and stacked pretty high with shredded lettuce; sweet peppers on any ham sub, etcetera. Mike's comes pretty close for fast food.

A lot of the rest I honestly can't abide, but that's just me. Jimmy John's has a kinda okay sandwich, with the Hellman's making almost anything taste decent. But I don't quite consider it a sub, if that makes sense.

Interestingly, Publix here in Florida does a very good sub on a made-to-order basis whose ingredients you can ask for down to details. (People say there's about seven Floridas and one of them is New Jersey, so that could explain something.) Often long lines.   

EDIT: Nice to see some unanimity of thought here!

Basically all of them except Subway.

Jersey Mikes

Discovered Jersey Mike's about 20 years ago, and have not changed!  Runner up is Potbelly's.  Our children loved both growing up!   Have not eaten at a Subway in over a dozen years.  

Potbelly… first place.  Jersey Mike’s … second place.

Third place… you’re fired.  (A bit of Glengarry Glen Ross).

The mid-2000s Potbelly stores, particularly in Chicago, were the best.  My kid likes our current W MI version, but it’s not the same.  

Back when I was in college, Quinzo's used to be good but they're awful which is why I haven't had one in decades.

Penn Station is the best IMO but it's hard to find one in the state of Michigan so the next best is Jersey's Mike which is decent. 

The chain sub restaurants aren't great IMO which is why I strongly prefer a mom and pop's deli place. 

Potbelly

Penn Station

Whichwich

The only national chain sub shop I've eaten at is the Potbelly on State St. Good stuff.

The only other place I've ever gotten subs from is Sottini's on Washington St in downtown A2.

I don't eat a lot of subs, obviously.

Jimmy John's - easy to order on-line.  Fast.

Wawa. (not national yet, but more than regional)

Potbelly and I always get the toasted peanut butter and jelly. 

Not a national chain but Fred's Pizza on Plainfield Ave in GR had the best subs.😋

Boardwalk Subs are my wife's favorite 👍

National chain? Jersey Mike's for sure. Good cheesesteaks, good cold subs. Nice rewards program -- you still get points enough for an 8" sub on your birthday -- every year. Service at the one here closest to me could be improved somewhat, but that seems like most fast-food type places.

That being said, once I get to Ernie's in Oak Park, I probably won't go to JM much.

Kid works at Jersey Mikes and he brings me a sub when he closes for lunch the next day. So I am a Jersey Mikes guy!  Plus they were my favorite before he started working there. Lenny’s is second. 

Jersey Mike's seems a notch or two above the rest. Subway is an "only on a road trip in an emergency" type of place for me these days. Jimmy John's has a lot of nostalgia appeal but it's merely OK-. Also mostly a road trip or some other type of highway-adjacent food emergency deal at this point in my life. Potbelly was my "I won't hate myself if I eat this for lunch with a bunch of other dudes in identical blue button-up shirts" choice a decade ago so I'd probably put it above JJ's and below JM's. Unfamiliar with Firehouse's offerings but am willing to hear an argument!

Jersey Mike's for cold subs. 

Penn Station has a few good hot subs. 

When in a rush, a Vito from JJ's is good. 

Shout out to Blimpie's from back in the day.

Local chain to the eastern shore area of Maryland... Primo Hoagies is good stuff. Just enough south jersey/philly influence in the area..  not national, but good stuff!