11 Sandwich Chains That Are Taking Over The US

Sandwiches are easy to make but not so easy to perfect. While anyone can slap together bread, cheese, sauce, and meat, finding the perfect balance is an art that even some major eateries struggle to master.

But that's not for lack of trying. There are dozens of sandwich shop chains dotted across the U.S. With over 19,000 locations and counting, Subway is the undisputed top dog of the industry, having lured in most of us at some point with their straightforward menu and affordable prices. However, the chain's status isn't what it once was, with over 6,000 restaurants shuttered since 2016 as customers begin to look elsewhere for their lunchtime indulgence.

Fortunately, there are plenty of competitors out there ready to snatch its crown (who, let's face it, also serve much better sandwiches). Multiple chains have seen massive growth in the past few years, opening up stores across several new states to expand well beyond their regional origins. The chains on this list are on a mission to become your next go-to sandwich shop, so don't be surprised if you spot a few names popping up in your neighborhood sometime soon.

What started in Sparks, Nevada, in 1972 has expanded into a multi-state phenomenon. Port of Subs specializes in freshly sliced subs made with top-tier, fresh ingredients, ranging from generic classics like ham and cheese to its more unique offerings, such as the Gourmet Grilled Cheese (which uses four types of cheese: pepper jack, provolone, smoky cheddar, and Swiss), and the New York Steak Melt (New York steak with provolone).

Since the equity firm Area 15 Ventures bought up the chain in 2023, its expansion plans have switched to turbocharged mode. In April 2024, it signed an agreement with regional developers to open 20 new units in Arizona. This followed similar development agreements in Oregon (where the company plans to add another 10 stores), Texas (30 stores), and Idaho (10 stores), all of which were announced in 2024 alone.

Its most extensive expansion plan will unfold in Minnesota, where local entrepreneur Pat Mancuso decided he needed to jump on the Port of Subs bandwagon after trying one of their sandwiches at the airport. "I first experienced Port of Subs at the Las Vegas airport and was immediately hooked," he said (via QSR Magazine). "The freshness of the daily baked proprietary bread, the upon-ordering sliced meats, and the fantastic Ghirardelli brownies blew me away. Port of Subs truly is a business that wants to be a part of the communities it serves."

McAlister's Deli is sweeping its way across the U.S., but in a much different way to its competitors. The sandwich chain's roots lie in Oxford, Mississippi, where a local dentist decided to transform an abandoned movie-set diner into "a small, yet charming, neighborhood restaurant & gathering place" (via McAlister's Deli). That was in 1989, but the small town essence remains a key part of the McAlister's Deli personality to this date.

The chain now operates 556 locations across 30 states and hit $1 billion in systemwide sales in March 2024. However, it remains extremely selective about where it retails its sandwiches, baked potatoes, and iconic sweet tea, preferring to open in suburban and rural locations versus major cities. By sticking to its small-town identity, it's managed to drum up an extremely loyal customer base. For proof, just see the debut of its branch in London, Kentucky, where the local mayor held an opening ceremony for the occasion.

With up to 40 new stores expected to open in 2024, they're not stopping down any time soon. If those slow and steady expansion plans do happen to hit your 'hood, be sure to try the McAlister's Club, a decadent, 13-layer sandwich stacked with roasted turkey, Black Forest ham, bacon, cheddar and Swiss cheese, spring mix greens, tomato, mayo, and McAlisters' Honey Mustard.

Jersey Mike's had humble origins, starting as a seaside restaurant known as Mike's Subs in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Its founder set himself apart from the crowd by serving something that was relatively novel at the time: submarine sandwiches. These may be more commonplace today, but Jersey Mike's has proven that it's still at the forefront of the sandwich world, currently ranking as the fourth largest chain in the U.S. after Subway, Panera Bread, and Arby's.

With the way its current expansion plans are going, we may very well see it creep up the ranks in the near future. In 2022, QSR Magazine declared Jersey Mike's to be the fastest-growing restaurant chain in the country — which isn't surprising considering that it's opened over 1,000 new restaurants since 2018 — and CEO Peter Cancro (who acquired Mike's Subs at the age of 17 with a loan from his football coach) declared plans to open 350 new locations in 2024, plus up to another 450 in 2026.

As if taking over the U.S. isn't enough, Jersey Mike's also plans to take its spectacular subs international soon. Its expansion into Canada has already begun, with plans to open 300 stores by 2034, while Cancro claims there's also been interest from partners in the U.K. What we're really saying here is that soon enough, we'll all be chowing down on a Jersey Shore's Favorite (provolone, ham, and cappacuolo on freshly baked bread) for dinner, and we're totally okay with that.

