What Kind Of Tuna Does Jersey Mike's Use In Its Subs?

Jersey Mike's has been winning over sandwich lovers since 1956. With freshly baked bread, top-tier meat and cheese, and a classic-yet-creative menu, the sub chain has garnered plenty of positive attention over the years. One of its more underrated offerings is arguably the tuna fish, which some consider the tastiest chain tuna sandwich of all. So, what kind of tuna does Jersey Mike's use that makes it so special?

According to YouTube content creator Donnie Otero, a Jersey Mike's general and district manager who's worked for the brand since 2014, the chain uses both albacore and chunk light tuna in water from StarKist to make its tuna salad. Black pepper, celery, and mayonnaise complete the recipe. It's mixed by hand and prepared fresh daily in every store. You can customize your sandwich's size, bread, and toppings (the chain recommends having it Mike's Way, with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, an olive oil blend, oregano, and salt).

Despite the tuna's no-frills freshness, it's not one of the most popular Jersey Mike's menu items. Compared to signature sammies like its chicken cheesesteaks and Italian heroes, the tuna salad number doesn't hold up for some. In fact, in a Mashed survey of 642 readers, 29% of participants considered tuna the worst sandwich at Jersey Mike's. That said, some seafood stans swear it's one of the best at the chain and beyond, so if your usual sandwich order is tuna, it's worth trying regardless.

Jersey Mike's regular-sized tuna sub on white bread has 1,060 calories and costs $10.10, though prices vary by location. Nutrition facts fluctuate based on your preferred toppings and sandwich size, but made Mike's Way, it contains about 75 grams of fat, 67 grams of carbs, 33 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 1,348 milligrams of sodium.

Our ranking of the best chain sandwich tuna subs placed Jersey Mike's sixth, beating competitor equivalents from Jimmy John's, Publix, and Subway. Online, some customers dismiss the chain's tuna fish as basic, but others had supportive words for the #10. "The tuna at the location I go to is really good. It's one of the few places I will actually get tuna from, except a good, local Jersey diner," one Reddit user claims. "Jersey Mike's is the only place I'll get a tuna sandwich. I call it the poor man's surf and turf because I get it Mike's Way with bacon," adds another.

There are copycat recipes for Jersey Mike's tuna salad, but due to its simplicity, you can likely wing it. Combine drained albacore and chunk light tuna in equal parts, then mix in sliced celery and black pepper to taste. Once everything is evenly distributed, stir in the mayonnaise by hand. Jersey Mike's G.M. Donnie Otero suggests jiggling the salad to ensure it's spreadable without being too runny or dry.