When noon rolls around, nothing is more classic than a turkey sandwich, a basic yet delicious staple of many American lunches — and a personal favorite of mine.
To me, a traditional turkey sandwich consists of sliced turkey, lettuce, and tomato stuffed between two mayo-slathered pieces of bread. If there’s cheese, it’s usually a mild white like Swiss or provolone.
Jersey Mike’s, Subway, and Jimmy John’s all offer some version of my go-to sandwich, so I set out to find the best one.
To keep things fair, I ordered each chain’s regular-size sandwich without any customizations — and to be extra fastidious, I brought out my measuring tape to make sure the advertised inches were accurate, because you truly never know.
Here’s how the sandwiches compared.
I started at Jersey Mike’s, where I was surprised by an ultra-thick sub.
Jersey Mike’s is recognized for its freshly sliced meats, “Mike’s Way” preparation, and “juice,” otherwise known as oil and vinegar. The Turkey and provolone sandwich came with all of the above.
The menu noted that all cold subs, including the turkey and provolone, are prepared “Mike’s Way,” which meant with lettuce, tomato, onion, seasonings, and the aforementioned “juice.” Sliced turkey and provolone cheese completed the sandwich.
The regular (almost) 7-inch sub cost me $9.80 before tax, or roughly $1.40 per inch.
I enjoyed almost everything about Jersey Mike’s turkey sandwich.
This put my homemade turkey sandwiches, which I considered solid, to shame.
Oil, vinegar, oregano, and salt gave an otherwise simple sandwich an incredibly flavorful twist, and it paired beautifully with the soft, crusty-at-the-edges bread. It felt like a hybrid turkey-and-Italian sandwich.
The turkey was surprisingly moist, as was the cheese — which made sense in hindsight, given that I watched the staff slice these ingredients in real time. I expected only a couple of slices of each, but I found at least five of turkey and three of cheese.
I can’t say the lettuce, tomato, and onion were crisp, but that’s probably because they soaked in “the juice” for the 30-minute drive home. In my opinion, though, the “Mike’s Way” preparation was worth slightly soggy produce.
The sub didn’t have mayonnaise, which would be a dealbreaker for some, but with brightness from “the juice,” I didn’t miss it. (Plus, I could always customize the sandwich to add the condiment on.)
My next stop was Subway, where my sandwich seemed like a solid value.
Aside from its 2008 “five-dollar footlong” advertisement, Subway is known for its freshly baked bread and customizable sandwiches. I didn’t take advantage of the latter this time, but normally, I prefer building my own.
I ordered the oven-roasted turkey sandwich as is. It came with turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayonnaise. I opted for the standard artisan Italian bread.
My sub, which was meant to be 6 inches long, measured a little closer to 5½. It cost me $7.99 before tax, or roughly $1.33 per inch; although narrower, it towered almost as tall as Jersey Mike’s.
The oven-roasted turkey sub was OK, but the bread didn’t impress me.
Like Jersey Mike’s, Subway’s sandwich was generous with the turkey. Plentiful, yes, but it was papery-thin and a bit lacking moisture. It reminded me of deli turkey from the grocery store.
On a lighter note, I liked the mild, buttery cheese and crisp lettuce, which tasted especially fresh. The thick tomato slices added a nice, juicy bite.
Those who enjoy raw red onions would appreciate Subway’s crunchy slices. They sharpened the flavor, but in my opinion, they were a little too strong for a turkey sandwich.
The most dominant element of this sandwich was the mayonnaise, which was slathered on as if life depended on it. Again, some people might dig it, but it was too much for me.
Most disappointing was the bread. Given that Subway’s known for its fresh-baked bread daily, I hoped it would be soft and chewy.
However, the bread in my sandwich seemed so dry that I wondered if it was stale.
My final stop was Jimmy John’s, where my sandwich seemed half full.
I hadn’t been to Jimmy John’s in a few years, but I was excited to see if it still had its fresh French bread that so many people rave about.
The Turkey Tom included turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. No cheese, but I figured if the sandwich was good, it wouldn’t need it.
My turkey sandwich cost $7.99 before tax, or about $1 per inch.
Although it didn’t seem to have much filling, I was impressed by its 8-inch length.
Unfortunately, I felt the sub lacked flavor and substance.
If thin and slim is your forte, Jimmy John’s sandwich will be right up your alley. However, for something satisfying, it wouldn’t be my first choice.
To its credit, the sandwich had juicy turkey slices and mayo that tasted like Hellmann’s. (After checking the website, I confirmed that it actually was.)
But I felt the sub lacked pizzazz, probably because it didn’t contain onions, cheese, or much of anything at all. I missed the cheese most.
I could customize it to include those things next time, but I’m not sure I’d come back for this sandwich.
The bread didn’t wow me either.
I expected Jimmy John’s bread to be a redeeming factor since, according to the chain’s website, it bakes fresh loaves every four hours, but it was mediocre at best.
It might have been softer had I eaten it at the restaurant, but after the drive home, it wasn’t particularly pillowy.
Overall, I found this sandwich forgettable — something I could easily make at home with a few simple ingredients. If I did so, I’d certainly add cheese.
I’d only order one sandwich again.
Even though it came out the priciest per inch, Jersey Mike’s turkey sub felt like the best value. Its substantial weight, well-balanced ingredients, and signature “juice” set it apart from the pack.
The wet produce was my only major complaint, and I definitely would not try to eat this drippy, messy sandwich in a car or on the go.
Subway and Jimmy John’s also offered passable turkey sandwiches, and if I were in a pinch, I’d be fine with either. However, for a truly special, memorable sub, Jersey Mike’s did it for me.
I had only eaten at the chain once before, and I will certainly be back after this.
When reached for comment, a Subway spokesperson provided the following statement:
Business Insider reached out to Jersey Mike’s and Jimmy John’s for comment.
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