I tried tuna sandwiches from Subway, Jimmy John's, and Jersey Mike's, and there's only one I'd recommend
Steven John
- I tried classic tuna sandwiches at Subway, Jimmy John's, and Jersey Mike's to find the best one.
- Subway and Jersey Mike's both had OK offerings, but there were problems with both.
- Jimmy John's sandwich had a great balance of ingredients and spot-on taste and texture.
I think ordering a tuna sub is always going to be a bit of a risk. Will the fish taste fresh enough? Will the mayo be slapped on too heavily? Will the whole sandwich be a mess?
However, I've already found the best club sandwiches and best roast-beef subs to order, so in the name of research, I got tuna at Jimmy John's, Jersey Mike's, and Subway to see which popular chain comes out on top.
I made the sandwiches as similar as possible, starting with each chain's default bread stacked with a tuna blend, mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes. Subway and Jimmy John's sandwiches also had cucumber slices, which weren't available at Jersey Mike's.
Once home, I unwrapped each sandwich, wrote down some first impressions, and got on with the comparison.
Settawat Udom/Shutterstock
Subway isn't everyone's first choice for a sandwich. However, it's a global chain with tens of thousands of locations, so I find myself there quite a bit — especially when I'm traveling.
I ordered a 6-inch tuna sub for $6.49.
Subway tuna was in the press in 2021 when a lawsuit alleged that the product didn't contain any real tuna fish. It was later dismissed, and there's now a page on the Subway website dedicated to talking about its tuna.
Steven John
The best thing I can say about the tuna sandwich I got from Subway was that it wasn't bad.
I found the sandwich and its main ingredient inoffensive. Sadly, though, none of the flavors really stood out.
I liked the addition of cucumber, but even with those, there wasn't much contrasting texture to speak of, either.
The chain had more toppings and condiments available than the others, but I had to keep the playing field level. So, the six-ingredient sandwich I took home was a decent but hardly laudable concoction.
On the plus side, it was assembled with decent care and wasn't a mess to eat.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Jersey Mike's is a New Jersey-based sandwich chain that opened in the 1950s.
Since then, the shop has made a pretty big name for itself — I can't be the only one inundated with its many commercials featuring Danny DeVito. Today, there are more than 2,000 locations across the US and Canada.
My regular (7-inch) No. 10 tuna sandwich cost $9.65
Steven John
Pro tip: Don't eat a tuna sandwich from Jersey Mike's on a first date. I mean, no tuna sandwiches from anywhere on early dates, but especially not this one.
If your Jersey Mike's tuna-sub experience is anything like mine, it's going to be an absolute mess. Given that this isn't the first time I got a massively overfilled sandwich at the chain, though, I'm afraid it's the norm.
You may get a lot of bang for your buck, but right from the moment I unwrapped the sandwich, bits of tuna and finely shredded lettuce fell from the sides. The sub was slippery and hard to keep together with each bite.
To be clear, it tasted great. I missed the crunch of the cucumber the other two had, but the fish's flavor profile was the best of the bunch here.
Unfortunately, it's hard to overlook the unpleasant eating experience.
Irene Jiang / Business Insider
Like Jersey Mike's, Jimmy John's is a North American sandwich chain with over 2,000 locations across the US and Canada.
It's known for its fresh-baked bread — which I'm a huge fan of.
I ordered a No. 3 "totally tuna" sandwich for $9.49. Jimmy John's standard size is 8 inches, making it the longest sub of the bunch.
Steven John
If you've read any of my past sandwich reviews, you've heard me rave about the delicious French bread at Jimmy John's. I won't dwell on it again but just know that it's reliably excellent.
Now, on to the sandwich as a whole.
For one thing, it stayed together. In fact, it was so well-made that I could eat it with one hand without anything falling out.
The flavor of the fish was mild but pleasant, and the veggies were fresh and crisp. Overall, the sandwich had a great taste and texture.
Steven John
I don't eat tuna sandwiches often enough to risk a negative experience, so the next time I crave one, I'll play it safe and return to Jimmy John's.
My sub there was pretty much perfectly made, and it had all the right flavors going on.
If the tasty sandwich from Jersey Mike's wasn't such a mess, it may have been my favorite. However, as it is, I doubt I'll order it again anytime soon.
Subway's offering wasn't necessarily bad, but the flavor just wasn't there. I wouldn't choose it over either of the other two.
