I’m a big fan of sandwiches and could easily eat one every day for lunch. Recently, I decided to put roast beef subs from three popular chains – Jimmy John’s, Jersey Mike’s, and Subway – to the test to see which one is truly the best. My goal was to find the ultimate roast beef sandwich experience.
For a fair comparison, I ordered each roast beef sandwich on the shop’s standard bread and asked for provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on each. Here’s how these roast beef sandwiches stacked up against each other.
wrapped sandwiches from subway, jimmy johns, and jersey mike
Subway’s Roast Beef Sandwich: Fresh Produce Forward
My first stop was Subway. While Subway isn’t always my top choice, I went in with an open mind to try their roast beef offering.
outside a subway sandwich shop
I was pleasantly surprised by the produce at Subway. It was remarkably fresh. The tomatoes were sliced thick and had a noticeable flavor, and the lettuce was crisp and tasted like it had just been prepped.
12-inch roast beef sandwich from subway cut in half
The bread and cheese were standard Subway fare – nothing particularly special. The roast beef itself was decent in flavor, but I wished there was more of it. Subway can sometimes be heavy-handed with sauces, but the mayo on this roast beef sandwich was well-portioned, just a few stripes. Ultimately, the fresh produce was the standout element of the Subway roast beef sandwich. While the roast beef was okay, it wasn’t the star.
Jimmy John’s Big John Roast Beef Sandwich: Bread Makes the Difference
Next up was Jimmy John’s. Known for its speedy service and fresh-baked bread, Jimmy John’s is a popular sandwich chain. I ordered their Big John, which is their roast beef sandwich. Interestingly, cheese isn’t included, so I paid extra to add provolone to my Jimmy John’s roast beef sandwich to keep the comparison consistent. The 8-inch sub with cheese cost me $11.41.
inside a jimmy johns sandwich shop
The first thing I noticed about the Jimmy John’s roast beef sandwich was the bread. Jimmy John’s French bread is truly impressive – it’s soft on the inside with a slightly crisp crust.
jimmy johns roast beef sandwich cut in half
However, despite the excellent bread, the Jimmy John’s roast beef sandwich itself was rather bland overall. It needed more roast beef, and the roast beef it had could have used more seasoning, specifically salt. The provolone cheese was barely noticeable, and the vegetables seemed to fade into the background. While the components felt like they were lacking individual flavor, the exceptional bread of the Jimmy John’s Big John roast beef sandwich elevated it from being underwhelming to a satisfactory meal. The bread truly is the star at Jimmy John’s, and it carries this roast beef sandwich.
Jersey Mike’s Roast Beef and Provolone: Quality Meat, Messy Build
Finally, I visited Jersey Mike’s. This chain is known for slicing their cold cuts fresh, right in front of you. In fact, Jersey Mike’s was the only one of the three where I actually saw them slice the roast beef just after I ordered my roast beef and provolone sub (their #6). My 7-inch sub cost $12.36.
outside a jersey mikes sub shop
My Jersey Mike’s roast beef sandwich immediately reminded me of something you’d get at a local deli. It felt more substantial and less “chain restaurant” than the others.
jersey mike
The amount of roast beef on the Jersey Mike’s sub was generous, easily over an inch thick. Tasting the roast beef on its own, it was clearly high quality. The provolone cheese also had good flavor. However, the lettuce was a bit sparse, and the tomatoes, again, were a little bland. The biggest downside of the Jersey Mike’s roast beef sandwich was the assembly. It was quite messy and fell apart easily. The mayo was applied too heavily and unevenly, making it a bit sloppy to eat. Despite the assembly issues, the quality and quantity of the roast beef in Jersey Mike’s roast beef and provolone sub were undeniable highlights.
Conclusion: A Roast Beef Sandwich Dream Combination
roast beef sandwiches from subway, jimmy johns, and jersey mikes
Each of these roast beef sandwiches had its pros and cons. If I could create the perfect roast beef sandwich by combining elements from each, it would be divine. Jersey Mike’s roast beef quality and portion size were excellent, but the messy construction was a drawback. Subway impressed with its fresh and flavorful produce, even if the roast beef portion was a bit small. And Jimmy John’s, while having a rather bland overall sandwich filling, boasts truly amazing bread.
Ultimately, if forced to choose, the quality of the roast beef at Jersey Mike’s almost makes it the winner, despite the assembly issues. However, there’s definitely room for improvement across all three chains when it comes to crafting the ultimate roast beef sandwich experience. Perhaps the ideal roast beef sandwich would combine Jersey Mike’s meat, Subway’s produce, and Jimmy John’s bread.