PrimoHoagies has prided itself on plating up Italian-style sandwiches with fresh veggies, store-baked bread, and gourmet meats and cheese since 1992. The chain started in South Philadelphia but today can be found dotted down the majority of the East Coast, with more recent expansions taking it as far west as Colorado.

And the company is not done yet. In October 2023, it signed 20 new franchise agreements as part of what its CEO Nicholas Papanier Jr. described as "a mission to redefine the sandwich experience across the U.S." and "set new standards" (via Verdict Food Service). The numbers match the ambition; that same month, PrimoHoagies revealed that it plans to open 300 new stores in the near future.

Having won Best Sandwich or Sub Shop in the 2023 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, the standard of the hoagies themselves is arguably enough to make these expansion plans a success. As per franchisees, that's exactly why they got on board in the first place. Dana and Ronnie Besser, who opened a location in the Poconos, previously told the Pocono Record that their first taste of a PrimoHoagies sandwich "took me back to a place in Brooklyn where you go to the corner deli and the lettuce is sliced really thin and the bread is really soft and the meats are just sensational."

If you're looking a stellar turkey sandwich, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop has got you covered. For over 40 years, the chain has slow-roasted all-natural Butterball turkeys in each of its stores overnight before hand-shredding them come morning to ensure that customers get the freshest, tastiest meat possible. It's worth the effort. The chain's OG sandwich, The Bobbie (named after Capriotti's founders' Aunt Bobbie), combines it with stuffing, cranberry, and mayonnaise, à la Thanksgiving, and is still its bestseller to this day.

For the first few years of Capriotti's Sandwich Shop's existence, you could only experience this wonder for yourself if you made the trek to Delaware, where siblings Lois and Alan Margolet opened the first store in 1976. Then Capriotti's Sandwich Shop started expanding — and it hasn't really slowed down since. As of 2024, you can find Capriotti's Sandwich Shop at over 175 locations across the U.S. Expect that number to skyrocket soon. The chain, which is now based in Las Vegas, plans to add another 750 locations by 2032. That includes new restaurants in South Florida, California, and Hawaii, where Capriotti's made its triumphant debut in Honolulu in 2022. Unsurprisingly, the chain has also had the honor of being featured on Fast Casual's Top Movers & Shakers List for four consecutive years since 2020. Bobbies all round.

True to its name, Firehouse Subs was founded by two firefighters — brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen — in Jacksonville, Florida, back in 1992. These roots are still evident in its offerings today, with cheekily named sandwiches such as the Hook and Ladder (turkey, ham, Monterey Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and deli mustard) and the New York Steamer (corned beef brisket, pastrami, provolone, deli mustard, mayo, and Italian dressing) serving as menu standouts.

Its first attempts at expansion weren't successful, with the Sorensens buying back their franchised locations in 1995. Later efforts were much more triumphant, with Restaurant Brands International (the corporation behind the likes of Burger King and Popeyes) snapping up the business for $1 billion in 2021. As similar businesses struggled at the peak of the pandemic, sales surged by as much as 20% for Firehouse Subs locations. With Restaurant Brands International at the helm, it has gone full throttle on its expansion plans. At the time of writing, it boasts over 1,250 stores in North America and hopes to add another 800 by 2028. With its U.S. takeover ticking along nicely in the background, there are also plans to transform Firehouse Subs into a global powerhouse by adding 100 restaurants in the United Arab Emirates and Oman by 2033.

Opened in 2005, this is one of the newer additions to the sandwich shop scene. Mendocino Farms' ever-changing menu stands out from its competitors thanks to indulgent, interesting varieties — from Peruvian Steak to Mendo's Original Pork Belly Banh Mi — all made with locally sourced ingredients. While the carbs are most definitely the MVP of Mendocino Farms, we also have to give a shoutout to the salads, which are equally creative (and delicious).

Despite what the name would have you believe, the first Mendocino Farms location wasn't in Mendocino, but in a former Starbucks under the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. Named for the home county of its cofounder Mario Del Pero, the chain has mostly stuck to the Golden State since opening. However, it's started creeping further up and down the West Coast in recent years, with two stores in Washington (with a third in the works for fall 2024) and, as of 2019, Texas.

While it hasn't divulged the full slate of states pegged for expansion, rest assured they're coming — starting with a Colorado location, for which Mendocino Farms signed the lease in July 2024. Expect more on the horizon soon. As CEO Kevin Miles told PDQ Magazine in late 2022, "Mendo is an up-and-growing brand and we're excited to bring it across the country over the next several years."

