[[{“value”:”Sub sandwiches are rooted in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., but their popularity has spread far and wide. From pastrami to cheesesteaks, Americans can’t get enough of a sliced roll stuffed with meat and cheese. Whether you call it a sub/submarine sandwich, a hoagie, a hero, a grinder, or one of its other many names, these are some of the sandwich chains you might remember from your youth.
Jerry’s Subs & Pizza
Jerry’s Subs & Pizza, popular in the Mid-Atlantic area, got its start in Maryland just outside Washington, D.C., in 1954. The chain served New York-style pizza alongside stuffed sub sandwiches and “world famous cheesesteaks.” It grew to more than 100 locations in the 1990s, but was impacted by restructuring and bankruptcy. Only three Maryland locations are left.
TOGO’s
Founded in 1964 by two university students, TOGO’s got its name from both its founders, Tom Neumann and Gordon Reed, and the fact that everything was “to go” since the space had no seating. After Reed sold the business, he moved to San Jose, California, and opened another tiny space called Sandwiches To Go. The chain grew to around 350 locations across the country, but now operates around 150 stores. “My love of Togo’s is indefensible and fueled purely by nostalgia,” wrote a fan.
Schlotzsky’s
Schlotzsky’s started in Austin, Texas, in 1971, serving one item: “The Original,” a sandwich combining meats, cheeses, veggies, black olives, mustard, and a signature sauce all on an 8-inch, fresh-baked sourdough bun. At its peak, Schlotzsky’s had around 800 locations worldwide, but now has fewer than 300. One fan summed it up: “Funny name / serious sandwich.”
Au Bon Pain
Au Bon Pain is French for “at good bread” (inferred as “at the place of good bread) or “to good bread,” as in a raise-your-glass toast. The sandwich chain was started in 1976 in Boston by a French baking equipment manufacturer. Two years later, ownership changed hands — and concepts. Au Bon Pain went from selling equipment to selling baked goods, and then morphed again a few years later into cafes. The stores were clustered in metropolitan areas and grew to around 300 locations worldwide in the 2010s. There are only 25 U.S. locations left now.
Quiznos
It doesn’t seem very long ago that Quiznos was everywhere and we were all watching our sandwiches take a slow ride through the conveyor-belt oven. The chain, serving hot, toasted subs, started in 1981 and grew to nearly 5,000 restaurants across the United States in the early to mid-2000s. Nowadays, Quiznos is still around but with a much smaller footprint of around 150 locations.
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