From classics to melts and meatballs to riblets, all the signature Subway subs ranked from least to most enjoyed.
When the opportunity came to rank the subs, the arguments began almost immediately. Olives, for example: do they belong on a sandwich? Later, the tone turned nostalgic. Laments were made for the discontinued delights of Thousand Island sauce and the misunderstood Seafood Sensation sub. Not long after, 20 foot-longs were delivered to the office.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this all my life,” one member of the ranking committee sighed. He wasn’t talking about the six metres of sandwich before him, but about the “signature range” concept.
When Subway came to New Zealand in the 90s, its sandwich assembly line was revolutionary, mostly in terms of how many rapid fire decisions it required you to make. Mustard or honey mustard? Pickles or olives? What’s best?
For many customers this is the best thing about Subway. They step up to the perspex with confidence, knowing exactly what they do and don’t want. For others, though, the choice can be overwhelming.
Subway’s signature range, which includes the 10 subs we are about to rank, removes the burden of choice almost entirely. They’ve already sussed the meat, cheese, bread, sauce and salad combos for you. It’s a game changer. The only decision you have to make now is which one to get. Here’s how we ranked them.
Our very official polling station. And our last place sub: Three Pepper Chicken.
10. Three Pepper Chicken
Nearly all our complaints about the Three Pepper Chicken had to do with the default bread: Italian herbs and cheese. It should be roasted garlic. That’s just a fact. We also wanted more salad and sauce.* This guy needs more freshness; right now he’s basically chicken bread. On the plus side, I had just come back to the office from the mega strike, and a Three Pepper Chicken will really fill you up post-strike. I also think it’s more salty than peppery though? / Robbie Nicol
*The beauty of Subway is you can still customise your sub however you like. You do you, but we’ll be ordering TPC on its rightful roasted garlic bread.
Additional feedback:
“What are the three peppers?” – Liv
“It could use more red onion, maybe some gherkins.” – Joel
Pork riblet is fun to say.
9. Pork Riblet
Juicy, soft, fatty deliciousness that you can’t fault – the Pork Riblet is best served hot, but even then it somehow retains its moistness. The best thing about the Pork Riblet is that it’s designed to be in a sub – every bite you take has some of that seasoned meaty goodness. I’m obsessed with it. / Isaiah Tour (went back for more several times)
Additional feedback:
“Good if you get a really well sauced piece, otherwise it’s meatloaf.” – Anna
“It’s the Sunday Sub of the Day so… it’s basically the official sub of hangovers.” – Joel
Your Dad’s order (meatball sub).
7= Italian Meatball
The Italians will hate to hear this but Italian Meatball does in fact taste Italian. So on taste alone, I feel it should have ranked higher, especially considering its affordability and revered status as The Sub Your Dad Always Gets For Some Reason. But what pulls Italian Meatball down is its weirdness. A meatball should not be in a sandwich. Nothing about it makes sense, and you can tell when you’re eating it because one in every three bites won’t have any meatball at all in it and you’re left wondering what they hell you were thinking. But when you faff around and position the meatball just right and take that perfect bite? It can’t be beat. / Mad Chapman
Additional feedback:
“They could squish the meatballs so it’s easier to eat but they don’t and I respect that.” – Ben
“The texture is a little too consistent for me.” – Liv
“It’s giving Boxing Day.”
7= Honey Mustard Leg Ham
If you’re rocking up to Subway looking for some light but sustaining fare – this is the vibe. The bread is perfect (malted rye) and so is the sauce (honey mustard, of course). If you went to a deli and asked for a ham sandwich, this is what you would be presented with, and it would be perfect. No fuss, just plain delicious. Whilst calling out the “leg” of it all is probably not needed, the ham is akin to the leftover Christmas ham I plop onto sandwiches for days after the festivities. 10 out of 10 from me. What a sandwich should be. Side of Doritos, optional. / Eli Rivera
Additional feedback:
“Not a fan of the phrase ‘leg ham’. Seems unnecessarily specific. Can’t fault the taste though, it’s giving Boxing Day.” – Cal
“I love the bread, but I don’t like the dressing. Honey Mustard? No. I’m a mayo purist.” – Anna
6. Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki
This is the promise of Subway. This is sandwich as art. This is eating as fresh. When Subway first landed on these shores, it pitched itself as different. It wasn’t just about having long burgers instead of round ones; these were healthy, morally upstanding sandwiches. You wouldn’t feel guilty for eating them; you would be righteous. The meat in this one is richly marinated and melt-in-your-mouth tender. The crunchy pop of cucumber and capsicum bring the brightness of a summer salad. The sweet onion sauce, one of Subway’s more overlooked condiments, shines as the star of the situation. This is a sub to be had untoasted, outside, on a warm summer’s day. I feel this sub has been overlooked by other Spinoffers and I demand justice. / Joel MacManus (misses Seafood Sensation)
Additional feedback:
“There is a lot of sauce in here for a sandwich.” – Mad
Turns out BMT stands for ‘biggest meatiest tastiest’.
