If you asked anyone to name types of submarine sandwiches, turkey would likely be among the first things they think of. It is one of America’s favorite sandwich types, after all. Not because it’s overly remarkable or unique–you won’t hear anyone waxing poetic about the intricacies and clever makeup of a turkey sammie. But, because it’s a trusty choice and admittedly the best kind of grub for a trip to the beach, an afternoon in the park, or a quick 30-minute lunch break.
The fact that a turkey sub is also perceived as a healthier option than those laden with salty, fatty deli meats—that is, of course, before you load it up with mayonnaise and plop it on an oversized hoagie bun—makes it a shoo-in for a spot on most sandwich shops’ menu boards. Most iterations pair the bird with some form of cheese, standardly either Swiss or provolone, as well as lettuce, tomato, and sometimes onion. But each establishment also has its own unique flair when it comes to turkey subs. I decided to try this simple sandwich at six popular sandwich chains to see who has perfected it.
Potbelly’s Turkey Breast & Swiss
Nutrition (Per 1 Skinny Sub with Onion, Tomato, Mayo, & Lettuce):
Calories: 390
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 930 mg
Carbs: 50 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 25 g
As I first set out on my turkey hunt, I wasn’t sure if Potbelly—a chain best known for its toasty sandwiches–would have a standard deli turkey on its books. But, I can tell you it does, in fact, have a Turkey Breast sub thrown in amongst pizza melts, meatball subs, and hot Italian hoagies. Since Potbelly is a place where you can choose your own toppings, the sandwich originally came with just hand-sliced turkey and Swiss cheese on multigrain bread. To top it off, I went with lettuce, onion, tomato, and mayonnaise to keep it standard and as close to other chain’s renditions as possible. I paid $5.89 for a skinny version of the sub.
The Look: Crusty on the outside, messy on the inside. The turkey is applied meagerly while the remaining garnishes appear to have been slopped on in a rush–the white onions are particularly haphazard, all accumulating in a tangle in the middle of the sammie.
The Taste: I had this take on turkey pegged for one of the top finishers based on the success of its other sandwiches and its Italian sub in particular. But it’s a bit of a letdown. In most bites, it felt like I couldn’t even make it past the crispy and chewy bread. Then, when I did, the interior tasted like a warm and slimy mush of ingredients. Something about the turkey also tasted slightly off to me and I think the fact that it was served heated was a big part of the problem. That being said, it’s a big pass for me on Potbelly.
Subway’s Oven-Roasted Turkey
Nutrition (Per 1 6-Inch Sub):
Calories: 270
Fat: 4 g (Saturated Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 810 mg
Carbs: 40 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 20 g
There is no shortage of ways to eat fresh at your local Subway–especially recently as the chain continues to experiment with new categories like wraps, breakfast, and footlong desserts and sides. The best way to get that authentic Subway experience is by opting for one of its longstanding Classic Sandwiches. We’re talking about one-meat wonders that fly under the radar but are always there when you need something simple yet filling. A prime example is the trusty Oven-Roasted Turkey sub itself. Piled with thin-sliced turkey, melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and red onion on hearty multigrain bread, it’s certainly a no-nonsense kind of creation and one that cost me $5.59 for a 6-inch. I also must admit that I added a light slather of mayonnaise to my order; it just felt right.
The Look: My sub had six slices of pale turkey, making the meat-to-veggies ratio respectable. Three slices of tomato, a hearty clump of lettuce, and scattered onion pieces stood out, in addition to the not-so-light smear of mayo in the middle. Everything sat on a squished and browned half loaf of bread.
The Taste: Regrettably mediocre on all fronts. The oven-roasted turkey itself carries little to no flavor—a fact which ends up being rather fitting, considering the remainder of the sandwich is also rather lifeless. The tomato somehow ends up being the most flavorful thing in the mix aside from the mayonnaise, which I’m glad I added at the last minute–even the onions seemed to be devoid of potency or tang. The bread choice here was additionally subpar. Don’t get me wrong, I’m usually all for whole wheat or multigrain selections. But this offering wasn’t particularly fresh and didn’t do anything for the sandwich aside from accentuating its dryness.
Penn Station’s Turkey & Provolone
Nutrition (Per 1 Small with Mayo, Lettuce, & Tomato):
Calories: 602
Fat: 35 g (Saturated Fat: 9 g)
Sodium: 1676 mg
Carbs: 46.5 g (Fiber: 1.9 g, Sugar: 1.8 g)
Protein: 29 g
I happen to be very fond of the Midwestern chain known as Penn Station. I grew up on their subs, lemonade, and fresh-cut fries, which I would promptly douse in vinegar. I have never ventured into the area of their cold deli classic subs, so the Turkey & Provolone was a new experience for me. I requested a small order—about a 6-inch–of the straightforward sandwich which automatically comes with lettuce and tomato and a choice of either mayonnaise, brown mustard, or honey mustard. I kept it rolling with mayonnaise and paid $7.29 for the freshly made grub.
