There is nothing better than biting into a nice, juicy, sweet, and savory sandwich. The sub is the king of all sandwiches. Of all the places you can get a sub, Publix seems to be the best.

The infamously called “pub sub” is easily the top sub to get. The subs are located in the deli section of every Publix. Publix is mostly in the southeastern part of the United States. So that means that all of us who live in that part, are very privileged and lucky to have something as amazing as pub subs right at our fingertips.

The thing that sets pub subs apart from other subs is the variety of what you can make. Your creativity is the only thing that limits how unique your sub is.

To start with, you choose what size sub you want. The sizes range from six inches to twelve inches.

Then you choose what type of bread you want. The options are Italian five grain, white, flatbread, wrap, or no bread.

After that you choose your cheese. You can get anything from pepper jack to white american. Some other options are cheddar, muenster, provolone, swiss, and yellow american. Toppings are the next choice that you have.

Some toppings you can get include banana peppers, black olives, garlic pickles, cucumbers, dill pickles, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, lettuce, onions, spinach, tomato, salt, pepper, oregano, and oil and vinegar.

Then you choose a sauce. You can get many different things. Like mayo, buffalo sauce, ranch, and chipotle sauce. You can even choose to toast your sandwich if you would like. Publix offers so many different ways to make a sub the way you want.

Even though pub subs are clearly the best on the market, that doesn’t mean they don’t have competition. Companies like Subway, Firehouse Subs, and Jersey Mikes have tried to recreate the amazing subs that Publix makes. None of these places have come close. Subway seems to be on the decline. An article called “Why Is Subway Failing? (10 Reasons Why Stores Keep Closing)” by QuerySprout, says “Subway is failing for several reasons, with the primary impetus being a decline in food quality as of 2022. Additionally, the arrest and eventual sentencing of its most famous spokesperson.

Jared Fogle, in 2015 adversely harmed the brand. Also, customers have complained of problems with Subway’s loyalty program, riddled with flaws and issues.” This shows how Subway is not as good as it once was. The food quality is just getting worse and the employees are not helpful at all. To go along with that, other places like Firehouse Subs are becoming harder and harder to find and Jersey Mikes are not at the same level as pub subs.

Every good sandwich has its secret ingredients. The pub sub is no exception. Publix employee, Spencer Ashby, said, “Whenever we make a pub sub, we make sure to make it exactly how the customer wants it.” Most places have secret ingredients and Publix is no exception.

“A magician never reveals their secrets, so neither can a Publix worker person guy,” Ashby stated. Sadly, this means we will never know what else makes the pub subs exceptional.

The main item that separates Publix subs from the rest, is the fact that they always use freshly prepared and made ingredients. Mildred Sommers* stated that, “Every 20 to 30 minutes we replace and refill all of the vegetables at the substation. We replenish the meats and cold cuts about every hour. They can stay fresh longer, so that is why we do that.” This solidifies Publix’s superiority. They try and make sure that everything is fresh before you eat it.

On the other hand, an article titled, “Subway’s “Eat Fresh” Slogan Is Alarmingly Misleading, Operators Say,” by EatThis.com has said that “By the time it arrives at Subway, it’s allegedly anywhere between 10 to 15 days old. Considering the fact that most franchisees get their permitted supply of vegetables once a week (some higher-volume stores get deliveries twice a week), that lettuce may be up to 22 days old by the time it lands on your sandwich.” This shows how old the toppings are. It is very interesting as it goes against the slogan that subway is famous for.

From now until the end of time it seems like pub subs will reign supreme. This is because Subway looks like it has lost its way, Firehouse Subs have gone cold, and Jersey Mikes and old socks taste alike. The subs that are made at the one and only Publix will always be the best.

* Name has been changed to protect identity.