Changes Coming To Jersey Mike's In 2026

Enjoy Jersey Mike's made-to-order subs that come with bread that has been baked in-store? Good, because you're going to be seeing a lot more of the beloved sandwich chain in 2026. Things have only been on the upward trajectory for Jersey Mike's — between last year's $8 billion acquisition by private equity firm Blackstone, and bringing on a new CEO, Charlie Morrison, the brand has set itself up for success this year.

From its opening on the Jersey shore as one of America's first submarine sandwich shops in 1956, the brand has come a long way. It now boasts 4,000 locations (and growing) in the United States, and its plans this year include international expansion and taking the company public. NRN reported Jersey's Mikes as the top choice for "America's Favorite Fast Casual Chain," and to keep in this spot, the brand will stay competitive by upping its digital capabilities, it's level of personalization, and more menu innovation for a better customer experience.

Jersey Mike's will cross the Atlantic Ocean and open stores in Europe for the first time. The company's traditional American submarine sandwiches will now be served up in the UK and Ireland. Initially, 400 stores will be opened, and this will be the first phase of the international expansion. That said, if this is the first phase, it's safe to assume that international expansion will continue into the future; the company did not offer more details on future plans or whether it would also open stores in other countries.

American chain Subway already operates in the UK and Ireland — but as Ireland's Supreme Court ruled that Subway's bread is too sugary to be considered bread, Jersey Mike's might have a leg-up with what it offers. Jersey Mike's will also face competition from other sandwich chains in these countries, like Which Wich and Pret a Manger.

Good news for Jersey Mike's fans: Aside from expanding overseas, more locations will also be opened stateside. According to QSR, Jersey Mike's had 3,256 locations in the United States as of 2025, and sees the potential of having 8,000 stores in the country at some point. While a hard timeline was not set for this, the chain has on average added 300 new stores every year. This may be good news for Alaska, which is the only state that doesn't have a Jersey Mike's.

Jersey Mike's also agreed to an expansion deal in 2024 to open locations in Canada; today there are only 21 stores in the country. A total of 300 stores will open before 2034, so it's likely that more will open this year.

Jersey Mike's is a franchise, meaning that individuals own and operate locations under the company brand. This allows for it to expand faster, with a far greater reach throughout the country, as the franchisees are now charged with responsibilities like capital, staffing, and operations, rather than the parent company.

It would be strange for a restaurant chain not to mention its focus on digital capabilities – every brand from McDonald's to Starbucks is adding AI, self-service ordering, and integrated restaurant systems. Jersey Mike's is now tapping into these tools to support its continued growth and expansion.

For the sandwich chain, this is going to look like increasing its digital presence on social media channels and its website. According to NRN, the company's CEO, Charlie Morrison, explained that 40% of the brand's sales come from digital channels (like food delivery apps, Jersey Mike's own app, and its website), and it plans on trying to increase that to 60%.

Morrison was previously a CEO at Wingstop, and explained that Jersey Mike's would have a similar "playbook" to the chicken wing chain. This basically means making the brand more active in the digital space as it grows. The CEO also mentioned increasing the marketing budget, so customers could be seeing more ads in social channels, in-app promotions, and marketing emails.

Jersey Mike's is gearing up to go public, meaning that privately owned shares (owned by founders, stakeholders, investors, and sometimes employees) will now sell shares to the public on the stock market.

For customers, this won't exactly result in obvious changes right away. However, an IPO (Initial Public Offering) gives the company access to a lot more capital. Traditionally, private companies raise money through investors, but an IPO greatly expands the company's access to capital.

For context, QSR reported that Jersey Mike's is seeking a $12 billion valuation and a raise of $1 billion. With that capital, the chain will be able to open its planned locations quicker, invest in things that improve the customer experience, and continue with its international rollout. This is also significant because restaurant IPOs have been slow in the past few years — only one IPO'd last year, and two the year before. 

One of the best things about Jersey Mike's is that customers know what to expect when they go. The freshly baked bread, vegetables that have been hand-sliced that day, and sandwiches made "Mike's Way." These are all core components of the brand, and with this strong foundation and customer base, it now has the liberty to innovate.

Menu innovation is a part of the company's plan for 2026, although it didn't disclose many other details. So far this year, Jersey Mike's has released a new sandwich in honor of its 70th anniversary — the Mike's Hot Italian. The limited-time only sandwich includes ham, salami, pepperoni, provolone, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and pepper relish. The other current limited-time special is the Boardwalk Bundle, which includes a regular-sized sub, a 22oz fountain drink, and a small bag of chips.

As these are both limited-time deals and menu items, we expect to see more menu innovations at the sandwich chain when these expire.