The Look: Light all around thanks to its pale white bread base. Turkey was plentiful and two unmelted provolone rounds adorned one half, resting on top of tomato slices and shredded lettuce.
The Taste: It’s important to point out that while the inner ingredients are cold, the bread (one of my favorite parts of Penn Station subs) was still lightly toasted—a detail that elevated the sandwich as a whole and helped it maintain some shape as I munched. As for the turkey, I would describe it on par with the slices you would buy at the grocery store deli counter. The remaining bits and pieces were just average and the sandwich as a whole is missing such much-needed zest and personality. Perhaps the chain is just better at hot subs where the meats meet the grill, bringing out more of their juicy flavors.
Jimmy Johns’ Turkey Tom
Nutrition (Per 1 8-Inch Sub):
Calories: 480
Fat: 19 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 1160 mg
Carbs: 48 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 23 g
At Jimmy John’s, this popular sub is filed under the cheeky name Turkey Tom and sits alongside other originals like Totally Tuna and the Big John with roast beef. According to the chain, Tom is a “crowd-pleaser” and features hand-sliced turkey breast topped with Hellmann’s mayo, fresh-sliced lettuce, and tomato. It does not naturally come with cheese, and since it appears to be well-liked without it, I didn’t tamper with the recipe. An 8-inch size of the #4 special, which comes on French bread, cost me $8.04.
The Look: From the outside, it simply looks like a whole French baguette. The bread came out tremendously thick and fluffy, minifying the trifecta of turkey, tomato, and lettuce that fills the center—it’s difficult to even make out the neutral-colored meat.
The Taste: Bread-forward, to say the least. There just simply isn’t enough stuff in the sandwich to match the bulk of the French roll–add a double dose of turkey and it would be a different story. This fact isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though, as Jimmy Johns’ bread is quite enjoyable even on its own. I was also persuaded to pull this specific sandwich up in the ranks because of its thicker slices of both turkey and tomato that give each a more pronounced flavor. With that and a few dabs o’ mayo, it shapes up to be a decent sub.
Jersey Mike’s Turkey and Provolone
Nutrition (Per 1 Mini Mike’s Way):
Calories: 450
Fat: 22.5 g (Saturated Fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 1084 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 4 g)
Protein: 25 g
Jersey Mike’s takes a page out of Penn Station’s recipe book (or vice versa) and does its turkey with provolone cheese. The sandwich is #7 on the menu board and is evidently one of the most highly sought-after at the shop. It comes with 99% fat-free turkey breast and provolone and is customarily served Mike’s Way, meaning with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, olive oil blend, red wine vinegar, and spices—specifically salt and oregano. For sampling purposes, I picked up a mini version of the sub for $6.95 and side-stepped both the wheat and tempting rosemary parmesan bread options, opting for basic white instead.
The Look: Small yet well-dressed. The short sub is packed with an overflowing amount of turkey, cheese, and crisp-looking produce. Everything is coated in, but not inundated with, an oily glaze and bold specks of oregano.
The Taste: A top-quality rendition. The turkey here is sliced on the thin side but is stacked enough to still be detectable. I was also especially impressed with this sandwich’s vegetables. They are not just eye-catching but also taste-bud-catching, each boasting its own fresh, juicy flavors. I do have to wonder how much the oil, vinegar, and spice mixture influences the entire sub as it seeps into all the ingredients and the squishy, untoasted white bread. I also think the offering leans toward a sandwich you would grab from a pre-made deli tray. But hey, I’m not complaining, and I still found it to be more than palatable.
Firehouse Subs’ Smoked Turkey & Provolone
Nutrition (Per 1 Small Sub):
Calories: 340
Fat: 17 g (Saturated Fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 1090 mg
Carbs: 30 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 18 g
Although I haven’t found the subs from Firehouse to be particularly appetizing in the past—specifically its cheesesteak and Italian iterations—I was ready to try its turkey sammie, preparing to either be burned again or to watch the chain rise from the sandwich shop ashes. One can find the turkey and provolone creation under the build-your-own-sub category–even though it is essentially already built for you. It comes specifically with smoked turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and deli mustard. A small version, about 4 inches long, was priced at $5.49.
The Look: When I opened the to-go container, “cute” was the first word that came to mind. The petite sammie appears to be well-balanced with three larger slices of meat, a tomato slice, and a handful of lettuce bunched at the bottom, mixed with a glob of mayo. I also appreciated the appearance of the bread here, scored on top in a pleasing design.
The Taste: Firehouse finally turned up the heat and redeemed itself with this recipe. Served slightly warm on toasty bread, the sandwich is already made better thanks to the melty, near-gooey cheese. Underneath the slices, the smoked turkey takes on an obviously more savory flavor than other competing subs and manages to come off more room temperature than lukewarm and clammy, like Potbelly’s offering. The other toppings were just superfluous at that point, as I could have eaten a whole sub of just this bread, turkey, and cheese. Plus, the pickle spear on the side was the perfect cherry on top.
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