Cult US sandwich chain opens first UK store, 400 more locations planned
Move over, Subway; new sandwich artists have officially moved into central London, and they’re already plotting for country-wide domination, with 400 sites on the cards, according to reports.
Fast-food brands from the United States have taken over the UK high street.
There’s Dave’s Hot Chicken, a branch that requires you to sign a liability waiver if you want to try the hottest sauce; Chick-fil-A, which is set to roll out more restaurants in the coming years; and, of course, tried-and-tested favourites like Wing Stop, Five Guys, Wendy’s, and more.
Among the hubbub of Chuck E. Cheese and Raising Cane’s gearing up to make their mark on Britain comes Jersey Mike’s, a cult sub brand that has finally touched down in the capital.
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The sandwich shop, founded by Peter Cancro in 1956, opened its first UK store, opened on Monday 9 November at 1-4 Argyll Street, just off Oxford Road, to much fanfare.
“A Jersey Mike’s sub will never disappoint me man omg,” said one new fan.
A second took to X and wrote: “Perfect place to get a foot long cheese and onion sub.”
“Guys jersey mikes just launched in the uk i’m so happy NEVER KYS !!!!!!,” someone else remarked.
Jersey Mike’s first location near Oxford Circus begins a planned rollout of around 400 restaurants across the UK and Ireland under a master franchise agreement.
The company expects to add at least three more London-based venues to its roster before the end of 2026.
Ahead of the store opening, Cancro, Founder and Chairman of the Board at Jersey Mike’s and CEO of JM Submarines UK LTD, said: “I’ve lived and breathed this brand my entire life, starting when I worked at the original Mike’s Subs in Point Pleasant as a teenager.
“To now have the opportunity to bring Jersey Mike’s to the UK and Ireland as a franchisee is incredibly exciting. I see tremendous potential in these markets, and I’m eager to personally operate the brand I love in regions that value quality and community as much as we do.”
To celebrate Jersey Mike’s hitting England, the powerhouse brand drafted in Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor Danny DeVito, who reportedly ordered a ‘Number 13’ sub while at the venue.
Unlike Subway, the company’s sandwiches can be ordered by number, as well as name.
The ‘Number 13’, also known as The Original Italian, features provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni.
Anyone who asks for their office lunch to be built ‘Mike’s Way’ will see sandwich artists topping it with a signature combination of onions, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, an olive oil blend, oregano, and salt. Talk about heaven!
Will you be following the crowds down to London this month to get your first taste of Jersey Mike’s? Or will you wait until one of the 400 planned shops opens near you?
Ella Scott
