We love a good sandwich almost as much as we love a good deal. That's why sandwich chains are our go-to spots for lunch or a quick stop on a road trip. But some serve much better sandwiches than others, so you need to know where to stop. These are the sandwich chains you should avoid at all costs, whether it's due to poor food quality, overpriced menus, or all of the above.
1. Subway
Subway has NEVER been good. The ingredients have always been of terrible quality, and the bread is sweet and soft, so who cares if it was made that day or not? There's nothing worse than low-quality cold cuts, thickly sliced, with bits of cartilage you can't chew, and "grilled chicken" patties that clearly came off an assembly line. And remember decades ago when they used to cut a little channel on top of the bread to hold the ingredients? That was our sign they were crazy, but we didn't listen.
2. Panera
Panera is a burnt shell of what it used to be in the 1990s. Everything on the menu sounds good, but when you get it, you'll notice there's almost nothing in your $12 sandwich. There's a reason everyone loves the broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl so much: it's consistent because it comes from a factory and at least fills you up. The sandwiches are a total gamble on both fronts and, on top of that, way too expensive.
3. Quiznos
You'd be surprised to know Quiznos still exists. That's because they're forgettable and have been closing locations since they filed for bankruptcy in 2014. When they were founded in the '80s, a toasted sub seemed like a novel idea, but the novelty has worn off like other better hot subs. Chains (we're looking at you, Potbelly) entered the market. These subs are stuck in the past.
4. Blimpie
Somehow, Blimpie has been around for 60 years, but it follows the number one rule of antiques: just because it's old doesn't mean it's actually worth anything. The subs are, at best, boring and, at worst, a total mess. You're likely to find a much better sub anywhere near you, so why would you have any reason to go to Blimpie? Why this chain hasn't faded into oblivion yet, who knows?
5. Firehouse Subs
There are very few cases where meat should be steamed, and cold cuts are not on that list. Yet, for some reason, Firehouse steams their meats, leaving them moist and soggy. Cold cuts of questionable quality are already quite slimy, thank you very much. At least the cheese melts, and we'll give them a lot of credit for the great hot sauce selection. Too bad there aren't better sandwiches to put them on.
6. Jimmy John's
The quality of Jimmy John's has been steadily declining over the past two decades. This is especially atrocious since prices have risen to ridiculous levels. Do you really want to spend $8 on a sandwich with three slices of chewy ham? The kind of ham whose dark edges peel off in long strips when you bite into it? We don't. The only saving grace here is the cheap day-old bread so you can make your own sandwiches.
1. Subway
Subway has NEVER been good. The ingredients have always been of terrible quality, and the bread is sweet and soft, so who cares if it was made that day or not? There's nothing worse than low-quality cold cuts, thickly sliced, with bits of cartilage you can't chew, and "grilled chicken" patties that clearly came off an assembly line. And remember decades ago when they used to cut a little channel on top of the bread to hold the ingredients? That was our sign they were crazy, but we didn't listen.
2. Panera
Panera is a burnt shell of what it used to be in the 1990s. Everything on the menu sounds good, but when you get it, you'll notice there's almost nothing in your $12 sandwich. There's a reason everyone loves the broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl so much: it's consistent because it comes from a factory and at least fills you up. The sandwiches are a total gamble on both fronts and, on top of that, way too expensive.
3. Quiznos
You'd be surprised to know Quiznos still exists. That's because they're forgettable and have been closing locations since they filed for bankruptcy in 2014. When they were founded in the '80s, a toasted sub seemed like a novel idea, but the novelty has worn off like other better hot subs. Chains (we're looking at you, Potbelly) entered the market. These subs are stuck in the past.
4. Blimpie
Somehow, Blimpie has been around for 60 years, but it follows the number one rule of antiques: just because it's old doesn't mean it's actually worth anything. The subs are, at best, boring and, at worst, a total mess. You're likely to find a much better sub anywhere near you, so why would you have any reason to go to Blimpie? Why this chain hasn't faded into oblivion yet, who knows?
5. Firehouse Subs
There are very few cases where meat should be steamed, and cold cuts are not on that list. Yet, for some reason, Firehouse steams their meats, leaving them moist and soggy. Cold cuts of questionable quality are already quite slimy, thank you very much. At least the cheese melts, and we'll give them a lot of credit for the great hot sauce selection. Too bad there aren't better sandwiches to put them on.
6. Jimmy John's
The quality of Jimmy John's has been steadily declining over the past two decades. This is especially atrocious since prices have risen to ridiculous levels. Do you really want to spend $8 on a sandwich with three slices of chewy ham? The kind of ham whose dark edges peel off in long strips when you bite into it? We don't. The only saving grace here is the cheap day-old bread so you can make your own sandwiches.
