The Discontinued Jersey Mike's Sub That Customers Want Back On The Menu

When you're an avid goer of Subway, Jersey Mike's, or any other make-your-own-sandwich shop, it's only natural that you develop a preferred order. But what happens when your go-to meal is no longer an option? It's the disappointing reality some Jersey Mike's fans had to face when the chain discontinued its meatball sub around 2020. Even after several years passed fans didn't completely stop dreaming about the retired item. Some took to social media to profess their love for the sandwich and beg Jersey Mike's to bring it back.

"That was the best meatball sub I ever had in my life! I was crushed when [they] discontinued it! I even wrote Jersey Mike's asking for the recipe!" one fan wrote on Reddit. A user in another thread said, "It was hands down the best meatball sandwich i ever ate." Quite a few fans shared the disappointment at the discontinuation. As one person pleaded, "Please, please bring back the meatball sub #15."

Some people even tried to apply pressure to Jersey Mike's via Change.org — a petition from 2020 reached 700 signatures. Additional petitions popped up on the platform over the years, including one that was posted in 2025. Despite fans' efforts, the item remains off the menus. The chain known for serving subs Mike's Way has clearly said "no way" to requests for meatballs.

The meatball sub was not a universally loved item, which may have something to do with why it left Jersey Mike's menus. One former employee wrote on Reddit, "I can tell you it was not very good." A customer attested, "I couldn't even eat [the meatball sub at] all. It was disgusting. Horrible!" One fan claimed they heard the Jersey Mike's employees talking about how the sub didn't sell well, leading to its discontinuation.

Customer preference doesn't appear to be the only issue, however. According to self-professed employees on Reddit, whipping up meatball subs involved heating ingredients in a microwave. The chain allegedly stopped doing this due to a shift towards using fresher ingredients. (The emphasis on freshness is one of the reasons Jersey Mike's sandwiches are so good.) Moreover, some employees said the meatballs were frozen, and the marinara would spend hours sitting in a warmer. This made the food far from fresh.

So if you want a fast food meatball sub, you'll have to find one elsewhere. Various well-known sandwich shops, including Subway, Potbelly, and Firehouse Subs currently offer such an option. One Redditor even suggested that Firehouse's version tastes identical to Jersey Mike's. Some social media users also recommended Wawa or Publix's sandwiches. Of course, you could always try making your own meatball sub.