I ordered the same 3 items at Jersey Mike's and Subway. Neither sandwich chain was perfect, but one stood out.
A comparative review of Jersey Mike's and Subway highlights the shifting market dynamics between the two sandwich chains. While Subway remains the largest by volume, Jersey Mike's is experiencing significant growth and a successful public offering.
Why it matters
It illustrates the competitive landscape of the fast-food industry and how private equity and public market strategies influence brand expansion.
I headed to both Jersey Mike's and Subway to see which sandwich chain is my top pick. Savannah Born I ordered a cold sandwich, a hot sandwich, and a cookie at Jersey Mike's and Subway to compare. Jersey Mike's Club Sub blew me away, but I didn't love either chain's cheesesteak. Both chains had great chocolate-chip cookies, but, overall, I prefer Jersey Mike's to Subway. For years, Subway felt like the only relevant sandwich chain. Its 2008 "five, five dollar, five dollar footlong " jingle still lives in my head. The Connecticut-founded fast-food giant operates over 35,000 restaurants worldwide, with the most recent 2025 industry data estimating an annual $9.2 billion in United States system-wide sales. Subway remains the largest sandwich chain in the US, both in location count and estimated sales — but size isn't the whole picture.
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