Owasso’s sub shops surveyed: the ultimate verdict

By Tony Cerqueira

Stock photo of sub sandwiches taken from iStock

The city of Owasso is no stranger to submarine sandwiches, as it boasts over ten businesses where these sandwiches take center stage. But the quality of these delicious deli treats largely depends on the establishments that make them. To find the best sandwich, I ordered the largest “Italian” sub from every shop I went to, which I used as a frame of reference in terms of taste. I will be considering the following factors in my five-point rating: price, speed, service and flavors.  

Seriously Subway? 

Upon arriving at the store, I confusingly browsed the menu for a few minutes before someone came to help me. The fatigued employee told me they had three different kinds of Italian subs, so I went with the most generic one. Then, I waited for what felt like forever—a total of 11 minutes. At this point in my experience, the only thing saving Subway was the sub itself. The sub came in at $11.64 post tax, at 402 grams of sandwich; that’s roughly 34.5 grams per dollar. The sub contained salami, ham, provolone cheese, red onions, tomatoes, lettuce and an italian-style sauce. The flavors were mediocre at best, as the red onions combined with the sauce overpowered the sandwich leaving a sour yet tolerable taste. When it comes to Subway, you can typically expect a straightforward, no-frills experience. 

I rate it two out of five stars.

Giant win for Giant Subs and Deli

It is important to keep in mind that this sub shop is the only one on the list that is family-owned and operated locally. As I briskly entered the establishment, I was greeted by a welcoming, homey environment. Two young ladies walked me through the menu in a quick manner, and directed me to the sandwich I was looking for. Overall, the exchange took less than two minutes. The Italian at Giant Subs and Deli cost $14.16 for a total of 417 edible grams. Although this sub classifies as “pricier” in terms of grams per dollar (29.4), the sandwich had amazing bursts of flavors from the fresh tomatoes and light sauce to the complementing proteins. The staff were friendly, the visit was fast and the food was good–to me this was an underrated local business. 

I rate the experience four out of five stars. 

Flaming flavors at Firehouse Subs

Firehouse Subs is always a worthwhile visit in my book. The building itself perfectly fits the theme of firefighting with its vibrant red and white working. The kind employee took my order and I asked for the all-too-famous Italian on white bread. The sandwich was $14.92, weighing in at 635 grams—a hefty 42.6 grams of sub per dollar. Surprisingly enough, Firehouse Subs was the only establishment that gave me a free water cup. I waited nine long yet worthy minutes for my sandwich. What stood out to me in this sandwich was the honey ham–I think this in itself deserves five stars. Regardless, the sub was a little soggy, and it did take a little while. 

My rating is three and a half out of five stars.

Just Jimmy John’s

The nostalgia I get from walking into Jimmy John’s is unbeatable. From the clean, inviting look of the place to the quirky wall decor, Jimmy John’s has it all. The overwhelmingly exhausted employee asked for $17.96 post-tax in exchange for my giant-size Italian sub. As a tradeoff, I got roughly 794 grams of Italian sub, which is 44.2 grams per dollar spent. The sub was evenly coated in ham, veggies and sauce with a decent taste. To Jimmy John’s credit, it only took around two minutes to get my food. Jimmy John’s is a top contender on the Owasso list, however, there are definitely better subs.

I give Jimmy John’s a solid three and a half out of five stars.

Jam-packed flavors at Jersey Mike’s

At heart, Jersey Mike’s has always been my favorite; however, I will eliminate this bias for the purpose of the review. Jersey Mike’s has a well put-together building, with a variety of seating options. I was able to pay my steep $19.27 to the happy-looking cashier for 934g of Italian heaven. Despite its expensive price tag, this sandwich provides the best grams per dollar amount, at 48.5. I waited around five minutes to get my sandwich before chowing down. Every bite had even ham to veggie ratios. Something I noticed with Jersey Mike’s is the fact that they heavily season their subs, which further boosts their taste.

Another favorite—I give it four and a half stars out of five.

Overall, options for sub sandwiches vary depending on consumer needs. My overall take is to go with Owasso’s local Giant Subs and Deli. Otherwise, the most rewarding, but franchised pick has to be Jersey Mike’s.