OT- Best Sandwich chain in America

[WhiteBus]

This comes as no surprise to many on here but NJ Mikes was voted best sandwich chain in America. What makes this poll more legit is that Subway is not in the top 10.

We can all find a better sub locally but for a national chain I agree that NJ Mikes is the best.

Has anyone had a Penn Station East Coast Sub?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddri...-america-one-poll-says-yes/ar-BBqgJxA?ocid=sf

 

[FanuSanu52]

The list loses credibility really hard at "Arby's". I like Arby's, but it's not a sandwich chain in the tradition of the others.

 

[Divine Providence]

Jersey Mike's is going international, They're opening 6 stores in Australia in the Brisbane area.

 

[RU85inFla]

Coming from an area where there are a ton of Jimmy Johns and Firehouse Subs I gotta say the deli at Publix has them both by a mile.

 

[bac2therac]

Just Subs only has 6 locations in NJ including one in Hillsborough (insert MILF joke here) but I'd vote for them as the best

 

[RU Husky]

Katz's Deli, but there's only one in the chain.

 

[batts]

Firehouse Subs has the best hot subs for a national chain, especially the Smokehouse Beef and Cheddar Brisket.

 

[Abro1975]

It's hard to beat a quality local deli. My 3 favorites in my local area.... Belgiovines in Montclair, Esposito's Cedar Grove, A & A Lincoln Park. I almost never buy a sub from a chain. Guess I'll try Jersey Mike's at some point to give it a try.

 

[RU205]

NJ Mikes is good, and much better than Subway. I prefer Tastee but it's not a chain.

 

[B0ski]

Not sure if Primo is national or jus regional but would have to give them the nod over Jersey Mikes (which is very good) with the bread being the deciding factor.

 

[fbc1866]

Jersey Mike's is even in Eastern NC, but I like McAllister's and Jimmy Johns.

 

[ScarletKnight1]

Not sure if Primo is national or jus regional but would have to give them the nod over Jersey Mikes (which is very good) with the bread being the deciding factor.

Primos is excellent for a chain

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Tastees

 

[imbazza2]

NJ Mikes is good, and much better than Subway. I prefer Tastee but it's not a chain.

The story I heard was Mike actually worked at Tastee Sub and want to open a "Chain" down the shore, but the owner of Tastee did not want to get involved so he told Mike just to do it like the Edison sub shop, and the rest is history. Same thing happed with a sub shop in Clinton a guy worked at Tastee for a number of years wanted to do a chain and owner refused get involved again so he just used the same suppliers and recipes.
Not quite as good as Tastee but if you out in western Jersey it is OK.

 

[Beancounter88]

Agree with Jersey Mikes on top - their Italian and Chicken Cheesesteaks are great for a chain. Wawa is vastly underrated and should be much higher - better than Jimmy Johns and Quizno's by a mile IMO.

For the best local deli's - best Italian deli is Tutto Fresco in Livingston and best sandwich shop is Millburn Deli.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

I generally like Jersey Mike's, but the quality and service varies from shop to shop.

Once, I stopped in to pick up subs wearing a RU hat before a football away game and the counter guy made a derogatory remark about it (he was wearing a Notre Dame hat).

I walked out while he was making the sub, I won't return to that one again even though it's close by and they've always made good subs.

 

[batts]

It's hard to beat a quality local deli. My 3 favorites in my local area.... Belgiovines in Montclair, Esposito's Cedar Grove, A & A Lincoln Park.

All great places.

 

[Scarlet Craig]

Agree with Jersey Mikes on top - their Italian and Chicken Cheesesteaks are great for a chain. Wawa is vastly underrated and should be much higher - better than Jimmy Johns and Quizno's by a mile IMO.

For the best local deli's - best Italian deli is Tutto Fresco in Livingston and best sandwich shop is Millburn Deli.

If I ever leave NJ, it will only be to a place that has a Wawa.

 

[RedSpartan]

Slamwich Scratch Kitchen in Madison. The best. There's only one, though.

 

[fbc1866]

Than don't go with farther than Virginia.

 

[JERSEYROOTS]

Jersey Mike's is going international, They're opening 6 stores in Australia in the Brisbane area.

Good for them. Maybe Jersey will be the new... Brooklyn... in Australia!

http://gothamist.com/2016/02/08/australia_brooklyn_nyc_love.php#photo-1

 

[kupuna133]

If that list is indicative of quality sandwiches in this country, we are in worse shape than I thought. I would eat at Wawa and Jersey Mikes only on this list.

