Roast beef subs can be a great lunch option when done right, but not every chain gets the recipe down. Some restaurants pile on tender, pink slices of beef with fresh toppings and crusty bread. Others serve up disappointing sandwiches with rubbery meat, wilted lettuce, and soggy rolls. Multiple food experts recently tested roast beef subs from popular chains to find out which ones are worth your money and which ones you should avoid. The results might surprise you, especially when it comes to which chain landed at the bottom of the list.
Subway lands at the bottom despite careful preparation
When taste testers ordered roast beef subs from five major chains, they kept things fair by requesting similar toppings across the board. Most sandwiches came with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayo. Subway stood out by using red onion instead of white, which gave the sandwich a sharper bite. While this wasn’t necessarily a bad choice, it couldn’t save the sandwich from its bigger problems. The employee making the sandwich took time and care arranging everything nicely, which showed promise. Unfortunately, even the most attentive sandwich maker can’t fix poor quality ingredients.
The biggest issues were impossible to ignore. The lettuce looked limp and discolored, like it had been sitting around too long. The tomatoes were sliced paper-thin and tasted dry. Worst of all, the roast beef itself had a rubbery texture that made every bite a chore. Compared to other chains that piled on generous portions of tender meat, Subway’s thin layer just didn’t measure up. For a sandwich that’s supposed to showcase roast beef, having subpar meat is pretty much a deal breaker.
Firehouse Subs’ steaming method doesn’t work for roast beef
Firehouse Subs has built a strong reputation for their Italian subs, thanks to their unique steaming process. Instead of toasting sandwiches, they steam them, which makes the bread moist and helps all the ingredients meld together. This technique works amazingly well for sandwiches with lots of different meats and strong seasonings. When those bold tastes combine in the steam, they create something special. But when you apply the same method to a simple roast beef sub, things don’t turn out quite as well. The problem is that roast beef doesn’t have a bunch of competing tastes that need to blend together.
The beef quality presented another concern. Firehouse uses one of the thickest cuts among the chains tested, and the meat had almost no pink color to it. Even worse, testers found gristle throughout the slices. Gristle is that chewy connective tissue you sometimes find in meat, and it’s definitely not what you expect in a deli sandwich. The beef did taste authentic and savory, but the thick, overcooked slices with their chewy bits didn’t match up to the paper-thin, rosy-pink beef at other places. Add in bread that got too soggy from the steaming, and you’ve got a sandwich that misses the mark.
Potbelly offers quality beef but a confusing sandwich
Potbelly Sandwich Works started in Chicago as an antique shop that also made sandwiches, and it built its name on hot, toasted subs with crusty bread. People don’t usually go to Potbelly for cold cuts. They go for warm sandwiches that taste a bit more artisan than your typical chain restaurant fare. The roast beef and provolone sandwich tries to split the difference, and it ends up in a strange middle ground. It’s almost like ordering a French dip at a deli counter. That’s not necessarily what most people want from a roast beef sub, which traditionally comes cold with simple toppings.
The bread caused problems too. Potbelly usually has great bread with a tender inside and crusty outside, but on this particular sandwich, the bread flattened and fell apart. Everything started sliding around, making it messy to eat. The roast beef tasted decent, and the mustard they added helped punch up the taste a bit. Still, for a Potbelly sandwich, it came across as surprisingly bland. If you really want roast beef from Potbelly, you’d probably be better off adding Italian seasoning and giardiniera to make it more like a Chicago Italian beef. Otherwise, this one just doesn’t satisfy the roast beef sub craving.
Jimmy John’s delivers a solid classic option
The Big John from Jimmy John’s represents what the chain does best: simple, fast deli sandwiches that nail the basics. There’s nothing fancy or unusual about this roast beef sub, and that’s exactly the point. You get good beefy taste, crisp fresh lettuce, plenty of mayo, and Jimmy John’s signature French bread. The bread might actually be the star of the show here. Jimmy John’s says they bake their crusty French loaves fresh every day in each store, and they even sell day-old bread for cheap. The result is a loaf that’s crusty on the outside but airy and light on the inside.
This bread texture works perfectly for roast beef, which really shines when paired with a crunchy roll. Another great thing about Jimmy John’s version is how well it holds up. The bread stays crunchy instead of getting soggy, so the sandwich tastes just as good the next day as it does fresh. This makes it perfect for packing lunch or saving half for later. While it might not blow your mind, it’s a reliable choice that delivers exactly what you expect from a roast beef sub. Sometimes that’s all you really need.
Jersey Mike’s takes the top spot with generous portions
When you unwrap a roast beef sub from Jersey Mike’s, the first thing you’ll notice is the size. This sandwich is noticeably bigger than the competition, and it’s packed with way more roast beef. The meat is sliced perfectly thin and stacked high between the halves of a soft hoagie roll. Every part of the sandwich works together to highlight the rich, savory taste of quality deli-sliced roast beef. This is what you picture in your head when someone says “roast beef sub.” Sure, it costs more than sandwiches from other chains, but the hefty size makes it worth the extra couple of bucks.