4= Italian BMT
This is not a sub I have ever chosen but will be giving serious consideration to from now on. I love a little salami sandwich, but I don’t usually opt for versions of the sandwiches I love making at home when I order at Subway. The BMT though, with its crisp lettuce, olives, tomato, cheese and salami is a sandwich you could, at a pinch, bring to a bougie picnic and get away with passing it off as homemade. It’s simple and fresh on herby, cheesy bread and a good reminder of Subway’s commitment to pretty fresh salad ingredients. It doesn’t leave you feeling heavy like other big franchise food options often do. / Anna Rawhiti-Connell
Additional feedback:
“The olives really shine in this one.” – Joel
“I always get this one, it is pizza adjacent and must be toasted.” – Robbie
Pizza Melt is an olive forward option (at least four seen here).
4= Pizza Melt
Olives on sandwiches are contentious in this office. But in this sub, they sing. The Pizza Melt takes me back to the exact moment I realised that sliced black olives were actually delicious, especially on a pizza. They bring a supporting saltiness to the other fillings in here: pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, marinara, tomato, capsicum, onion. Other tasters felt this tasted more like a pizza than many actual pizzas do. To me (an American) it tastes just like a slice of supreme. The main difference being that you can eat this sub for lunch and still get some work done after. / Liv Sisson
Additional feedback:
“Yum. It’s giving pizza Shapes. Flavour you can see.” – Ellie
“Has a lovely spicy kick.” – Eli
Our third place winner – Deli Supreme.
3. Deli Supreme
It has never before occurred to me to get the Deli Supreme, in fact I don’t think I even knew it was one of the menu options, but as soon as I tried it something clicked. This is what I’ve always wanted from Subway! It’s a simple, unpretentious sandwich that strikes a delicate balance of fresh salad, cold meat (several types, none standing out above the rest) and unobtrusive sauce (I actually can’t remember what the sauce was, but I think that might be a good thing) inside a hearty brown bread sub. Maybe it’s a sign I’m getting old, but I’m ready to leave all the other, more blockbuster flavours behind and be a Deli Supreme guy from now on. / Calum Henderson
Additional feedback:
“At Subway I want a sandwich and this is a sandwich, a classic sandwich.” – Robbie
“Tastes like a sandwich from the olden times.” – Eli
The chicken. It’s a classic. And in 2nd place.
2. Chicken Classic
The artist formerly known as the chicken fillet, now the chicken classic, has been my Subway order since Subway debuted in New Zealand in the 90s. I usually get it toasted, on roasted garlic bread. For years, I added Thousand Island dressing but that’s been axed from the sauce line up at Subway and I’m still pretty sad about it. It added a delightful tang. Subway, with its logical assembly line, is one of the few places where you can get a warm sandwich and melted cheese without experiencing the horror of hot lettuce. I appreciate that, especially when this sandwich is pretty basic and the ratio of crunchy lettuce to soft chicken patty is crucial. The classic is a lighter, crisper and fresher alternative to a chicken burger. Can’t and won’t stop ordering it, although I’ve had to add jalapeño to make up for the lack of Thousand Island. RIP to the sweetest sauce. / Anna Rawhiti-Connell
Additional feedback:
“A go-to. It’s pretty mild. Very milquetoast.” – Ben
“I would never buy it because I’m only buying the cheese steak.” – Bec
Our winner – the cheese steak!
1. Philly-Style Three Cheese Steak
Subway has absolutely nailed it with this sub. It is unparalleled. The steak is moist and does not taste like mystery meat, it tastes like legit chopped up sirloin, and it’s served toasted with three melty cheeses. There are jalapeños in there as well which give it a nice wee kick that makes your eyes water and nose run in a nice way. It’s sauced to perfection and finished with red onion and capsicum. This is a superior sandwich, especially when you swap the default bread for Italian herbs and cheese. On any given Sunday, I will drive to my local Subway, get a foot long of this sub, two cookies – white chocolate macadamia and queen of all cookies, oat and raisin – and wash it all down with a full strength fridge ciggie (a Coke). Dream order, honestly. This sub is #1 and I knew it would be. I heart this cheese steak. / Bec Murphy
Additional feedback:
“The pickle really makes this sandwich for me. I’m saving it for later. It’s so delicious.” – Eli
“I could not eat a lot of this.” – Anna
“Six inches would do.” – Cal