The 10 Unhealthiest Fast-Food Subs in America
Usually, a chain sandwich shop is a healthier alternative to a fast-food burger, pizza, or chicken spot. However, that is by no means a guarantee — many sandwich chains out there have thrown caution to the wind, serving sandwiches that max out your daily recommended calories, and then some.
What kind of fast-food sandwiches should you avoid? Which chains pile on the most calories in a single sandwich? Using each chain's official nutrition facts, we took a look at some of the most popular subs in America and ranked the standard, large-sized sandwiches by calorie count.
Want to know the worst of the worst? From meatball subs to roast beef and clubs, here are the 10 unhealthiest fast-food sub sandwiches in America.
#10. Club Supreme (Jersey Mike's)
- Calories: 900
- Saturated fat: 16g
- Sugar: 6g
The roast beef, turkey, Swiss, mayo, and bacon are probably the ones to blame here. Compared to these other restaurants, Jersey Mike's keeps their standard sandwiches fairly contained. Nothing outside the cheesesteak category tops 1,000 calories, and that's a lot more than many of these other places can say.
#9. J.J. Gargantuan (Jimmy John's)
- Calories: 1,080
- Saturated fat: 15g
- Sugar: 5g
It's right there in the name. The rest of Jimmy John's sandwich lineup isn't as intense as this, but when salami, cappocollo, turkey, roast beef, ham, and provolone are all on the same sandwich, the calories tend to shoot up. There's oil and mayo in there, too.
#8. Hook & Ladder (Firehouse Subs)
- Calories: 1,100
- Saturated fat: 14g
- Sugar: 14g
Firehouse Subs has the honor of appearing twice on this list. The Hook & Ladder—a signature sub for the chain—is a hot turkey and ham sub with a ton of melted Jack cheese. If this is just a sandwich with two meats and one cheese, it's a bit unsettling that it's far worse for you than Jimmy John's Gargantuan or the Jersey Mike's club.
#7. Club Sub (Cousin's Subs)
- Calories: 1,180
- Saturated fat: 18g
- Sugar: 8g
Cousin's has about 100 locations in the Midwest, but it used to reach as far as California, and there are still some loyal fans spread out across the country. The chain's club clocks in at nearly 1,200 calories, and it manages to do this without bacon. Only ham, turkey, and provolone are in the mix here. That's some mayo, Cousin.
#6. The Bobbie (Capriotti's)
- Calories: 1,320
- Saturated fat: 12g
- Sugar: 43g
Capriotti's is best known for The Bobbie, a Thanksgiving leftovers-style sandwich piled with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mayo. This thing is available all year-round and is often referred to as one of the best fast-food sandwiches in the country. But if the 1,320 calories aren't enough, have a look at that amount of sugar. 43 grams is more than a can of Coke.
#5. Meatball Pepperoni (Subway)
- Calories: 1,380
- Saturated fat: 32g
- Sugar: 14g
It stands to reason that a sandwich known only as Meatball Pepperoni would ring up almost 1,400 calories. In addition to the eponymous meatballs and pepperoni, this sub also comes with both provolone and parmesan cheeses. It's not light, and that's before you add any sauces or dressings.
#4. Lucky 7 (Potbelly)
- Calories: 1,420
- Saturated fat: 28g
- Sugar: 9g
A sandwich with seven individual meats is an easy guess for the Top 5. In addition to condiments and toppings, the Lucky 7 comes with ham, turkey, roast beef, salami, pepperoni, capicola, and mortadella. It's almost like a club sandwich and an Italian combined, all for only 1,420 calories.
#3. Italian (Quiznos)
- Calories: 1,430
- Saturated fat: 25g
- Sugar: 11g
Quiznos, which is still around (there are still about 150 locations left in the US and 300+ globally), serves the most aggressive Italian sub of the bunch. The scariest thing is that it only has pepperoni, salami, capicola, and ham, but has more calories and sugar than Potbelly's Lucky 7. There must be something in that red wine vinaigrette.
#2. Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket (Firehouse)
- Calories: 1,500
- Saturated fat: 33g
- Sugar: 24g
It's bold of Firehouse to serve a barbecue brisket sandwich, and even bolder to add melted cheddar, BBQ sauce, and mayo to it. That's the kind of sandwich that earns 33 grams of saturated fat and enough calories for your entire day.
#1. Egg Salad (Which Wich)
- Calories: 1,890
- Saturated fat: 30g
- Sugar: 8g
Some things just take your breath away, like the Grand Canyon, or the salt flats of Bolivia, or the sight of how many calories are contained in a large egg salad sandwich from Which Wich. That's not even the chain's biggest option, either; if you wanted a "Super" sub (around 14 inches), that raises the calorie count to a staggering 2,520. Egg salad is good, but you might want to consult your doctor before ordering this.