I had Quiznos one time and one time only. Literally took one bite, spit the contents into the napkin, walked up to the counter placed tray down and walked out.

 

[fbc1866]

I don't think the average person/customer realize that the subs are connected to New Jersey.

 

[mal359]

Subway

 

[JERSEYROOTS]

I had Quiznos one time and one time only. Literally took one bite, spit the contents into the napkin, walked up to the counter placed tray down and walked out.

So all said, you were arguably the least classy thing in the store that day.

 

[cicero grimes]

It's hard to beat a quality local deli. My 3 favorites in my local area.... Belgiovines in Montclair, Esposito's Cedar Grove, A & A Lincoln Park. I almost never buy a sub from a chain. Guess I'll try Jersey Mike's at some point to give it a try.

Wow. All great choices and living in Jersey I agree you never buy from a chain.

 

[Raritan83]

Glad to see Potbelly made the list. Wish they were prevalent around here.

 

[RUScrew85]

Chains generally suck compared to single shops. That said I think Primo's is pretty darn good.

 

[RUScrew85]

What was/is the name of the little place in South River. They made a great Italian sub back in the day.

 

[TrichomeG]

I had Jersey Mikes here in Utah. Horrible and overpriced. I miss the hoagies from Philly.

 

[e5fdny]

Coming from an area where there are a ton of Jimmy Johns and Firehouse Subs I gotta say the deli at Publix has them both by a mile.

I remember reading on the cesspool known as the Main Board that Publix was really good in this dept. Especially their version of a cuban sandwich.

The next time I was down visiting my parents in Naples I went to the local Publix and got a cuban. It was real good.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Every food item at a Jersey Mike's has a "Jersey Mike's" label on it, meaning that they are having their suppliers re-label product specifically for sale in Jersey Mike's. I hate that. Why hide it? I tend to think that if they were buying quality product, they wouldn't do that. No one with a brain thinks they are making their own cold cuts.

 

[rbboyl]

What was/is the name of the little place in South River. They made a great Italian sub back in the day.

Riddle and Martin. It's still there and it is still the same hole in the wall and it is still one of the best sub places in the area! I love Riddle and Martin.

 

[rutger80]

Just like RU85inFla said above, the subs at Publix are far and away above anything on that list.
Jimmy John's is the best of that list, although there are a couple I haven't had. Arbys? is that a joke?

My all-time favorite, though, is sadly, long gone. It was Jerry & Joe's in Willingboro.

 

[Upstream]

I can honestly say that I've never set foot in most of the chains on that list. The only ones I've been to more than twice are Blimpie (maybe 10 times in my life) and Wawa (too many times to count).

 

[RU09FOOTBALL]

Surprised DiBella's Subs didn't make the list. I've always gotten a good sandwich from them. They have locations in CT, Upstate NY, PA, OH, IN, & MI. None in NJ though.

 

[Upstream]

The story I heard was Mike actually worked at Tastee Sub and want to open a "Chain" down the shore, but the owner of Tastee did not want to get involved so he told Mike just to do it like the Edison sub shop, and the rest is history.

Their logos suggest this story is not true.

 

[FanuSanu52]

If that list is indicative of quality sandwiches in this country, we are in worse shape than I thought. I would eat at Wawa and Jersey Mikes only on this list.

I had Quiznos one time and one time only. Literally took one bite, spit the contents into the napkin, walked up to the counter placed tray down and walked out.

So you're ... a bit of a douche?

 

[IMARUFAN]

Glad to see Potbelly made the list. Wish they were prevalent around here.

I was going to suggest Potbelly. I ate there once in Chicago many years ago. It was awesome.

Another excellent sandwich chain is "Cosi". There's one in Morristown.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

The story I heard was Mike actually worked at Tastee Sub and want to open a "Chain" down the shore, but the owner of Tastee did not want to get involved so he told Mike just to do it like the Edison sub shop, and the rest is history. (Same thing happed with a sub shop in Clinton a guy worked at Tastee for a number of years wanted to do a chain and owner refused get involved again so he just used the same suppliers and recipes.
Not quite as good as Testee but if you out in western Jersey it is OK.

I was curious, so I checked their websites. Jersey Mike's is older than Tastee sub. Mike opened Mike's Subs in 1956. Tastee opened in in 1963.

Your version sounds like the real story, only with Tastee thrown in there. Per the Jersey Mike's website, Mike's Subs was opened in Point Pleasant in 1956. The original owner sold it to one of his own employees in 1975. That employee, Peter Cancro, who was 17 at the time, changed the name to Jersey Mike's, and made it what it is today. Pretty impressive story.