Jimmy John's is a product of Illinois, where 19-year-old Jimmy John Liautaud opened his first store in 1983. In the decades since, it's added over 2,600 additional restaurants to its roster, all powered by freshly made subs — including its Italian Night Club Sandwich (salami, capocollo, smoked ham, mayo, lettuce, onions, oil, vinegar, and oregano-basil), which was voted the store's best by Mashed readers.

As of 2024, these restaurants span 45 states, with only Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island sans Jimmy John's. At least for now. Not content with 2,600, Jimmy John's is continually adding new locations, including a handful of drive-thru-only spots since 2022. As per Restaurant Business Online, its revenue and units increased between 2023 and 2024, with a bulk of recently announced units heading for prized airport spots. Since being purchased by Inspire Brands in 2019, Jimmy John's has also set its sights on expanding further afield, having signed deals with franchisors in both Canada and Latin America in January 2024. 

Potbelly Sandwich Shop has been growing steadily since the 1970s when it opened its first restaurant in Chicago's Lincoln Park. The site was an antiques store where the owner happened to refurbish antique potbelly stoves (hence the name) and decided to try to increase business by selling sandwiches to customers. A unique concept, sure, but it worked — six years later, the site abandoned antiques completely and rebranded as Potbelly Sandwich Works.

However, things really started to heat up for the chain in 2020 when it brought Wendy's alumnus Robert Wright on board as its new president and CEO. This followed a rough patch in which Potbelly closed multiple locations. Two years later, it kicked off its Franchise Growth Acceleration Initiative, which set the goal of opening 2,000 new stores. This number isn't just a vague, optimistic goal; the cogs are already in motion for 192 new Potbelly restaurants in 2024, including 15 new restaurants in Maryland alone, courtesy of Potbelly's former CEO Bryant Keil and his son.

At present, you can pick up Potbelly classics such as the Steakhouse Beef and Pizza Melt (all of which are famously oven-toasted at 500 degrees Fahrenheit) at 427 stores scattered across the U.S. Expect that number to surge ASAP, with the chain signing development agreements in New York, Maryland, Florida, Ohio, Washington, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Another Chicago transplant, Portillo's Restaurants is very much known for its Windy City origins. Its menu is packed with fare typical of the city, such as hot dogs, Maxwell Street Polish sandwiches, and Italian beef. The latter may be common in sandwich shops nationwide, but few give it the TLC awarded by Portillo's. This beef is slow-roasted for four hours before being thinly sliced, combined with French bread, then dipped into a hot gravy that Portillo's has perfected over 50 years. That alone makes it worth the voyage to Chicago.

Except now you don't have to. Portillo's has spread out across the U.S. in recent years. When it was purchased by its now-owners, Berkshire Partners, it committed to opening at least four to seven new restaurants per year. Its actual growth looks to be much more dramatic. In September 2023, Portillo's told Restaurant Dive that it had increased its goal from 600 new restaurants to 920.

These new locations will apparently be split between two different models; 800 will be regular, full-scale restaurants, while 120 will adopt a pick-up or walk-up model. Those who receive a full-scale restaurant in their neighborhood are in for a treat. Portillo's famously favors eccentric novelty decor, particularly Chicago-related memorabilia from the 20th century, so no two of its restaurants are identical. Personally, we're not picky about what the restaurant looks like — we just want better access to the Italian Beef & Sausage Combo, stat.

We could spend a few hours raving about the many highlights of the Mr. Pickle's menu. From the Mrs. Pickle (turkey, bacon, Monterey Jack, avocado, and the restaurant's trademark sauce, The Works) to CJ's Pastrami (pastrami, Swiss, mustard, and pickles), its best sandwiches are served on its Dutch Crunch rolls — a French roll that's cooked with a dusting of rice flour, giving it a sweet, textured exterior for a satisfying crunch with every bite.

The first Mr. Pickle's store opened in San Mateo in 1996, with the chain expanding through California and into Arizona in 2023. Its current CEO, Michael Nelson, bought the company in 2020 and has since guided the chain to an impressive 73% increase in sales. Named one of the Fastest Growing Emerging Restaurants in the United States in 2023 by Nation's Restaurant News, Nelson puts its rapid growth down to "over the top service" (via Franchise Times), but we think the quality of the bread definitely plays a role in helping it stand out from the crowd. Mr. Pickle's partners with a supplier in San Francisco, making its sourdough, French, and wheat rolls, plus the sliced multigrain and marble rye bread, some of the best in the biz.