Just like the Jimmy John’s option, the Jersey Mike’s sandwich travels well and tastes great the next day. The bread gets a bit denser when it’s cold from the fridge, but it keeps that pleasant chew and subtle crusty bite. The tastes actually get better after sitting overnight as everything melds together. This is the sign of a well-made cold sub. When a sandwich can hold up like that, you know the ingredients are high quality. If you’re going to spend money on a roast beef sub, Jersey Mike’s gives you the most bang for your buck.
Arby’s surprises with meltingly tender meat
You might think a place that specializes in roast beef would automatically win any roast beef competition. Arby’s has been slinging roast beef sandwiches since 1964, and their whole brand revolves around having the meats. But here’s the twist: Arby’s classic roast beef sandwich isn’t technically a sub. It comes on a fluffy sesame seed bun instead of a long hoagie roll. Still, when testers from Eat This Not That compared roast beef sandwiches from popular chains, Arby’s came out on top. The person doing the taste test had never been a roast beef fan and had avoided Arby’s for years because of it.
What won them over was the incredibly tender texture of the meat. The roast beef practically melted in their mouth, running circles around every other option they tried. It was a bit salty, but the meat was piled high and tasted genuinely good even without any sauce. Arby’s offers both Arby’s Sauce and Horsey Sauce on the side, and while both taste great with the sandwich, the beef stands strong on its own. The sesame seed bun provided the perfect fluffy contrast to all those layers of juicy meat. For less than five dollars, it’s hard to beat the value and quality you get from this simple sandwich.
McAlister’s Deli disappoints despite promising looks
Sometimes a sandwich can look absolutely amazing when you first unwrap it, only to completely let you down once you take a bite. That’s exactly what happened with the Horseradish Roast Beef and Cheddar from McAlister’s Deli. This sandwich looked like a winner right out of the wrapper. It was bulky and loaded with what appeared to be the largest amount of shaved roast beef among all the chains tested. The description sounded great too: Black Angus roast beef with sharp cheddar, red onion, and horseradish sauce on toasted ciabatta bread. Everything looked so good that the tester started salivating before even taking the first bite.
Then reality hit hard. Despite all that meat, the sandwich mostly tasted like salt. The ciabatta bread wasn’t actually toasted and came across as boring and bland. The red onion seemed like a weird choice that distracted from everything else. As for the sharp cheddar and horseradish sauce that were supposed to make this sandwich special? They were basically invisible, taste-wise. One tester took a single bite and couldn’t bring themselves to eat any more. When a sandwich looks that good but tastes that bad, it’s almost worse than if it had looked mediocre from the start. The disappointment hits harder.
What actually makes a great roast beef sub
After trying sandwiches from multiple chains, some clear patterns emerged about what separates the winners from the losers. The most important factor is the beef itself. Great roast beef should be sliced paper-thin and have a rosy pink color throughout. It should be tender enough to bite through easily without being rubbery or chewy. The amount of meat matters too. A skimpy layer of beef between two pieces of bread doesn’t cut it. You want enough meat to actually taste it in every bite. The color also tells you something about how the beef was cooked and stored.
The bread plays a huge supporting role. It needs to be fresh and have some structure to it, whether that’s a crusty exterior or a substantial chew. Soggy, flat bread ruins even good roast beef. Fresh toppings make a difference too. Crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy onions add texture and brightness. But when those vegetables are wilted, dry, or discolored, they drag the whole sandwich down. Finally, a good roast beef sub should taste just as good the next day. If it holds up after a night in the fridge, that’s a sign the ingredients are quality and the construction is solid.
Value matters when choosing where to buy
Price plays a big role in deciding whether a sandwich is worth getting. The roast beef subs tested ranged from around five dollars at Arby’s to over twelve dollars at Jersey Mike’s. That’s a pretty big spread for what’s essentially the same type of sandwich. When you’re paying more, you expect to get more, whether that’s a bigger sandwich, better quality ingredients, or both. Jersey Mike’s justifies its higher price with a noticeably larger sub that’s packed with more meat than the competition. You’re literally getting more food for your money, and the quality matches the price tag.
On the flip side, Subway’s roast beef sub costs less than Jersey Mike’s but also gives you way less meat and lower quality ingredients. Sometimes paying less means getting less, and in this case, it’s probably not worth the savings. Arby’s hits a sweet spot by offering really good quality at the lowest price point. When you can get tender, well-seasoned roast beef for under five bucks, that’s hard to beat. The sandwich might be smaller than Jersey Mike’s, but the quality per dollar is excellent. Think about what matters more to you: feeding a big appetite or getting the most taste for your money. Your answer will point you toward the right choice.
Roast beef subs vary wildly depending on where you buy them, and the worst offender is clearly Subway based on multiple professional taste tests. While their sandwich makers might put in good effort, the ingredients just don’t measure up to the competition. If you’re craving a roast beef sub, you’ve got better options at Jimmy John’s, Jersey Mike’s, or even Arby’s, where the meat quality and overall construction justify your hard-earned money. Next time you’re ordering lunch, skip the Subway roast beef and head somewhere that actually does this classic sandwich right.
