Jersey Mikes Subs Review – Nationwide Chain
So I saw this “pseudo-documentary” the other night, and one segment was on the founding of Jersey Mike’s Subs.
After reading a bit on Wikipedia, one or the other took a little poetic license. No matter. The shop started in Point Pleasant, NJ, a seaside down equidistant between Manhattan and Philly.
After 3 owners, long time employee Peter Cancro, around 18 purchased the shop in 1975, with financial assistance from a high school mate and a local banker/football coach (yeah, I don’t get that either).
They began franchising in 1987 and today there are over 1000 locations. Their “hook” is sub sandwiches made to order, slicing the meats and cheeses as needed.
They’ll ask your choice of bread (white, wheat, herb) and size (small, medium, and gigantic), and you can order by number from their menu, their recipes of hot or cold combinations, about a dozen of each, or of course, design your own.
They’ll ask you if you want it “Mike’s Way”, which involves sliced onions, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, oregano, salt (spices) and “The Juice” – a mixture of red wine vinegar and olive oil.
They don’t seem to have as many toppings as competitors, tho it was my first visit and maybe they just don’t have them on display.
I went with a #13 “The Original Italian” – Provolone, Ham, Prosciuttini, Cappacuolo, Salami and Pepperoni. I didn’t request cheese, should have. The meat is ok, nothing distinguishable.
I elected for the white loaf, and it’s good bread, better than competitors.
I don’t get the point of “slicing as needed.” It’s just ordinary deli meat, and this just adds an employee to the payroll. When I say “ordinary deli meat” I am talking about the formed, seasoned ‘loafs’ we’re used to seeing in deli counters. Slicing on site does enable Jersey Mikes to have the meat be paper thin – nearly translucent, and that means profit, I imagine.
Don’t know how (most) deli meat is made? Here’s a video (Dietz & Watson, pretty high quality).
Having not been in before, I ordered the large. Shouldn’t have – it’ll end up being 2-3 meals for me. It also game with a large price tag, $15. If I added extra meat and cheese, it’d top $17. That’s a helluva lot for a sandwich that is not coming out of the Carnegie Deli.
Overall verdict? Better than the competitors, with the exception of our local guy, who actually roast meats on site. The standard add-ons of chips and cookies available. Order your “sandwich” as a wrap or salad if you like that kind of thing.
Caution tho, as with any vegetable laden sandwich, if you’re not going to consume immediately, the bread is going to get soggy over a fairly short period of time.
If you’re saving it for later, consider disassembling, at least the tomato, lettuce. Really. Postscript: I forgot to say, the employees at this location were VERY happy and courteous. The only other chain I have experienced this level of “hospitable” employees is Chick-Fil-A. So whomever is motivating franchisee employees, good job!
Jersey Mikes Subs Review
Jersey Mikes Subs Review
