Jersey Mike's Vs Firehouse: Who Makes The Better Philly Cheesesteak?

The beauty of a sandwich is that you can customize it to be exactly what you want. From the bread and cheese to the veggies, meats, and condiments, it's a hand-held build-your-own craving. But there are some sandwiches with a combo so good, they've earned their own name. The Philly cheesesteak was invented in Philadelphia in the 1930s, and while the best cheesesteaks in Philadelphia garner near-religious praise for their authenticity, not everyone can make the trip to the City of Brotherly Love every time the hankering hits. For the rest of us, local delis and chain restaurants are the more realistic option. So, how do those places stack up?

Authenticity is typically the first criterion for a great cheesesteak, and the debates surrounding it are heated. Ribeye is the traditional cut of meat for a cheesesteak, thinly shaved and cooked on a flat-top griddle. As for the cheese, the debate never ends. Cheez Whiz is the most traditional, American cheese is the most common, and provolone is what you'll find at most chain restaurants trying to zhuzh things up a bit. Getting all of the elements right simultaneously is harder than it sounds.

So, we're putting two of the most popular versions head-to-head: Jersey Mike's Famous Philly and Firehouse Subs Steak & Cheese Melt. For two chains whose claim to fame hinges on making fantastic subs, here's how they compare when it comes to a decades-old classic.

That tangy oil-and-vinegar, lettuce-and-tomato base might be what makes Jersey Mike's sandwiches so good, but without the Mike's Way adornments, can Jersey Mike's recreate a world-famous hot sub?

The Mike's Famous Philly comes with thinly shaved steak (the company does not disclose the exact type or cut), melted white American cheese, caramelized onions, and bell peppers, all piled onto its classic white loaf. The bread, by default, is not toasted, and there is quite a high bread-to-topping ratio, which is to say that the sandwich is very bread-y. What was unique about the Jersey Mike's version of this sandwich was that the chain doesn't use freshly sliced bell peppers, but jarred sweet (possibly pickled) peppers. Could this be the secret ingredient your Philly cheesesteak needs?

The most damning quality of this sandwich is that each bite is overwhelmed by bread. The bread is fine, but it's not flavorful or meant to be the main attraction of the sandwich, and the amount unfortunately makes the whole preparation feel drier than it should. The beef was a bit more crumbly than sliced, but had a fine, umami, and decidedly salty flavor. The melted American cheese is creamy, but there could have been more of it. The veggies felt scarce, but when we did get a bite of them, they added a pleasant tangy sweetness. For about $11 at my location, this was a decent sandwich. Not bad or outstanding, but satisfactory for a budget-friendly experience.

Firehouse Subs Steak & Cheese Melt comes with USDA Choice flame-seared steak, sauteed red and green bell peppers, caramelized onions, melted provolone cheese, and mayo on a toasted sub roll. Visually, it's an inviting sandwich. The colorful bell peppers peek out between the layers of shaved steak and melty cheese, while the top-cut roll has a fancy, almost bakery-like appearance.

That good first impression carries through to the first bite. The bread wasn't just there to support the weight of the ingredients; it actually had some nice flavor to it, though we wish it were a bit more toasted. The shaved steak comes in nicely sized slices with a surprisingly robust, beefy flavor that isn't overly salty. The caramelized onions add very subtle hints of sweetness, and though the bell peppers are plentiful, their flavor is almost negligible. We loved the moisture on this sandwich, provided by melty, creamy provolone and a not-overwhelming amount of mayo.

What stood out about this sandwich was that every single bite was nearly perfect. There was enough bread to hold everything together without having to chew through a mouthful of it before reaching the filling. Each bite was the perfect amount of savory meat, flavorful soft bread, gooey provolone, and a bit of refreshing flavor from the pepper to balance it all out. This was the kind of sandwich that makes you truly want to savor each bite.

At first glance, the two sandwiches look about the same size, but Firehouse has the advantage once you actually pick it up. Its medium sandwich is 8 inches compared to 7 inches for Jersey Mike's regular, and the Firehouse sandwich was noticeably heavier — it turns out that an extra inch really matters, especially considering the prices are nearly identical. The bread also just tasted better on Firehouse's end, with a crispier exterior and more structure.

In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Jersey Mike's cheesesteak cost $10.95 before tax, while Firehouse was $10.99. For essentially the same price, Firehouse gave us more (better-tasting) meat, more cheese, more substantial vegetables, and better bread. Without a doubt, those extra few cents feel like money well spent.

Nutritionally, Jersey Mike's has fewer calories, coming in at 750 compared to Firehouse's 1,040. But despite the 290-calorie difference, the sodium content is surprisingly close, with Jersey Mike's at 2,164 milligrams and Firehouse at 2,310. Jersey Mike's also has more carbohydrates, at 74 grams versus 58, while the protein is nearly identical at 46 and 42 grams, respectively. If you were going to recreate Jersey Mike's Famous Philly at home, you'd certainly need some salty meat. The higher calories at Firehouse likely come down to the more generous portions of meat, cheese, and mayo, which, coincidentally, are all things that made the sandwich taste better. Neither of these is an expensive or necessarily healthy sandwich, but for a price-quality comparison, there is one very clear winner. 

In our own ranking of Jersey Mike's items from worst to best, the Mike's Famous Philly landed almost dead center, and that is a telling endorsement. The sandwich itself isn't decidedly bad, but it's not one you'll remember long after eating. But with Firehouse's version in the opposition, Jersey Mike's variation simply does not stand a chance.

Jersey Mike's version of the cheesesteak tastes like what it is — an affordable, fast food Philly. But for nearly the same price, the Firehouse version is worlds above in appearance, taste, and value. The bread had more flavor than Jersey Mike's white bread, and there was the perfect amount of it. In fact, there was a perfect amount of everything on the Firehouse cheesesteak. The beef is plentiful and full of beefy flavor rather than just salty and crumbly. Jersey Mike's American cheese was fine, but there could have been more of it, and Firehouse's provolone was gooier, a bit more elevated in flavor, and perfect alongside a slather of mayo that made the whole thing extra moist.

Truly, Jersey Mike's only standout factor was the sweet, tangy peppers. The Firehouse bell peppers had a very water-forward flavor, and they were just fine, cutting through the richness of the meat and the salty creaminess of the cheese. But the Jersey Mike's peppers added a nice tang. Otherwise, there is really no competition here: Firehouse Subs makes a fantastic Philly cheesesteak that is hearty, beefy, cheesy, and well-balanced.

Both Philly cheesesteak sandwiches were ordered from Jersey Mike's and Firehouse Subs locations in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. To keep the playing field as even as possible, we ordered the medium (called regular at Jersey Mike's) at each location, with the standard bread (white bread for each). We did not do any customizations, though each restaurant offered plenty of options. Each sandwich was ordered and picked up promptly to keep them as warm and fresh as possible, and we took bites of each before noting the flavor of bread, cheese, meat, and veggies. Nutritional info is pulled directly from company websites.